Lawrence County Traffic Cases
Traffic records in Lawrence County are primarily a Magisterial District Court research task. Pennsylvania traffic citations, summary traffic offenses, many non-traffic summary matters, and preliminary citation-level proceedings are handled at the MDJ level. A user should search UJS MDJ docket sheets, not just Common Pleas. More serious vehicle-related crimes, including DUI, may begin at MDJ and later move into Common Pleas criminal court if held for court.
The county has four MDJ offices listed in the research. Their districts cover New Castle, Ellwood City, Union Township, Neshannock Township, and surrounding boroughs and townships. Parking or local ordinance citations may also use a municipality's local payment process, so the citation itself should be read for the issuing court, deadline, and payment address.
The image below comes from the AOPC Magisterial District Judges overview, which explains the lower-court level that handles most Lawrence County traffic citations.
For Lawrence County traffic court records, that MDJ level is often the first public docket to check.
Search Lawrence County Traffic Records
Use the UJS Magisterial District Judge docket search for citation-level records. The docket number is the strongest search term because name searches can return many statewide results. If the citation lists a specific MDJ office, use that office filter when the portal allows it. If a traffic-related criminal charge has moved to Common Pleas, search the Common Pleas criminal docket too.
- Read the citation for the MDJ district, docket or citation number, charge, deadline, and payment instructions.
- Search UJS MDJ dockets by docket number when possible, or by participant name when the number is unknown.
- Narrow by Lawrence County, MDJ office, and filed date if the search returns too many matches.
- Open the docket sheet and review plea, hearing, disposition, fine, costs, and failure-to-appear entries.
- For payment, contest, continuance, or certified-copy questions, contact the court named on the citation.
Lawrence County Citation Fields
The UJS MDJ search fields help separate an ordinary traffic citation from a Common Pleas criminal case. Select Lawrence County when possible, then use the docket number or participant name. Date fields are most useful for old citations, common names, and cases with more than one docket.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Options / Format Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Docket number | Text | No | Use the MJ number from a citation or notice when known. |
| Participant name | Text | No | Search by driver or defendant name. |
| County | Dropdown | No | Select Lawrence to focus the search. |
| Court office / MDJ | Dropdown | No | Use if the citation lists the Magisterial District Judge office. |
| Date filed | Date range | No | Narrows older citations and common-name results. |
| Search / Reset | Buttons | N/A | Submits or clears the form. |
Lawrence County Traffic Courts
Traffic records are tied to the MDJ office that received the citation. The research lists four Magisterial District Courts serving Lawrence County. These courts also handle minor criminal cases, civil claims up to the researched limit, bail, and preliminary hearings, so a driver should not assume every MDJ docket is a simple ticket file.
| Court | Traffic Role | Address / Phone |
|---|---|---|
| MDJ 53-1-01 | Traffic, minor criminal, bail, preliminary hearings | 430 Court Street, New Castle, PA 16101; (724) 652-8555 |
| MDJ 53-3-01 | Traffic and minor-case court for Ellwood City area communities | 607 Lawrence Avenue, Ellwood City, PA 16117; (724) 752-1185 |
| MDJ 53-3-02 | Traffic and minor-case court for Union Township and listed nearby areas | 4834 State Route 18, New Castle, PA 16102; (724) 667-8010 |
| MDJ 53-3-04 | Traffic and minor-case court for Neshannock, Shenango, and listed communities | 3470 Wilmington Road, New Castle, PA 16105; (724) 652-9615 |
What Lawrence County Traffic Records Show
A traffic court record is a case record. It shows what the court did with the citation, not the driver's complete license history. The public docket may show a citation, charge title, plea or disposition, fine and costs, hearing date, warrant or failure-to-appear entry, and docket activity. The underlying police report, crash report, or PennDOT license file is separate.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Docket or citation number | The court number used to track the traffic case. |
| Court office | The MDJ or court that handled the citation. |
| Participant name | The driver or defendant listed on the public docket. |
| Charge | The traffic offense or summary offense filed with the court. |
| Plea or disposition | How the charge was resolved, when public. |
| Financial entries | Fines, costs, payments, or balances shown on the docket. |
| Events | Hearings, continuances, warrants, failure-to-appear entries, or case closure. |
Traffic Court vs PennDOT Records
The court traffic record and the PennDOT driver record answer different questions. A court docket shows what happened in a Lawrence County traffic case. A PennDOT driver record shows state driver-history information, including license status, convictions reported to PennDOT, suspensions, points, and restoration requirements. Correcting one record does not always correct the other automatically.
