Philadelphia County DUI Records and Case Dockets
Philadelphia County DUI records are held by the Clerk of Courts within the First Judicial District, the court system unique to Philadelphia. Philadelphia is a consolidated city-county, meaning the city and county are the same governmental unit. With over 1.6 million residents, Philadelphia is the most populous county in Pennsylvania and one of the largest cities in the United States. The Criminal Division of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas handles all DUI cases filed in the city. This page explains how to search Philadelphia County DUI records and what you will find.
Philadelphia County Quick Facts
Philadelphia County DUI Records
Philadelphia generates more DUI cases than any other county in Pennsylvania due to its population size. The Philadelphia District Attorney's Office prosecutes thousands of DUI cases each year. Under 75 Pa.C.S. § 3802, any driver with a BAC at or above 0.08 percent faces DUI charges. Philadelphia cases are classified into General, High, and Highest tiers based on BAC and drug involvement. Penalties under 75 Pa.C.S. § 3804 range from probation for a first-offense General tier case to mandatory prison for Highest tier or repeat offenders.
The Philadelphia Police Department at phila.gov conducts extensive DUI enforcement. Officers run DUI checkpoints and saturation patrols, particularly around holidays and major city events. The department is one of the largest in the country and handles DUI investigations across all 77 city neighborhoods. Police reports from DUI arrests are available through the Records and Identification Unit. These reports can be requested through the Right-to-Know process or obtained directly in connection with a court case. Officers are trained in field sobriety testing under NHTSA standards and in the use of breathalyzer equipment as required by 75 Pa.C.S. § 3814.
Philadelphia is a consolidated city-county. There is no separate county government; the city and county share the same elected officials and government structure. This means the Philadelphia courts at courts.phila.gov serve as both the municipal court system and the county court system. All DUI records filed in Philadelphia are held within this unified structure. The First Judicial District is formally separate from the rest of the Pennsylvania court system, operating under state law but with its own administrative structure.
How to Search Philadelphia DUI Records
Two portals give you access to Philadelphia County DUI records. The first is the Philadelphia Courts website at courts.phila.gov. This site has a built-in case search for Philadelphia cases and is the most direct route to local DUI dockets. The second is the statewide UJS Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us, which includes Philadelphia along with all other 66 Pennsylvania counties. Both tools are free to use for basic case lookups.
Searching by name in Philadelphia requires the full legal name as filed in court. Philadelphia processes a high volume of DUI cases, so common names may return many results. Narrowing by year filed or adding a middle initial helps. If you have a docket number, that produces the most precise result. Docket sheets show every court event, charge listing, bail status, and final disposition for a DUI case in Philadelphia County.
For certified copies of court documents, contact the Philadelphia Clerk of Courts at phila.gov/departments/clerk-of-courts. Records can be accessed at the Municipal Services Building and at the courthouse. Fees apply per page for printed copies. Staff can assist with both name and docket searches during business hours.
Note: Philadelphia also has a Municipal Court that handles some DUI matters at the preliminary stage before cases go to the Court of Common Pleas, so some early-stage DUI records may appear in Municipal Court dockets rather than Common Pleas.
Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas DUI Cases
The First Judicial District of Pennsylvania at phila.gov/departments/first-judicial-district handles all criminal cases in Philadelphia including DUI. The Criminal Division processes DUI charges from arraignment through sentencing. Treatment Court programs are also available through the First Judicial District for DUI defendants with documented substance use issues. These programs offer supervision and treatment as an alternative to traditional sentencing in appropriate cases.
Philadelphia DUI cases follow the same Pennsylvania law as all other counties. Chemical test results under 75 Pa.C.S. § 3814 determine the BAC tier. Refusal to submit to testing triggers automatic license suspension and can be referenced at trial. The Philadelphia District Attorney's office coordinates with the Philadelphia Police Department on all DUI prosecutions. Victim services are available for those harmed by DUI incidents in Philadelphia. Cases involving a fatality caused by an impaired driver are charged under 18 Pa.C.S. § 3735 and result in serious felony records. Prior DUI convictions in Philadelphia or any other county count toward repeat offender status under 75 Pa.C.S. § 3806.
ARD Program in Philadelphia County
The ARD program under 75 Pa.C.S. § 3807 is available for qualifying first-time DUI offenders in Philadelphia County. The Philadelphia District Attorney's office at phila.gov/departments/district-attorney operates diversion programs including ARD and treatment court as alternatives to traditional prosecution. Not everyone qualifies. Disqualifying factors include prior DUI charges, injury to another person, and having a minor in the vehicle at the time of arrest. The DA makes the eligibility determination before any plea is entered.
Philadelphia also has Treatment Court as a separate option for DUI defendants with substance abuse issues. Treatment Court participants receive intensive supervision and treatment in exchange for avoiding a conviction if they complete the program successfully. Both ARD and Treatment Court allow for expungement of the DUI arrest upon successful completion. The Clerk of Courts processes expungement petitions. Records are removed from public view after the court grants the expungement order.
Note: Because Philadelphia handles a very high volume of DUI cases, ARD and diversion review may take longer than in smaller Pennsylvania counties.
Drug and Alcohol Services in Philadelphia County
Philadelphia Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services at phila.gov provides substance abuse assessment and treatment for Philadelphia residents including court-ordered DUI offenders. The department coordinates with the courts to track treatment compliance for defendants required to complete programs as part of their sentence or ARD agreement. DUI education classes and more intensive outpatient programs are both available through this system.
Prevention programs in Philadelphia address impaired driving through community outreach, public awareness campaigns, and collaboration with the Philadelphia Police Department and PennDOT. Case managers help DUI defendants navigate both the court system and the treatment system at the same time. The Pennsylvania DMV handles license suspension and restoration matters that run parallel to DUI court cases. Reinstatement of driving privileges is a separate process from the criminal case and is managed by PennDOT.
Right-to-Know in Philadelphia County
Philadelphia processes Right-to-Know requests through the Office of Open Records at phila.gov/departments/office-of-open-records. Under 65 P.S. § 67.101, public records including police reports and administrative documents are available upon request. Fees are charged per the RTKL fee schedule. Response times follow statutory requirements. Denied requests can be appealed to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records.
Court records in Philadelphia are separate from RTK requests. DUI court files are public and accessible through the Clerk of Courts or the Philadelphia Courts website. Most DUI case records in Philadelphia County are not exempt from public access. Records involving minors or sealed cases are withheld. Legal aid is available through palegalaid.net for low-income individuals who need help understanding their rights under the Right-to-Know Law or who need assistance with a DUI case in Philadelphia County.
Cities in Philadelphia County
Philadelphia County is a consolidated city-county. The city of Philadelphia is the only municipality within its borders. All DUI cases are filed at the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas within the First Judicial District. There are no separate township or borough courts within Philadelphia County.
As a consolidated city-county, all DUI matters in Philadelphia County go through the Philadelphia courts. The city spans more than 140 square miles and is divided into neighborhoods for police district purposes, but all court filings go to the same courthouse and Clerk of Courts.
Nearby Counties
Philadelphia County borders four other Pennsylvania counties. DUI records are filed in the county where the arrest took place. If an arrest occurred near a county border, confirm which county the location falls in before searching for records.