Montour County Criminal Records
Montour County criminal records are kept by the combined Clerk of Courts office at the Montour County Courthouse in Danville, PA. Montour County is one of the smallest counties in Pennsylvania with a population of around 19,000. The county shares the 26th Judicial District with neighboring Columbia County. Despite its small size, Montour County maintains complete criminal records for all cases handled by the Court of Common Pleas. This guide explains how to search those records, how to request copies, and what Pennsylvania-wide tools are available for background checks.
Montour County Quick Facts
Montour County Clerk of Courts
The Montour County Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts is a combined office that serves as the custodian of criminal records for the county. The office handles all criminal cases filed in the Court of Common Pleas, which is part of the 26th Judicial District shared with Columbia County. The courthouse is located in Danville, which is also home to Geisinger Medical Center, a major regional institution. The combination of a compact county population and a major medical center gives Montour County a distinct mix of criminal case types.
The Clerk of Courts office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Copy fees are $0.25 per page for standard copies. Certified documents cost $5 to $10 depending on the record type. When visiting in person, bring a valid photo ID. Mail requests are accepted with specific case information, payment, and a self-addressed stamped envelope.
The Montour County government website at montourcounty.gov provides contact information for all county offices. The site includes information about the Clerk of Courts, the Sheriff's Office, and the District Attorney, all of whom have roles in the criminal records system.
Montour County's government site serves as the main online resource for residents seeking court and public safety information in this central Pennsylvania county.
| Office |
Montour County Clerk of Courts Montour County Courthouse Danville, PA 17821 |
|---|---|
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | montourcounty.gov |
Searching Montour County Criminal Records Online
The Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System Web Portal is the free public tool for searching criminal case information in Montour County. The portal is available at all hours and requires no login or registration. You can search by participant name, docket number, OTN, complaint number, or citation number. Access the portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us.
Montour County cases in the Court of Common Pleas carry docket numbers in the format CP-47-CR-XXXXXX-YYYY. Each case entry in the portal shows all charges with their statutory references, the disposition of each charge, sentencing details when a conviction occurred, the presiding judge, attorney names, and any financial obligations owed. The portal also covers Magisterial District Court cases, which handle preliminary hearings and minor offenses in Montour County.
Because Montour County has a small population, name searches typically return fewer results than in larger counties. This can make it easier to locate the right case. Still, using a full legal name plus date of birth or a docket number gives the most reliable search outcome.
Note: The UJS Portal does not display juvenile cases, sealed records, expunged cases, or Protection from Abuse filings for Montour County or any other county in the state.
Pennsylvania PATCH for Montour County Checks
PATCH, the Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History system, provides statewide criminal background checks that include Montour County. Operated by the Pennsylvania State Police, PATCH draws from the central criminal history repository established under 18 Pa.C.S. Chapter 91. The system is available online at epatch.pa.gov.
A standard PATCH check costs $22. Adding notarization brings the total to $27. Volunteer checks are free using Form SP 4-164A, though they cannot be notarized. "No Record" results return immediately in most cases. When the system finds a matching record, a trained technician reviews it manually before mailing the response. That review process can take two to four weeks, or longer during high-volume periods like back-to-school seasons or peak application periods.
PATCH covers Pennsylvania records only. Records from federal courts, other states, or tribal courts are not included. Expunged and sealed records are also excluded from PATCH results. For individuals who want to verify their own record is accurate, the Individual Access and Review process using Form SP 4-170 is available by mail for $20 and requires fingerprint submission.
What Montour County Criminal Records Contain
Criminal records from the Montour County Court of Common Pleas document the full history of a case. The record begins with the defendant's identifying information, followed by each charge and the applicable section of Pennsylvania law. The record then traces the case through court proceedings from the first appearance through final disposition.
Dispositions in Montour County criminal cases include guilty verdicts, not guilty verdicts, dismissals, withdrawals, nolle prosequi entries, and ARD completions. ARD, or Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition, is a diversion program for first-time offenders. Successful completion leads to dismissal of charges and the possibility of expungement from the criminal history record. Conviction entries show the full sentence, including any incarceration term, probation conditions, fines, court costs, and restitution amounts.
Montour County criminal records are public records under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law. You do not need to be involved in a case to request access to it. The Clerk of Courts can provide standard and certified copies. Felony records are kept permanently. Misdemeanor records are retained for 20 years. Summary offense records are held for three to seven years.
Clearing Records in Montour County
Pennsylvania offers two main paths for removing or limiting public access to criminal records in Montour County: expungement and Clean Slate automatic sealing.
Expungement under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122 requires a petition to the Montour County Court of Common Pleas. A judge reviews the request and must sign an order before any record is cleared. Eligible situations include arrests with no conviction, ARD completions, summary convictions after five crime-free years, and qualifying cases involving individuals 70 or older who have been conviction-free for ten years. Once the court grants expungement, the Pennsylvania State Police remove the record from PATCH and the UJS Portal removes the case from public view.
The Clean Slate Act created an automatic sealing process that applies to qualifying misdemeanor convictions and non-conviction records. No court filing is needed for Clean Slate sealing. The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts processes eligible records in batches, and the Montour County Clerk of Courts applies local sealing orders quarterly. Sealed records are hidden from public view in PATCH and the UJS Portal, though courts, law enforcement, and certain licensing authorities can still access them. More information is available at pacourts.us.
Requesting Montour County Records Under the Right-to-Know Law
Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law at 65 P.S. § 67.101 gives the public the right to inspect government records, including criminal court records in Montour County. The law applies to records held by the Clerk of Courts, the Sheriff, the District Attorney, and other public agencies operating in the county.
To request criminal records from Montour County, you can visit the courthouse in person, submit a written request by mail, or file a formal RTK request with the appropriate county office. When submitting a written request, include the subject's full name, approximate year of the case, and any docket or case numbers you have. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope and payment for copy fees with mailed requests.
The Clerk of Courts must acknowledge your RTK request within five business days. Standard copies are $0.25 per page. Certified copies cost $5 to $10 depending on the document type. Records that are sealed, expunged, or involve juvenile proceedings are exempt from public disclosure under the Right-to-Know Law.
Note: Montour County's small staff may take additional time to retrieve older archived records, particularly those from before electronic filing was implemented.
Individual Record Review Rights in Montour County
Under the Criminal History Record Information Act (CHRIA), individuals have the right to review their own Pennsylvania criminal history record. To request a personal record review, submit Form SP 4-170 with a fingerprint card and $20 payment by mail to the Pennsylvania State Police. This process allows individuals to verify the accuracy of their PATCH record and identify any errors in case dispositions.
If a PATCH report contains incorrect information, individuals can submit a challenge to the Pennsylvania State Police. The challenge process requires fingerprints and documentation, such as court orders showing the correct disposition of a case. Correcting your record ensures that official criminal history reports accurately reflect the outcome of Montour County court proceedings.
Pennsylvania record retention rules set the following periods: felony conviction records are kept permanently, misdemeanor records are retained for 20 years, and summary offense records are held for three to seven years. Records that have passed their retention period or meet expungement criteria may be eligible for removal from the State Police repository.
Nearby Counties
Montour County is located in central Pennsylvania and shares the 26th Judicial District with Columbia County. Neighboring counties each maintain their own Clerk of Courts and criminal record systems.