Juniata County Public Records

How to Find Public Records in Juniata County in 2026

JuniataRecords.us provides publicly available information and data related to public records maintained by government agencies in Juniata County, Pennsylvania. Members of the public seeking official documentation may find references to a range of record categories, including court filings, property documents, vital records, and law enforcement reports. The availability and completeness of any particular record depends on the maintaining agency, the nature of the document, and applicable state law.

Records accessible through official channels may include:

Court records (civil, criminal, probate, and family court)
Property deeds, mortgages, and assessment records
Vital records (birth, death, marriage, and divorce)
Business licenses, permits, and fictitious name registrations
Tax and financial records
Voting and election records
County commission meeting minutes and agendas
Law enforcement incident reports and arrest logs (where permitted)
Land use, zoning, and planning documents

Records in Juniata County may be searched through official court resources, clerk offices, public access terminals, and online tools maintained by state and county agencies.

Online Access:

The Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania provides a statewide web portal for searching court dockets, including cases filed in the Perry/Juniata County Court of Common Pleas. The portal allows searches by party name, docket number, or filing date without registration.
The Pennsylvania Department of State maintains an online database for business entity and fictitious name registrations at dos.pa.gov.
Property assessment and tax records are maintained by the Juniata County Assessment Office and may be accessed through the county's official website.

In-Person Requests: Members of the public may inspect records in person at the relevant county office. The Juniata County Courthouse, located at 1 North Main Street, Mifflintown, PA 17059, houses the Prothonotary, Clerk of Courts, Register of Wills, and Recorder of Deeds. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

Written/Mail Requests: Written requests must identify the record sought with sufficient specificity to allow the agency to locate it. Under Pennsylvania's Right to Know Law, agencies are required to respond within five business days of receiving a written request. Requests may be mailed to the applicable office at 1 North Main Street, Mifflintown, PA 17059.

Phone/Email:

Juniata County Courthouse main line: (717) 436-8991
Individual office contacts are listed on the Juniata County official website

What Are Public Records in Juniata County?

Public records in Juniata County are defined under Pennsylvania law as any document, paper, letter, map, book, tape, photograph, film, sound recording, or information stored or maintained electronically that is created or received by a Commonwealth agency, local agency, or judicial agency in the course of its official duties. Under 65 P.S. § 67.102, a "public record" is a record that is not exempt from access under the Right to Know Law or any other state or federal law.

The following record types are maintained by Juniata County agencies:

Record Type	Maintaining Office
Civil and criminal court records	Prothonotary / Clerk of Courts
Property deeds and mortgages	Recorder of Deeds
Wills and probate records	Register of Wills
Vital records (birth, death, marriage)	Register of Wills / PA Dept. of Health
Business licenses and permits	County/Municipal offices
Property tax and assessment records	Assessment Office / Tax Claim Bureau
Election and voter records	Juniata County Election Bureau
Meeting minutes and budgets	County Commissioners' Office
Law enforcement incident reports	Pennsylvania State Police / local departments
Land use and zoning records	Planning and Zoning Office

Court docket searches for Juniata County cases may be conducted through the UJS Portal case search, which includes records from the Perry/Juniata County Court of Common Pleas. Federal bankruptcy filings involving Juniata County residents are accessible through the Pennsylvania Middle Bankruptcy Court on PACER.

Is Juniata County an Open Records County?

Juniata County operates in full compliance with Pennsylvania's statewide open records framework. Under 65 P.S. § 67.301, a public record in the possession of a local agency is presumed to be accessible to any person unless the agency demonstrates that the record is exempt under the Right to Know Law or another applicable statute.

As stated by the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records: "Pennsylvania's Right to Know Law (RTKL) gives people access to the public records of government agencies." This presumption of openness places the burden of justifying any denial on the agency, not on the requester.

The county does not maintain a separate local open records ordinance that supersedes state law. All county agencies are subject to the Pennsylvania Right to Know Law, and each agency designates an Open Records Officer responsible for processing requests and issuing determinations. The Pennsylvania Department of the Auditor General conducts periodic audits of county agencies, including Juniata County, to ensure compliance with applicable financial transparency and records access requirements.

How Much Does It Cost to Get Public Records in Juniata County?

The fee structure for public records in Juniata County is governed by the Pennsylvania Right to Know Law and the fee schedule established by the Office of Open Records.

