Franklin County Criminal Records Lookup
Franklin County criminal records are maintained at the Courthouse in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. The county has approximately 157,000 residents and sits in south-central Pennsylvania along the Maryland border. The combined Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts office serves the 39th Judicial District, which covers both Franklin and Fulton Counties. Criminal dockets are searchable for free through the UJS Portal, and official background checks are available through the PATCH system run by the Pennsylvania State Police. This page walks through every step of finding Franklin County criminal records.
Franklin County Quick Facts
Franklin County Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts
Franklin County operates a combined Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts office. Bill R. Edwards serves as the elected official heading this office, which handles both civil and criminal court records for Franklin County and the shared 39th Judicial District. Fulton County residents also access certain services here due to the shared district.
The office address is Franklin County Courthouse, 157 Lincoln Way East, Chambersburg, PA 17201. The main phone number is 717-261-3822. Email inquiries can be sent to bills@franklincountypa.gov. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The office is closed weekends and county holidays. The courthouse has an elevator and accessible restrooms for full ADA compliance. Security screening is required upon entry.
The Franklin County website at franklincountypa.gov provides access to county departments and services including the courts division. Franklin County records date back to the county's founding in 1784. That means historical criminal records spanning more than two centuries are maintained here. For archived records, retrieval may take 3 to 5 business days.
| Office |
Franklin County Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts Franklin County Courthouse 157 Lincoln Way East Chambersburg, PA 17201 Phone: 717-261-3822 Fax: 717-261-3078 Email: bills@franklincountypa.gov |
|---|---|
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | franklincountypa.gov |
Franklin County Courts Division
The courts division of Franklin County manages criminal case processing from initial filing through final disposition. All felony, misdemeanor, and summary appeal cases for the 39th Judicial District originate here. The courts division also handles passport services and processes appeals from Magisterial District Courts in Franklin County.
The Franklin County courts division page at franklincountypa.gov/government/courts provides information on filing procedures, fees, and court schedules. Criminal record searches conducted by office staff cost approximately $10 to $15. Self-service public access terminals in the courthouse allow free searches. The office accepts cash, check, and money order as payment. Credit cards may also be accepted.
Bail bonds are accepted and processed during regular business hours. Fines, court costs, and restitution are collected through the Clerk of Courts office. Mail requests for Franklin County criminal records require specific case information, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and payment. Same-day processing is available for most current electronic records.
Free Online Criminal Records Search in Franklin County
The Pennsylvania UJS Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us is the free public tool for searching Franklin County criminal records online. You can search by participant name, docket number, OTN, complaint number, or citation number. Franklin County criminal cases use county code 28 in the docket format CP-28-CR-XXXXXX-YYYY.
Each Franklin County criminal docket on the portal shows complete case information. This includes all charges with Pennsylvania Crimes Code citations, the arresting agency, bail amounts and conditions, court dates, attorney and judge names, and the full case history. Dispositions and sentencing details appear once the case closes. Financial data including outstanding fines and payment history rounds out what the portal shows for each Franklin County case.
The portal also covers Magisterial District Court cases in Franklin County. These include preliminary hearings for felony and misdemeanor cases, summary offense citations, and small civil claims. All of this is searchable through the same free portal used for Common Pleas cases. Data updates within 24 to 48 hours of any court activity. Juvenile records and Protection from Abuse cases are not accessible through the public portal.
Note: Actual case documents such as motions, orders, and transcripts are not downloadable from the portal. Visit the Clerk of Courts in Chambersburg to obtain paper or certified copies.
PATCH Criminal Background Checks in Franklin County
PATCH is the Pennsylvania State Police portal for official criminal history background checks. It draws from the central repository that receives records from all law enforcement agencies, courts, and correctional facilities across Pennsylvania. Franklin County criminal records are included in the PATCH database along with records from all other counties.
Access PATCH at epatch.pa.gov. The fee for a standard criminal history check is $22. Adding notarization brings the total to $27. Volunteer checks using Form SP 4-164A are free but cannot be notarized. "No Record" results come back immediately via email in most cases. Records requiring manual review are mailed within two to four weeks. The PATCH helpline at 1-888-QUERY-PA (1-888-783-7972) can assist with pending requests.
PATCH reports list offense descriptions, statutory citations, dispositions including ARD and diversion completions, and sentencing details. Individuals can review their own PATCH record using Form SP 4-170 with fingerprint verification. Inaccurate records can be challenged through the Pennsylvania State Police by submitting supporting documentation such as court orders or corrected disposition records.
Clean Slate and Expungement in Franklin County
Pennsylvania's Clean Slate Act applies across all 67 counties including Franklin. Misdemeanor convictions may be automatically sealed after 10 years if the person has no new convictions and has paid all court obligations. Non-conviction records like acquittals and dismissed charges can be expunged or sealed even sooner.
To petition for expungement of a Franklin County record, file the petition with the Court of Common Pleas in Chambersburg. Under 18 Pa.C.S. Section 9122, the court reviews the petition and gives the district attorney an opportunity to object. If approved, the order is forwarded to the Pennsylvania State Police to remove the record from the central repository. Records sealed under Clean Slate continue to exist in the courthouse file but are removed from public view and from PATCH responses.
The Criminal History Record Information Act, 18 Pa.C.S. Chapter 91, governs the use and retention of all criminal records in Pennsylvania. Individuals may challenge inaccurate information in their PATCH record by submitting fingerprints and supporting documentation such as court orders or disposition records. The Pennsylvania Courts website at pacourts.us offers forms and guidance for expungement petitions statewide.
Right-to-Know Requests in Franklin County
The Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law at 65 P.S. Section 67.101 gives residents the right to request public records from government agencies. In Franklin County, this covers records held by county offices, the sheriff's department, and local law enforcement agencies in Chambersburg and other municipalities.
Criminal court records are open public records in Franklin County. Police reports, incident records, and arrest reports are held by the individual agency and are requested separately from court dockets. Submit a written RTK request to the Open Records Officer of the specific department. The Pennsylvania State Police handle RTK requests through their own process for records involving state troopers. Agencies must respond within 5 business days. Complex requests may be extended up to 30 days.
If a request is denied, the requestor can appeal to the Office of Open Records at openrecords.pa.gov. The Office provides forms, guidance documents, and a free online appeals portal.
Nearby Counties
Franklin County sits in south-central Pennsylvania. It shares the 39th Judicial District with Fulton County. Other neighboring counties each have their own court records offices and can be found through the UJS Portal.