Lebanon County Pennsylvania Criminal Records
Lebanon County criminal records are kept by the Clerk of Courts at the Lebanon County Courthouse on South 8th Street in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. The 52nd Judicial District Court of Common Pleas handles all felony and misdemeanor prosecutions in the county. You can search Lebanon County criminal records online for free through the Pennsylvania UJS Portal or visit the courthouse in person during regular business hours. This guide explains each method, what the records contain, and how to request copies.
Lebanon County Quick Facts
Lebanon County Clerk of Courts Office
Lisa Arnold serves as the elected Clerk of Courts for Lebanon County. Her office is the official custodian of all criminal records for the 52nd Judicial District. The clerk maintains case files for felony prosecutions, misdemeanor cases, summary appeals, and all other major court proceedings handled by the Lebanon County Court of Common Pleas.
The Lebanon County Clerk of Courts office is located at the courthouse at 400 South 8th Street in Lebanon. Office hours run Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The office is closed on weekends and county holidays. You can reach the clerk by phone at 717-228-4403 or by email at clerkofcourts@lebcounty.org. Fax requests can be sent to 717-228-4404 along with payment information and a clear description of the records you need.
Lebanon County maintains historical records going back to the county's founding in 1813. The office provides same-day service for readily available records. Archived files and older cases may take three to five business days to retrieve and prepare. Self-service public access terminals are available inside the courthouse so you can search records at no cost before requesting copies.
| Office |
Lebanon County Clerk of Courts Lisa Arnold, Clerk of Courts 400 South 8th Street Lebanon, PA 17042 Phone: 717-228-4403 |
|---|---|
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | lebcounty.org |
Search Lebanon County Criminal Records Online
Two free online tools cover Lebanon County criminal records. The first is the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System Portal. The second is the Lebanon County website's own civil docket system. For criminal cases specifically, the UJS Portal is the main resource.
The UJS Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us is free to use 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can search by participant name, docket number, OTN, or complaint number. Results for Lebanon County show every criminal case at the Court of Common Pleas level as well as cases from the Magisterial District Courts that serve Lebanon and the surrounding area. The portal shows charges with Pennsylvania Crimes Code citations, case status, all hearing dates, and final dispositions.
Lebanon County is one of a small number of counties that provides free online access to civil dockets through its own website going back to 1985. Criminal dockets remain on the state UJS Portal. This combined access makes Lebanon County particularly accessible for public record searches compared to many neighboring counties.
The UJS Portal also offers a free mobile app called PAeDocket for iOS and Android devices. This app provides the same search capabilities as the browser version. It is useful for quick name lookups and checking case status on the go without needing to visit the courthouse in Lebanon.
Note: Juvenile records, Protection from Abuse filings, and cases that have been expunged or sealed under Clean Slate are not accessible through the public UJS Portal.
Lebanon County Record Copy Fees
Obtaining physical copies of Lebanon County criminal records involves fees set by state schedule and local court rules. Standard copies cost $0.25 per page. Certified copies, which carry an official court seal and are required for certain legal matters, range from $10 to $20 depending on the document type.
Payment is accepted in cash, check, money order, and by credit card at the Lebanon County Clerk of Courts office. Mail requests require a check or money order along with a self-addressed stamped envelope. For large files or archived records, call the clerk at 717-228-4403 first to confirm availability and get an estimate of the total cost before mailing payment.
PATCH background checks are a separate cost handled through the Pennsylvania State Police. A standard check through epatch.pa.gov costs $22.00 and includes a notarization option for $5.00 more. Volunteer background checks are free using form SP 4-164A. PATCH covers Lebanon County records along with all other Pennsylvania counties in a single statewide search.
Note: Fees can be updated by court order or legislative action. Confirm current amounts with the Lebanon County Clerk of Courts before submitting payment by mail.
What Lebanon County Criminal Records Show
A criminal court docket from Lebanon County contains a complete record of everything that happened in a case from the time charges were filed through final disposition. The docket shows the defendant's full name, date of birth, and address at the time of filing. It lists every charge with the specific Pennsylvania Crimes Code section violated, the grade of the offense (felony, misdemeanor, or summary), and the statutory maximum penalty.
Court records include all procedural history: arraignment dates, preliminary hearings, pre-trial motions, trial dates, and sentencing hearings. Each entry notes the judge who presided and the outcome. If a defendant entered a guilty plea, the docket shows the date and the terms of any agreement. Sentences appear in detail, including incarceration minimums and maximums, probation terms, fines, court costs, and restitution ordered to victims.
Lebanon County criminal records are public under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. § 67.101. Any person can request to view or copy them. You do not need to be a party to the case. Certain narrow categories of information may be restricted by court order, such as records involving minors or cases with active protective orders, but the vast majority of criminal case files are fully open to the public in Lebanon County.
Pennsylvania PATCH Background Checks for Lebanon County
The Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History system is the official statewide criminal background check tool. PATCH is operated by the Pennsylvania State Police and searches the central repository that receives submissions from all Pennsylvania courts and law enforcement agencies, including those in Lebanon County.
A PATCH check costs $22.00 for a standard request. For most people, results come back immediately as a no-record confirmation or go into a manual review queue. Records containing criminal history are mailed after review, which typically takes two to four weeks. PATCH results reflect the criminal history information on file with the Pennsylvania State Police central repository at the time of the request.
Record Sealing and Clean Slate in Lebanon County
Pennsylvania law provides ways to limit public access to certain older criminal records. The Clean Slate Act creates automatic sealing for eligible misdemeanor convictions once ten years have passed since the end of supervision and all fines and costs have been paid. The Lebanon County Clerk of Courts processes automatic sealing quarterly for cases that meet the statutory criteria.
Sealed records do not appear in public docket searches or PATCH results. They remain visible to law enforcement agencies, courts, and certain licensing boards under the Criminal History Record Information Act, CHRIA, at 18 Pa.C.S. Chapter 91. CHRIA governs how criminal history information is collected, stored, and used throughout Pennsylvania, including records originating in Lebanon County.
Expungement under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122 is a separate process that removes records entirely rather than sealing them. It is available for dismissed charges, not guilty verdicts, and cases resolved through the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program. Petitions for expungement in Lebanon County are filed with the Court of Common Pleas. Forms and instructions are available at pacourts.us.
Nearby Counties
Lebanon County is located in south-central Pennsylvania. These neighboring counties have their own clerk offices and court records if you need to search beyond Lebanon County.