| Record | Maintained By | Shows | Does Not Show |
|---|---|---|---|
| Court traffic record | MDJ / court system through UJS | Citation, charge, plea or disposition, fine, costs, hearing date, warrant/FTA entries, docket activity. | Complete license history or all PennDOT administrative actions. |
| State driver record | PennDOT | License status, convictions reported to PennDOT, suspensions, points, and restoration requirements. | Full court pleadings, judge orders, and non-reported case details. |
Lawrence County PennDOT Records
PennDOT driver records are requested through Pennsylvania driver and vehicle record services. The research confirms that record types may include basic, 3-year, 10-year, full, and certified options, but the current fee schedule was not confirmed in the Lawrence County research file. Use PennDOT for license consequences and driver-history questions, then use the court docket for the traffic case itself.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Options / Format Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driver name | Text | Yes | Used for the driver-record request. |
| Driver license number | Text | Usually yes | Needed for an accurate official record. |
| Date of birth | Date | Yes | Used for identity verification. |
| Record type | Choice | Yes | Basic, 3-year, 10-year, full, and certified options may vary. |
| Requester information | Text | Yes | Name, address, purpose, and certification details when required. |
| Payment | Payment field | Yes | Fees apply and should be verified with PennDOT. |
Pay or Contest Traffic Tickets
A Lawrence County traffic ticket should be answered through the court named on the citation. Paying may resolve the court case, but it can also create a conviction or driver-record consequence. Contesting a citation requires following the plea and appearance instructions by the deadline. Do not assume email, remote appearance, or rescheduling is accepted unless the MDJ court confirms it.
- Read the citation for the court name, MDJ district, docket number, response deadline, and payment instructions.
- Search UJS MDJ dockets by docket number or name to confirm the case.
- To pay, follow the official court or payment instructions and keep the receipt.
- To contest, enter the required plea or contact the court before the deadline.
- Ask the MDJ court about rescheduling, remote appearance, or continuance procedures.
- If a bench warrant or license suspension is listed, confirm court action and PennDOT restoration requirements separately.
Lawrence County Traffic Fees
The research did not confirm a Lawrence County traffic copy-fee schedule or current PennDOT driver-record fee amounts. A traffic citation may include fine and cost information, while the docket may show assessed financial entries and payments. Certified copies, state driver records, and restoration steps can involve separate charges, so the issuing MDJ court or PennDOT should be checked before sending payment.
| Item | Source | Fee Status |
|---|---|---|
| Traffic fine and court costs | Issuing MDJ court / citation docket | Amount depends on the citation and docket entries. |
| Plain traffic docket copy | Issuing court office | Current copy fee not confirmed in official Lawrence County research. |
| Certified traffic record copy | Issuing court office | Certification fee should be verified with the court named on the citation. |
| PennDOT driver record | PennDOT | Fees apply; verify the current PennDOT schedule for the selected record type. |
| License restoration costs | PennDOT / court as applicable | Separate from the traffic docket and must be confirmed with PennDOT. |
Lawrence County Traffic Limits
DUI is a criminal offense in Pennsylvania. It may start with an MDJ proceeding, but it can move into the Court of Common Pleas if held for court. For DUI charges, sentencing, pleas, and criminal dispositions, use the Lawrence County criminal court records route as well as the traffic docket route.
CDL and out-of-state driver issues can involve PennDOT reporting and rules outside the MDJ docket. Juvenile traffic matters and records with protected personal information may be limited. Crash reports are also separate from traffic court records and may need to be requested from the proper law-enforcement or PennDOT crash-report channel.
Note: Filing fees, certified-copy fees, and exact PennDOT charges were not confirmed in the Lawrence County research file.