Criminal Records in Berks County Pennsylvania

Berks County criminal records are maintained by the Clerk of Courts at the Berks County Services Center in Reading, Pennsylvania. The county is part of the 23rd Judicial District and handles all felony, misdemeanor, and summary criminal cases filed with the Court of Common Pleas. With a population of roughly 428,000, Berks County is one of the larger counties in the state. You can search Berks County criminal records online through the Pennsylvania UJS Portal or visit the courthouse in Reading to request copies in person.

Berks County Clerk of Courts

The Clerk of Courts for Berks County is James P. Troutman. His office serves as the official custodian of all criminal records for the Court of Common Pleas in Berks County. The office is located at the Berks County Services Center, 633 Court Street, 2nd Floor, Reading, PA 19601. You can reach the office by phone at 610-478-6550. The fax number is 610-478-6565. General email inquiries can be sent to clerkofcourts@berkscountypa.gov, though case-specific details are not handled by email.

The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. These are extended hours compared to many Pennsylvania counties. Staff can help with in-person record requests during business hours. A valid photo ID is required when visiting. Self-service public access terminals are available in the office lobby for free docket searches. Printing costs $0.25 per page at those terminals.

Standard copies cost $0.25 per page. Certified copies run $10 to $25 depending on the document type. Mail requests are accepted but must include the case information, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and your payment. Cash, checks, money orders, and credit cards are all accepted at the Berks County Clerk of Courts office.

Search Berks County Criminal Records Online

The Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System Web Portal is the main free tool for searching criminal records in Berks County. You can find case status, docket entries, charges, dispositions, and sentencing information for cases filed with the Court of Common Pleas and Magisterial District Courts. The system is available around the clock at no cost to the public.

The portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us lets you search by participant name, docket number, OTN (Offense Tracking Number), or complaint number. Name searches require a first and last name. Adding a date of birth or middle initial helps narrow results when searching for a common name in Berks County. Docket numbers for Berks County criminal cases follow the format CP-06-CR-XXXXXX-YYYY.

The portal shows docket entries for each proceeding, attorney information, judge assignments, and financial information such as fines and restitution. Juvenile records and Protection from Abuse filings are not viewable on the public portal. The Pennsylvania Courts website at pacourts.us provides additional background on how the court system works across all 67 counties.

The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts also offers a free mobile app called PAeDocket. It provides the same case search functions on iOS and Android devices. This is a useful option when you need to look up Berks County criminal records away from your computer.

The portal lets you access the UJS system for Berks County free of charge. Start your search for Berks County criminal records below.

The UJS Portal covers cases from the Magisterial District Courts in Berks County as well as the Court of Common Pleas in Reading. Some older records may exist only in paper form at the courthouse.

Note: The portal shows court records only, not arrest records. For arrests that did not result in court charges, contact the arresting law enforcement agency directly.

Pennsylvania PATCH and Berks County Criminal Records

The Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History system, known as PATCH, is a statewide database operated by the Pennsylvania State Police. It gives individuals and organizations a way to request official criminal history background checks. PATCH covers records from all Pennsylvania law enforcement agencies and courts, including cases from Berks County.

A standard criminal history check through PATCH costs $22.00. Notarized copies cost an additional $5.00 for a total of $27.00. Volunteer background checks are free using Form SP 4-164A but cannot be notarized. You can submit requests online at epatch.pa.gov or by mail to the Pennsylvania State Police Central Repository-164, 1800 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110-9758. Mail payments must be certified checks or money orders made payable to "Commonwealth of Pennsylvania."

PATCH reports contain the subject's name and aliases, date of birth, offense descriptions with statutory citations, dispositions, and sentencing details. About 85% of "No Record" results are returned immediately by email. Cases requiring manual review can take up to two weeks. For help with the PATCH system, call the helpline at 1-888-QUERY-PA (1-888-783-7972).

PATCH only covers Pennsylvania records. It does not include federal cases or records from other states. Expunged and sealed records also do not appear on PATCH reports.

Berks County Criminal Record Retention

Criminal records in Berks County follow the state retention schedule. Felony records are kept permanently. Misdemeanor records are retained for 20 years. Summary offense records are kept for three to seven years. All dispositions are reported to the Pennsylvania State Police Central Repository, which updates the statewide PATCH database.

Berks County processes expungement petitions through the Clerk of Courts office. An expungement removes certain criminal records from public view. Under 18 Pa.C.S. Section 9122, individuals may petition the court to expunge arrest records that did not result in conviction, certain summary convictions, and other qualifying records. Pennsylvania's Clean Slate law also provides for automatic sealing of some records after a conviction-free waiting period once all fines are paid.

Juvenile records in Berks County are maintained separately and are not open for public inspection under the Juvenile Act. These records are handled with restricted access regardless of the seriousness of the underlying offense.

Additional resources related to criminal justice in Berks County include the Pennsylvania Megan's Law sex offender registry at pameganslaw.state.pa.us, the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons at bop.pa.gov, and the state inmate locator at pa.gov for individuals sentenced to state prison. The Office of Open Records at openrecords.pa.gov handles appeals of denied records requests.

Berks County Prothonotary and Criminal Records Office

The Berks County Prothonotary is Jonathan K. Del Collo. His office is located in the same building as the Clerk of Courts at 633 Court Street, 2nd Floor, Reading, PA 19601. You can reach the Prothonotary by phone at 610-478-6970. The fax number is 610-478-6220. Email inquiries can be sent to prothonotary@berkscountypa.gov. Office hours match the Clerk of Courts, running Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

The Prothonotary maintains civil court records for Berks County, including lawsuits, judgments, liens, divorces, custody matters, and protection from abuse cases. While criminal records are kept by the Clerk of Courts, the Prothonotary handles civil-side filings that often come up alongside criminal matters. Civil dockets are available for free through the Berks County website as well as the UJS Portal.

The Berks County government website at berkscountypa.gov provides more information on both offices, fee schedules, and online search options for residents and researchers.

Note: Both the Clerk of Courts and Prothonotary accept formal Right-to-Know Law requests through the county Open Records Officer for records not available at the counter.

Nearby Counties

Berks County borders several other Pennsylvania counties. If you are searching for criminal records from a neighboring area, each county maintains its own Clerk of Courts office and participates in the statewide UJS Portal.

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