Erie County Probate Court Records and CourtPro Search
Erie County probate court records are maintained by the Register of Wills at the Erie County Courthouse in Erie, Pennsylvania. The office has kept estate records since the late 1700s when the county was first organized. In March 2025, Erie County launched CourtPro, a new online case management system that brings records from the Register of Wills, Orphans' Court, Prothonotary, and Marriage Bureau together in one searchable location. CourtPro is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Anyone with internet access can search probate estate filings, guardianship cases, and small estate matters from 1994 to the present without visiting the courthouse.
Erie County Quick Facts
Erie County Probate Records and CourtPro System
Effective March 3, 2025, Erie County transitioned to CourtPro, a paperless case management system provided by Paperless Solution. This transition unified records from the Prothonotary, Register of Wills, Orphans' Court, and Marriage Bureau into a single online portal. Researchers no longer need to visit separate offices or use separate search systems to find Erie County probate court records. Everything is available through one interface at courtpro.eriecountypa.gov.
CourtPro covers records from 1994 to the current date. For records predating 1994, an in-person visit to Room 122 of the Erie County Courthouse is required. The system allows searches by case number, party name, and date range. Case categories searchable in CourtPro include Administrative Order, Adoptions, Family Exemption, Guardianship, Probate Estates, Small Estates, and Trust matters. The 24/7 availability means you can search at any hour without waiting for office hours.
The Register of Wills also serves as the Commonwealth's agent for inheritance tax collection in Erie County. All taxable estate transfers require an inheritance tax return filed with the Register. The office processes these returns and forwards them to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue along with payment.
How to Search Erie County Probate Court Records Online
To search Erie County probate records through CourtPro, go to the CourtPro case search page. No registration is required for basic public access. Enter the decedent's last name, a case number, or a date range to find matching records. The results show case type, filing date, party names, and a list of documents in the file.
Adoption records are not publicly accessible. Pennsylvania law requires that adoption records be impounded, so those cases do not appear in public search results regardless of the search method. All other case categories are open to the public.
The image below is from the Erie County Register of Wills page, which describes the office's functions and the transition to CourtPro.
This page outlines how the Register of Wills operates, including the appointment-only system for opening estates and the move to the CourtPro platform in 2025.
Opening an Estate Through Erie County Probate
Erie County requires that all estate openings be done by appointment. The required documents and filing fee must be forwarded to the Register of Wills, Room 122, Erie County Courthouse, prior to the appointment. Do not bring incomplete paperwork to the appointment. The office will not process a filing without all required items in hand.
Appointments are available in person at Room 122 of the Erie County Courthouse or via videoconference. The videoconference option is especially helpful for executors or attorneys who are located outside Erie County. To schedule an appointment, contact the Register of Wills office before submitting any documents.
Required items typically include the original will (if one exists), a certified copy of the death certificate, a completed estate information sheet, and the appropriate filing fee. The executor should bring sufficient short certificate fees as well, since most estate administrations require multiple certified copies of the letters to present to banks, financial institutions, and other asset holders.
The image below comes from the Erie County CourtPro search page, the new online portal launched in March 2025 for accessing probate and court records.
CourtPro gives public users 24/7 access to searchable probate, guardianship, small estate, and trust records from 1994 to the present in Erie County.
Note: Erie County estate openings are by appointment only; walk-in service is not available for new probate filings, so plan ahead and schedule before arriving at the courthouse.
Erie County Orphans' Court and Probate Case Categories
Erie County Orphans' Court handles the full range of probate-related proceedings. Probate Estates is one of seven searchable case categories in CourtPro. The others are Administrative Order, Adoptions, Family Exemption, Guardianship, Small Estates, and Trust. Each category covers a distinct type of proceeding with its own rules and filing requirements.
Guardianship cases arise when a person can no longer manage their own affairs. A qualified person petitions the court, which reviews evidence and appoints a guardian of the person or estate as needed. Small Estates proceedings offer a simplified alternative to full probate for estates below the threshold set by Pennsylvania law. Trust proceedings include accountings and modifications filed by trustees managing assets for beneficiaries.
The Family Exemption is a specific Pennsylvania probate right that allows a surviving spouse or certain dependents to claim a set amount from the estate before debts are paid. Claims under this provision are filed with the Register and appear in the CourtPro database. Researchers or attorneys researching a specific estate should search all relevant case categories to get a complete picture of the proceedings.
Standard Orphans' Court forms from the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts are available statewide. Erie County may have local forms or rules that supplement those statewide standards, so verify current requirements with the office before filing.
Historical Probate Research in Erie County
Erie County probate records go back to the late 1700s, making the collection valuable for historical and genealogical research. Pre-1994 records are not in CourtPro and must be accessed in person at Room 122. Older records may be stored in bound will books, on microfilm, or in archived file folders. Staff can assist in locating these older materials during regular business hours.
The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission has digitized some early Pennsylvania probate records that can supplement the local holdings. Cross-referencing state archives with Erie County's local collection often reveals complete estate documentation for families going back several generations.
Nearby Counties
Erie County borders Crawford and Warren counties in Pennsylvania, and estates for residents near those boundaries may be filed in a neighboring Register of Wills office.