Find Criminal Records in Allegheny County
Allegheny County criminal records are managed by the Department of Court Records (DCR), which serves as the combined clerk's office for Pennsylvania's 5th Judicial District. With over 1.25 million residents, Allegheny is the second most populous county in Pennsylvania and handles one of the largest criminal court caseloads in the state. The Department of Court Records maintains all felony, misdemeanor, and appellate criminal case files for Pittsburgh and the surrounding municipalities of Allegheny County. You can search Allegheny County criminal records through the Pennsylvania UJS Portal or visit the DCR in person.
Allegheny County Quick Facts
Allegheny County Department of Court Records
The Department of Court Records (DCR) in Allegheny County handles both civil and criminal court records through a combined office structure. The criminal division maintains all felony and misdemeanor case files from the Court of Common Pleas, along with summary appeals, bail records, and post-conviction relief petitions. The DCR is located in the City-County Building at 414 Grant Street in Pittsburgh. The Allegheny County criminal records page at alleghenycounty.us provides direct information about accessing court records.
Allegheny County operates on a large scale compared to most Pennsylvania counties. The DCR processes thousands of new criminal filings each year across all grades of offense. The county seat is Pittsburgh, and many court proceedings take place at the Allegheny County Courthouse at 436 Grant Street. The DCR accepts requests in person, by mail, and provides public access terminals in the office lobby for free docket searches.
The Allegheny County criminal records page provides guidance on accessing court records, dockets, and certified copies from the Department of Court Records.
The Allegheny County criminal records portal links to docket search tools, copy request procedures, and contact information for the Department of Court Records in Pittsburgh.
| Department of Court Records |
Allegheny County Department of Court Records City-County Building 414 Grant Street Pittsburgh, PA 15219 |
|---|---|
| Judicial District | 5th Judicial District - Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County |
| Website | alleghenycounty.us |
Allegheny County Criminal Record Search Options
The Pennsylvania UJS Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us is the primary free tool for searching Allegheny County criminal dockets online. Enter a participant name or docket number to find case information. The portal covers Common Pleas court cases as well as all 44 Magisterial District Courts in Allegheny County. You can filter by county to narrow results specifically to Allegheny County cases. The portal shows charges, dispositions, sentencing information, hearing dates, and attorney assignments.
The Allegheny County portal also provides access to court record information through its own online systems. Visit alleghenycounty.us to find links to the DCR and related court resources. For the most current case status on active matters in Allegheny County, the UJS Portal typically reflects updates within 24 to 48 hours of court proceedings taking place.
In-person searches at the DCR are available during business hours. Public access terminals in the DCR lobby allow free docket searching without staff assistance. For copies of actual documents from an Allegheny County criminal case file, you must request them from staff or submit a written mail request. Copy fees are $0.25 per page for standard copies. Certified copies carry an additional fee depending on the document type.
The Allegheny County portal connects residents and researchers to county government departments, court records, and public information resources across Pittsburgh and surrounding areas.
The Allegheny County government website serves as the central hub for court record access, county services, and public information for residents of Pittsburgh and the broader county area.
Note: Full document downloads are not available through the public UJS Portal. Actual case file documents in Allegheny County must be obtained from the DCR in person or by written mail request.
Allegheny County Criminal Records Contents
Criminal dockets in Allegheny County follow the standard Pennsylvania format. Each case is assigned a docket number in the format CP-02-CR-XXXXXX-YYYY, where 02 is the county code for Allegheny. The docket documents every step of the case from preliminary arraignment through final disposition and any post-conviction proceedings.
Records from Allegheny County criminal cases include the defendant's personal identifiers, all charges with statutory citations, the arresting agency, bail amount and conditions, preliminary hearing outcome, formal arraignment plea, any pretrial motions filed and their outcomes, trial information, and the final verdict or plea. Sentencing records show minimum and maximum incarceration terms, probation conditions, fine and cost amounts, and restitution obligations. All of this is accessible to the public under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. § 67.101, with limited exceptions for sealed or expunged matters.
