Lancaster County Criminal Records

Lancaster County criminal records are maintained by the Clerk of Courts at the Lancaster County Courthouse in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The county is served by the 2nd Judicial District and has a population of approximately 560,000, making it one of the most populous counties in Pennsylvania. Lancaster County has maintained court records since 1729. You can search Lancaster County criminal records online through the Pennsylvania UJS Portal, request official background checks through PATCH, or visit the courthouse in person to access case files and get certified copies.

Lancaster County Clerk of Courts

The Clerk of Courts for Lancaster County is the elected official responsible for maintaining all criminal case records filed with the Court of Common Pleas. The current officeholder is Jacquelyn L. Pfursich. Lancaster County maintains separate Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts offices, unlike some smaller Pennsylvania counties that combine these functions. The Clerk of Courts handles all criminal matters while the Prothonotary manages civil cases.

The Clerk of Courts office is located at the Lancaster County Courthouse, 50 North Duke Street, Lancaster, PA 17602. The office phone is 717-299-8275 and the fax is 717-295-6799. You can also reach the office by email at clerkofcourts@co.lancaster.pa.us. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, which are extended hours compared to many Pennsylvania counties. Multiple self-service public access terminals are available in the courthouse for free record searching.

Standard copy fees are $0.25 per page. Certified copies range from $10 to $25 depending on the document type. Cash, check, money order, and credit cards are all accepted. Mail requests are accepted with specific case information, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and payment. The Lancaster County government website at co.lancaster.pa.us provides additional information on county services.

The Lancaster County portal at co.lancaster.pa.us connects residents to county departments including the Clerk of Courts, which is the official custodian of criminal case records for the 2nd Judicial District.

Search Lancaster County Criminal Records Online

The Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System Portal provides free public access to criminal court dockets across all 67 Pennsylvania counties, including Lancaster. The portal is available around the clock with no account required. You can search Lancaster County cases by participant name, docket number, OTN (Offense Tracking Number), citation number, or complaint number. Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas docket numbers follow the format CP-36-CR-XXXXXX-YYYY.

The UJS Portal for Lancaster County shows detailed information for each criminal case, including charges and statutory citations, case status and history, all court events and orders, dispositions (guilty, not guilty, dismissed, ARD, etc.), and sentencing details including incarceration, probation, fines, and restitution. You can also view information about the assigned judge and attorneys of record. Financial records for outstanding fines and costs are available through the UJS financial records section.

Because Lancaster County has maintained records since 1729, very early historical records are not in the electronic system and may be at the State Archives. The electronic UJS Portal covers most cases filed in recent decades. Go to ujsportal.pacourts.us to begin your free search of Lancaster County criminal records. The PAeDocket mobile app provides the same functionality on phones and tablets.

Note: Juvenile records, Protection from Abuse filings, and cases sealed under Clean Slate do not appear in the public UJS Portal search results.

PATCH Background Checks in Lancaster County

For official background checks in Lancaster County, the Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History system (PATCH) is the appropriate tool. PATCH is operated by the Pennsylvania State Police at epatch.pa.gov and draws from the state's central criminal history repository. This repository receives records from all Pennsylvania law enforcement agencies and courts, including Lancaster County. PATCH is used by schools, healthcare facilities, licensing boards, and others with a legitimate need for background information.

A standard PATCH check costs $22.00. Notarized copies are available for $27.00. Free volunteer checks are available using Form SP 4-164A, but cannot be notarized. Individuals reviewing their own records pay $20.00 and must submit Form SP 4-170 by mail with fingerprint verification. Online submissions using a credit card return "No Record" results via email almost immediately. Requests flagged for manual review by State Police technicians take two to four weeks to complete.

PATCH is governed by 18 Pa.C.S. Chapter 91, the Criminal History Record Information Act, which sets out who can request records, what fees apply, how records can be used, and the rights of individuals to challenge inaccurate information. Mail requests go to: Pennsylvania State Police Central Repository-164, 1800 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110-9758.

