Fayette County Criminal Records
Fayette County criminal records are filed and maintained at the Courthouse in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. The county has roughly 127,000 residents and sits in southwestern Pennsylvania near the West Virginia border. The combined Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts office handles both civil and criminal court records for the Fayette County Court of Common Pleas. Criminal dockets are available free through the UJS Portal, and official background checks can be requested through the PATCH system. This page covers every method for searching Fayette County criminal records.
Fayette County Quick Facts
Fayette County Clerk of Courts
The combined Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts office in Fayette County serves as the central records hub for all court proceedings. This office stores and manages criminal case files from the Court of Common Pleas, which handles felony and misdemeanor cases throughout Fayette County. Staff can locate cases by name or docket number and provide copies of dockets, orders, and other filed documents.
The Fayette County Courthouse is located in Uniontown, the county seat. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The office is closed on weekends and county holidays. Full ADA compliance means the courthouse is accessible to all visitors. Parking is available near the courthouse in Uniontown.
Fayette County has maintained court records dating back to 1783, making it one of the older counties in Pennsylvania for historical record-keeping. Standard copy fees are $0.25 per page. Certified copies typically cost $5 to $15 depending on the document. Payment by cash, check, or money order is accepted. The Fayette County government website at fayettecountypa.org provides additional contact information and department listings.
Mail requests for Fayette County criminal records are accepted at the Clerk of Courts office. Include a written description of the case, your contact information, and the appropriate payment. A self-addressed stamped envelope helps ensure a faster response for mail-in requests.
Free Online Search for Fayette County Criminal Records
The Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System Portal is the fastest free way to search Fayette County criminal records online. Go to ujsportal.pacourts.us to search by name, docket number, OTN, citation number, or complaint number. Fayette County criminal case dockets use the county code 26, formatted as CP-26-CR-XXXXXX-YYYY.
Each Fayette County criminal docket on the UJS Portal shows charges with Pennsylvania Crimes Code citations, arrest information, preliminary hearing results, all court dates, and the final disposition. Sentencing details including incarceration minimums and maximums, probation terms, fines, and restitution are visible once the case is resolved. Financial payment histories for outstanding court costs also appear.
The portal covers both Court of Common Pleas cases and Magisterial District Court proceedings in Fayette County. MDJ records include preliminary hearings for felony and misdemeanor charges as well as summary offense cases. Case information updates within 24 to 48 hours of any court activity. Juvenile cases, Protection from Abuse filings, and expunged records do not appear through the public portal.
Note: Searching by docket number gives you the most precise results. Name searches work well but may return multiple results if the name is common.
PATCH Background Checks in Fayette County
Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History, known as PATCH, provides official background checks that pull from the Pennsylvania State Police central repository. PATCH covers Fayette County criminal records along with records from all other jurisdictions across the state. It is the standard tool for professional licensing, legal proceedings, and other formal purposes requiring a criminal history check.
Access PATCH at epatch.pa.gov. A standard check costs $22. Notarized results cost $27. Volunteer position checks are free but require Form SP 4-164A and cannot be notarized. About 85 percent of "No Record" results come back immediately via email. Results requiring manual review take up to two weeks and are mailed via postal service. For help with a pending request, call 1-888-QUERY-PA (1-888-783-7972).
PATCH results include offense descriptions, statutory citations, dispositions, and sentencing details. Individuals can review their own PATCH record using Form SP 4-170 and a fingerprint card. Inaccurate information in a PATCH record can be challenged by submitting supporting documentation such as court orders or corrected disposition records to the Pennsylvania State Police.
What Is in a Fayette County Criminal Record
A Fayette County criminal court record starts with basic identification details about the defendant. This includes their full legal name, date of birth, address, and physical description. The charges section shows each offense that was filed, the Pennsylvania Crimes Code section number, the grade of the offense (felony, misdemeanor, or summary), and the date of the alleged offense.
The case history section lists every court event from start to finish. In Fayette County, a felony case typically begins at the Magisterial District Court level with a preliminary arraignment and preliminary hearing. After that, it moves to the Court of Common Pleas in Uniontown. You can track each step including formal arraignment, pre-trial conferences, motions, and trial proceedings in the online docket.
The disposition shows how the case ended. Common outcomes in Fayette County include a guilty plea, a jury or bench trial verdict, dismissal, ARD completion, or withdrawal of charges. Sentencing information follows the disposition for any conviction. This includes the minimum and maximum sentence terms, conditions of supervision, and all monetary obligations.
Expungement and Clean Slate in Fayette County
Pennsylvania's Clean Slate law applies in Fayette County just as it does statewide. Certain misdemeanor convictions are automatically sealed after 10 years if the individual has stayed conviction-free and satisfied all financial obligations to the court. Non-conviction records, including dismissed charges and acquittals, can be sealed or expunged on a shorter timeline.
To petition for expungement in Fayette County, file a petition with the Court of Common Pleas in Uniontown. The petition must identify the specific records you want expunged and the legal basis. The Fayette County District Attorney's office will be notified and has an opportunity to respond. If the court approves the petition under 18 Pa.C.S. Section 9122, the order is sent to the Pennsylvania State Police, which removes the record from the central PATCH repository.
Records that are automatically sealed under Clean Slate still exist in the Fayette County courthouse files. They are just hidden from public view and removed from PATCH results. Individuals can access their own records for review through the Individual Access and Review process using Form SP 4-170, which requires a fingerprint submission and costs $20.
Right-to-Know Requests in Fayette County
The Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law at 65 P.S. Section 67.101 gives the public broad access to government records. In Fayette County, this includes many criminal-related records held by government agencies. Criminal court dockets are open public records. Police reports and incident records are held by individual law enforcement agencies.
To request police records from Fayette County agencies, submit a written RTK request to the Open Records Officer of the specific department. The Pennsylvania State Police serve parts of rural Fayette County, and their RTK requests go through the state. Local departments in Uniontown, Connellsville, and other municipalities handle their own requests. Agencies must respond within 5 business days and can extend that by an additional 30 days for complex requests.
The Office of Open Records at openrecords.pa.gov oversees the RTK process statewide. It provides forms, guidance, and an appeals process if a request is denied. The Pennsylvania Courts at pacourts.us also offers information on accessing court records under the Rules of Judicial Administration.
Nearby Counties
Fayette County is in southwestern Pennsylvania and borders several other counties. Criminal records for those areas are held by their respective clerks of courts. The UJS Portal covers all of them in one search.