Allegheny County criminal records also reflect the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) program, which is a diversion option for first-time offenders. ARD cases appear on PATCH checks but may be eligible for expungement after successful program completion. Under 18 Pa.C.S. Chapter 91 (CHRIA), criminal history information is subject to specific rules about retention, access, and lawful use.
Allegheny County Criminal Records Background Checks
Individuals in Allegheny County who need a statewide criminal history check use the Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History (PATCH) system. PATCH is operated by the Pennsylvania State Police and covers all of Pennsylvania, including Allegheny County. Access PATCH at epatch.pa.gov. The standard fee is $22.00 per request, and results for "No Record" searches return immediately about 85 percent of the time.
PATCH covers arrests and dispositions reported from Allegheny County courts and law enforcement agencies. The system is governed by 18 Pa.C.S. Chapter 91, the Criminal History Record Information Act (CHRIA), which sets rules on who may access criminal history records and for what lawful purposes they may be used. PATCH requests for Allegheny County records are handled through the same statewide system used for all Pennsylvania counties.
Pittsburgh's Pittsburgh Bureau of Police also maintains its own records for incidents and police reports occurring within the city. The Central Records and Reporting Unit at 660 First Avenue, 3rd Floor, processes police report requests at $15.00 per copy. Requests can be submitted in person or by mail to that office during Monday through Friday business hours.
Magisterial District Courts in Allegheny County
Allegheny County has 44 Magisterial District Court offices, more than any other county in Pennsylvania. These courts handle preliminary arraignments, preliminary hearings, summary offenses, and civil claims under $12,000. MDJ offices are spread throughout Pittsburgh and the surrounding municipalities in Allegheny County.
Downtown Pittsburgh MDJ offices are based at the City-County Building at 414 Grant Street, with separate district numbers covering the North Side, South Side, East End, and West End neighborhoods of Pittsburgh. Suburban MDJ offices cover municipalities such as McKeesport (MDJ 05-2-01 at 1200 Fifth Avenue, 412-350-6146), Clairton (MDJ 05-2-02 at 551 St. Clair Avenue, 412-350-6147), and West Mifflin (MDJ 05-2-03 at 11 West Prospect Avenue, 412-350-6148). The full list of all 44 MDJ offices in Allegheny County is available through the UJS Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us.
When a criminal case begins at an MDJ office in Allegheny County, it is either resolved there (for summary offenses) or moved up to the Court of Common Pleas for felony and misdemeanor prosecution. The DCR takes custody of the case file once it is held for court at the MDJ level.
Clearing Allegheny County Criminal Records Through Expungement
Allegheny County residents with criminal records may be eligible to have those records expunged or sealed. Under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122, expungement is available for arrests without conviction, summary offenses after five years with no new arrests, and other qualifying circumstances. The petition is filed through the Allegheny County DCR and requires a court hearing before a Common Pleas judge.
Pennsylvania's Clean Slate law provides automatic sealing for qualifying non-violent misdemeanor convictions after a ten-year conviction-free period, assuming all fines and costs are paid. Clean Slate 3.0 expanded this program further. Once sealed, Allegheny County records no longer appear in public PATCH checks or the UJS Portal. Expungement information is available at pa.gov. Allegheny County Legal Aid (412-255-6700) and the Allegheny County Bar Association can provide additional guidance for residents seeking to clear their records through the Court of Common Pleas.
The Pennsylvania Board of Pardons handles applications for pardons and commutations for state convictions. Visit bop.pa.gov for information about the pardon process, which is separate from expungement and involves the Governor's office. Both options are available to eligible Allegheny County residents depending on their circumstances.
Nearby Counties
Allegheny County is surrounded by several western Pennsylvania counties. Criminal records for those counties are held at their own courthouses and are accessible through the UJS Portal using the county filter for each jurisdiction.