What Lancaster County Criminal Records Contain

Criminal case records in Lancaster County are among the most detailed in the state, given the county's large population and active court system. The Clerk of Courts maintains complete case files for all criminal matters heard at the Court of Common Pleas. These files contain every document filed in a case, from the initial complaint through any post-conviction motions. The 2nd Judicial District processes a significant volume of criminal cases each year across all severity levels.

Lancaster County criminal records typically include the following information and documents:

• Criminal complaint or information with charge details
• Arraignment records and bail status
• Preliminary hearing outcome from the Magisterial District Court
• Pre-trial motions and court orders
• Guilty plea colloquy or trial records
• Verdict and sentencing order
• ARD program enrollment, conditions, and completion status
• Restitution orders and payment records

Lancaster County criminal records are public under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. § 67.101. You do not have to be a party to a case to view court records. Some documents may be sealed by order of the court, and juvenile records are maintained separately with restricted access under the Juvenile Act.

Clean Slate and Expungement in Lancaster County

Pennsylvania's Clean Slate Act, Act 56 of 2018, established automatic sealing for certain older criminal convictions. This applies to Lancaster County records just as it does in every other county. Misdemeanor 2 and misdemeanor 3 convictions may be sealed automatically after 10 years with no new conviction. Summary offense convictions may be sealed after five years. The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts processes eligible records on a rolling basis. Once sealed, these Lancaster County records disappear from public UJS Portal searches and are excluded from standard PATCH background check results.

Quarterly Clean Slate processing means that some records become eligible and get sealed at different times of year. There is no action required from the individual whose record is being sealed. If you believe a record should be sealed under Clean Slate but still appears in searches, contact the Lancaster County Clerk of Courts or the Pennsylvania courts administration.

Expungement under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122 is available for certain Lancaster County records through a court petition. Eligible cases include arrests without conviction, dismissed cases, nolle prosequi dispositions, withdrawn charges, and completed ARD programs. The petition is filed with the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas. Upon approval, all agencies holding the record are ordered to destroy it. Lancaster County legal aid organizations and private attorneys can help evaluate whether a record qualifies for expungement.

Lancaster County Sheriff and Police Records

Lancaster County has numerous law enforcement agencies covering its municipalities, townships, and boroughs. The Lancaster County Sheriff's Office handles civil process, court security, and warrant service across the county. Lancaster City Police Department, a separate agency, covers the City of Lancaster. Many other municipal police departments serve individual communities throughout the county. Pennsylvania State Police barracks also handle law enforcement in areas without local coverage.

Each agency that makes arrests in Lancaster County reports that data to the Pennsylvania State Police central repository. Courts report case dispositions. This combined reporting is what builds a person's PATCH criminal history record in Lancaster County. For a specific police incident report, contact the agency that responded to that event. Lancaster City Police Department, at 39 West Chestnut Street, Lancaster, PA 17603 (phone: 717-735-3300), handles records for city incidents. Their online records request portal is available at police.cityoflancasterpa.gov/records.

For Right-to-Know requests involving Lancaster County government records, submit a written request to the Open Records Officer of the relevant agency. Responses are due within five business days under 65 P.S. § 67.101. Denied requests can be appealed to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records.

CHRIA Rights and Record Accuracy in Lancaster County

Under 18 Pa.C.S. Chapter 91 (CHRIA), individuals have the right to review and challenge their own criminal history records. Lancaster County residents can request their own PATCH record through the Individual Access and Review process to verify accuracy before any licensing or legal proceeding.

If a PATCH record contains errors, the subject can submit a challenge with fingerprints and supporting documentation such as court orders or dismissal records to the Pennsylvania State Police. Correcting inaccuracies protects your rights under Pennsylvania law and ensures that records used for licensing and legal purposes are accurate.

The Pennsylvania Bar Association lawyer referral service at 1-800-692-7375 can connect Lancaster County residents with attorneys experienced in criminal record matters. Legal aid resources are also available through palegalaid.net for qualifying individuals. More information on statewide court access is at pacourts.us.

Nearby Counties

Lancaster County is located in south-central Pennsylvania. Neighboring counties each have their own Clerk of Courts and criminal record systems accessible through the UJS Portal.

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