Access to Court Records Located at
the
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) Mid Atlantic Region's Archives
Facility
Information about bankruptcy and court records nationwide
Records AvailableThe Mid Atlantic Region's Archives facility holds records from Federal courts located in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. These court records date from 1789 to 1980s.
The Court Records Request ProcessYou may visit the Archives or request copies by mail.
Visiting the ArchivesWe encourage you to contact us before visiting to confirm the availability of the court records of interest. Follow the steps below to make an appointment:
Acquire case information.
For each case, provide as much of the following information as possible:
- Court or city where the case was tried
- Type of case (bankruptcy, civil, criminal, etc.)
- Case date or case number
- Names of the plaintiffs and/or defendants.
To make the most efficient use of your time, or to make sure that the documents of interest to you are at our facility, please contact us in advance. We will confirm that we have the records of interest to you. We will also schedule an appointment if you want to view the records in-person.
Your research appointment.To use archival records, visitors must present a NARA researcher identification card. Applicants must show official identification with a photograph, such as a driver's license, passport, or school or business ID. Applicants must complete a form providing their name, address, telephone number, and a brief description of their research. NARA researcher ID cards are valid for 1 year. They may be renewed.
Please allow several minutes to complete the researcher registration process.
Making Copies of Documents. - Photocopying
We have self-service paper copiers. The fees are listed below. We may restrict copying if the records are fragile or have other limitations.
Fees for photocopying, beginning October 1, 2007:
- Self-service paper copies, $0.15 per page; $0.20 per page
- Staff-made copies, $0.50 per page; $0.75 per page
- Certified copies, $10.00 per certification; $15.00
See the press release, National Archives Announces Changes in Copying Fees, August, 2007.
You can pay by cash, money order, personal check (payable to the National Archives Trust Fund), or by credit card.
Access by phone, e-mail, fax, or mailThe Archives will accept phone, e-mail, fax, or mail requests for photocopies.
* Please do not send credit card information via e-mail. See our Privacy Policy.
- Telephone -- 215-606-0112
- E-mail -- philadelphia.archives@nara.gov
- Fax -- 215-606-0116
- Mail -- National Archives, 900 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
- Court or city where the case was tried
- Type of case (Bankruptcy, civil, criminal, etc.)
- Case date or case number
- Names of the plaintiffs and/or defendants.
- Your name
- Your address
- Your daytime telephone number
NARA staff will search for the record. A staff member will contact you within 10 business days with the results of the search. Staff will provide an invoice with payment instructions should you decide to order copies.