Fee Type	Standard Amount
Black-and-white paper copies (letter/legal)	$0.25 per page
Certification of a record	$1.00 per record
Electronic duplication (CD/DVD)	Actual cost of media
Postage	Actual cost
Inspection of records	No charge

Fees for paper copies are capped at $0.25 per page for standard letter- or legal-size documents under the Office of Open Records fee schedule.
Agencies may not charge a search fee or retrieval fee unless specifically authorized by statute.
Certification fees apply when a requester needs an official certified copy of a document.
Payment methods accepted at county offices include cash, check, and money order payable to the applicable county office.
Fee waivers are not broadly mandated under state law, but agencies retain discretion to waive fees in individual cases.

Fees for vital records obtained through the Pennsylvania Department of Health differ from county copy fees and are set by separate regulation.

Does Juniata County Have Free Public Records?

Free inspection of public records is available in Juniata County. Under state law, agencies may not charge a fee for the inspection of records on-site. Members of the public may visit the relevant county office during business hours and inspect documents at no cost; fees apply only when copies are requested.

The following resources provide free access to certain public records:

The UJS Portal provides free online access to court docket information for cases filed in Pennsylvania courts, including Juniata County.
The Pennsylvania State Police publishes Public Information Release Reports for each PSP Troop, which are available at no charge and may be filtered by county or searched by name.
The Megan's Law public website provides free access to information about registered sexual offenders in Pennsylvania, as authorized by the General Assembly to enhance public safety.
Property assessment data maintained by the Juniata County Assessment Office is available for inspection at the courthouse without charge.

The distinction between free inspection and free copies is significant: while on-site review of records carries no fee, obtaining paper or electronic copies is subject to the standard fee schedule described above.

Who Can Request Public Records in Juniata County?

Any person may submit a public records request in Juniata County. Under the Pennsylvania Right to Know Law, there is no residency requirement, and requesters are not required to state the purpose of their request for most record types. Non-residents of Pennsylvania retain the same right of access as residents.

Requesters are not required to provide identification to submit a written request, though in-person inspection may require sign-in procedures at the discretion of the office.
No justification or statement of purpose is required for access to records that are presumed public under state law.
Certain record types, such as criminal history records maintained by the Pennsylvania State Police, are subject to separate access rules and may require the requester to identify themselves or demonstrate a permissible purpose.
Individuals requesting their own records (e.g., personal criminal history) may be subject to identity verification requirements under applicable state and federal law.
Attorneys, journalists, businesses, and members of the general public are all eligible to submit requests on equal terms for presumptively public records.

What Records Are Confidential in Juniata County?

Not all government records in Juniata County are subject to public disclosure. The Pennsylvania Right to Know Law enumerates specific categories of exempt records, and additional exemptions exist under other state and federal statutes.

Records that are currently exempt from public access include:

Sealed court records — records sealed by judicial order are not accessible without a court directive
Juvenile records — records pertaining to juvenile proceedings are confidential under Pennsylvania law
Ongoing criminal investigation records — records that would compromise an active investigation are exempt
Personal identifying information — Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and similar data are redacted or withheld
Medical and health records — protected under both state law and the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
Adoption records — sealed by statute and accessible only under specific legal circumstances
Child welfare and protective services records — confidential under the Child Protective Services Law
Personnel records — employee home addresses, personal telephone numbers, and similar data are exempt, with limited exceptions for public officials
Trade secrets and proprietary business information — submitted to agencies in confidence
Security and infrastructure plans — records that could facilitate criminal activity or endanger public safety

As stated in the Office of Open Records guidance: "The burden of proving that a record is exempt from public access rests with the agency." Agencies must cite a specific legal basis for any denial of access.

Juniata County Recorder's Office: Contact Information and Hours

Juniata County Recorder of Deeds
1 North Main Street, Mifflintown, PA 17059
(717) 436-8991
Juniata County official website

Office Hours:
Monday – Friday: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Closed on federal and state holidays

Juniata County Prothonotary / Clerk of Courts
1 North Main Street, Mifflintown, PA 17059
(717) 436-8991
Juniata County official website

Office Hours:
Monday – Friday: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Juniata County Register of Wills
1 North Main Street, Mifflintown, PA 17059
(717) 436-8991
Juniata County official website