No. We do not currently have a self-apply pathway for the program.

Because funding is limited, this program is only able to pay some of the justice debt owed by Philadelphians. Eligibility is determined based on income, offenses and grades, Philadelphia residency, and incarceration status.

The City developed guidelines for the program in collaboration with a stakeholder working group.

The City identifies eligible case records through partnerships with legal services organizations, Office of Public Safety programs, and court data analysis. Juveniles are currently referred by Juvenile Probation and the Defender Association.

To begin, find your cases on the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania portal.

1. Search by “Participant Name.”
2. Enter a “Date Filed Start Date” and “Date Filed End Date.” You can use 01/01/1900 as the start date and today’s date as the end date.
3. Enter the first and last name that’s on your record and your date of birth. Click “Search.”
4. Click on the courthouse icon to see all the cases on your record. Write down the docket numbers that are listed.
5. Go back to the portal and search by “Docket Number” for each case.
6. Click on the “D” icon to see the case.

When you find your docket, scroll to the final page. Check for a balance in these categories:

• Restitution
• “Crime Victim Compensation (Act 96 of 1984)” costs
• “Victim Witness Services (Act 111 of 1998)” costs
• “Crimes Commission” costs
• Judicial Computer Project costs
• Access to Justice (ATJ) costs
• Judicial Computer Project Surcharge (JCPS) costs
• Office of Attorney General – Judicial Computer Project (OAG – JCP) costs
• Criminal Justice Enhancement Surcharge (CJES) costs

If you previously owed money in those categories, have not submitted any payments, and see that the debt is at $0.00, your debt was likely paid through this program. However, if you don’t see those categories listed, it’s likely that you didn’t owe this type of debt and the City has not made a payment for this case.

If you have more than one case, it’s important to look at each one to see if there was a payment. The City may make a payment on one of your cases, but not all.

For some cases, the City will pay the entire balance. For other cases, the City may not clear the entire debt on the record. You may still have outstanding fines and fees owed to the court. However, in most cases, the City’s payment will remove the debt that’s standing in the way of record clearing. This includes debt in the following categories:

• Restitution
• “Crime Victim Compensation (Act 96 of 1984)” costs
• “Victim Witness Services (Act 111 of 1998)” costs
• “Crimes Commission” costs
• Judicial Computer Project costs
• Access to Justice (ATJ) costs
• Judicial Computer Project Surcharge (JCPS) costs
• Office of Attorney General – Judicial Computer Project (OAG – JCP) costs
• Criminal Justice Enhancement Surcharge (CJES) costs

To check whether you still have an outstanding fines, costs, or fees balance, call the First Judicial District’s Office of Court Compliance at (215) 683-7999 or email them at OCC@courts.phila.gov.

Some payments the City makes will result in a record being automatically sealed. If you search for your case on the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania portal and don’t find a case record that you know you had, it may have been automatically sealed.

If you want proof or are unsure about which record(s) you used to have, you can go in person to the Office of Records at Criminal Justice Center on the third floor of 1301 Filbert Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107. You’ll need to present your ID and ask staff for a copy of the “secured court summary.” This is a copy of your record that’s not publicly available.

You may be sent to the basement to pay a small fee to access this secure copy. Compare this document to your public record to find out if one of your cases was automatically sealed.

Send an email to justice-debt-relief@phila.gov with the subject line “Automatic sealing help.” City staff will attempt to help resolve the issue directly or by connecting you to a free attorney.

Send an email to justice-debt-relief@phila.gov with the subject line “Petition help.” City staff will attempt to connect you to a free attorney who may be able to file a petition to seal your record.

Congratulations, your record was sealed! Sealing may help you access jobs, housing and education because your sealed records will no longer appear on background checks. You don’t have to tell employers, landlords, or schools about a sealed record, and the record cannot be used against you by employers, landlords, or schools.

There are some exceptions to this rule. If a federal law requires that an employer consider your criminal record, that employer can access sealed records. This applies to a small number of employers.

If your debt was not paid by this program, visit PALawHELP.org for help with finding a lawyer.