Access Northampton County Criminal Records
Northampton County criminal records are maintained by the Clerk of Courts at the Northampton County Courthouse in Easton, PA. The county has a population of approximately 315,000 and falls under the 3rd Judicial District, one of the older court systems in Pennsylvania given that the county was established in 1752. This page covers how to find Northampton County criminal records online, how to request certified copies from the courthouse, and how to conduct a statewide background check that includes Northampton County.
Northampton County Quick Facts
Northampton County Clerk of Courts
Holly Ruggiero serves as the elected Clerk of Courts for Northampton County. The office is the official custodian of criminal records for all cases filed in the Court of Common Pleas of Northampton County. The courthouse is located at 669 Washington Street, Easton, PA 18042. The office can be reached by phone at 610-829-6585 and by fax at 610-829-6500. Email inquiries can be sent to clerkofcourts@northamptoncounty.org.
Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The office is closed on weekends and county holidays. Copy fees are $0.25 per page for standard copies. Certified copies cost $10 to $25 depending on the document type. Public access terminals are available in the courthouse for free record searching during business hours. Credit cards, cash, check, and money orders are accepted for payment.
Northampton County has maintained records since its establishment in 1752. Historical records from the earliest years of the county's existence are preserved in the archives. The county provides online access to civil dockets from the mid-1980s forward. Criminal records are accessible through the statewide UJS Portal. Visit northamptoncounty.org for current office information and contact details.
The Northampton County website provides a full directory of county services, including the Clerk of Courts, the Sheriff's Office, the District Attorney, and the public defender, all of which are involved in the criminal justice records process.
| Office |
Northampton County Clerk of Courts Holly Ruggiero, Clerk of Courts 669 Washington Street Easton, PA 18042 Phone: 610-829-6585 Email: clerkofcourts@northamptoncounty.org |
|---|---|
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | northamptoncounty.org |
Search Northampton County Criminal Cases Online
The Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System Web Portal provides free public access to Northampton County criminal case information. The portal is available 24 hours a day and does not require an account. You can search by participant name, docket number, OTN, complaint number, or citation number. Go to ujsportal.pacourts.us to begin your search for Northampton County criminal records.
Northampton County Court of Common Pleas docket numbers follow the format CP-48-CR-XXXXXX-YYYY. The portal shows all charges filed in the case, the disposition of each charge, sentencing details for convictions, attorney names, the presiding judge, and court-ordered financial obligations. Both the Court of Common Pleas and the Magisterial District Courts in Northampton County are covered by the portal. Northampton County MDJ cases include preliminary hearings for felonies and misdemeanors, summary offense dispositions, and traffic matters.
Mail requests for copies of Northampton County criminal records are accepted by the Clerk of Courts. Include specific case information, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and payment. Processing time is typically same-day for available records. Archived records may take three to five business days.
Note: The UJS Portal does not display sealed records, expunged cases, juvenile proceedings, or Protection from Abuse filings for Northampton County or any other county.
Pennsylvania Criminal Background Checks
PATCH, Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History, is the statewide background check system that covers Northampton County along with all other Pennsylvania counties. PATCH is run by the Pennsylvania State Police under the authority of 18 Pa.C.S. Chapter 91. Access the system at epatch.pa.gov or call the PATCH helpline at 1-888-QUERY-PA for help with a pending request.
Standard PATCH checks cost $22. Notarized checks cost $27. Free volunteer checks are available through Form SP 4-164A. About 85 percent of searches return a "No Record" result immediately by email. When the system finds a match, a State Police technician reviews the record manually and mails the response, which typically takes two to four weeks.
PATCH reports show arrest information, charges, dispositions, and sentencing data from Pennsylvania law enforcement agencies and courts. Each entry shows the statutory citation for the offense, the date of the arrest, how the case was resolved, and any sentence imposed. Data elements include aliases, date of birth, physical descriptors, and the OTN assigned to each case. PATCH does not include records from other states, federal courts, or sealed and expunged records from Northampton County or elsewhere in Pennsylvania.
Local Police Records in Northampton County
Northampton County is home to several municipalities with their own police departments. Bethlehem, the largest city in the county, is served by the Bethlehem Police Department located at 10 East Church Street, Bethlehem, PA 18018. The phone number is 610-837-9300. The Records Division processes report requests for $15 to $20 per report and accepts in-person and mail submissions. Act 22 video requests are also accepted.
Easton, the county seat, has its own police department that handles records separately from the Clerk of Courts. For police reports and arrest records from Easton or other Northampton County municipalities, contact the relevant police department directly or submit a Right-to-Know request. Police reports document the incident and arrest. Court records document what happened after the arrest in the judicial system. Both types of records may be relevant depending on your purpose.
For criminal court case information from Northampton County, the UJS Portal and the Clerk of Courts are the primary sources. For police incident reports and arrest records, contact the department that made the arrest.
Northampton County Criminal Record Contents
A criminal case record from Northampton County documents the entire lifecycle of a case from arrest through final disposition. The record identifies the defendant by name and date of birth. Each charge is listed with its statutory citation, offense description, and grade (felony, misdemeanor, or summary). Court dates, continuances, and hearing outcomes are listed in chronological order.
Dispositions found in Northampton County criminal records include guilty verdicts, not guilty verdicts, dismissals, withdrawals, nolle prosequi, and ARD completions. Conviction records show the full sentence: incarceration terms (minimum and maximum), probation length and conditions, fines, court costs, and restitution. The OTN assigned to each case allows it to be tracked across the criminal justice system.
Northampton County criminal records are generally public under Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law. The public may inspect and copy them without being a party to the case. Some information related to victims, minors, or mental health may be redacted or sealed in individual cases, but the bulk of criminal case files are open to public access.
Expungement and Clean Slate in Northampton County
Pennsylvania law provides two mechanisms for removing criminal records from public view in Northampton County. Expungement under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122 requires filing a petition with the Court of Common Pleas. Eligible situations include arrests with no conviction, ARD completions, summary convictions after five crime-free years, and qualifying cases for individuals 70 or older with a ten-year crime-free period. The court must issue an order before any record is cleared from PATCH or removed from the UJS Portal.
The Clean Slate Act provides automatic sealing for qualifying misdemeanor convictions and non-conviction records without requiring any action by the individual. Records are processed in batches by the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts. The Northampton County Clerk of Courts applies Clean Slate sealing orders quarterly. Once sealed, records are no longer visible through public searches but remain accessible to law enforcement, courts, and certain licensing authorities. Visit pacourts.us for Clean Slate eligibility details.
Note: Sealed and expunged records in Northampton County may still be considered by licensing boards for professions like law, medicine, nursing, and education under specific statutory provisions.
Northampton County Criminal History Rights Under CHRIA
Northampton County residents have the right to review their own criminal history records under the Criminal History Record Information Act, CHRIA. Under 18 Pa.C.S. Chapter 91, individuals may request their own record, challenge inaccurate information, and seek corrections. Agencies have 60 days to respond to a challenge submitted through the PATCH system.
A challenge to a PATCH report requires submitting fingerprints and supporting documentation to the Pennsylvania State Police. Relevant documents include court orders, disposition records, and correspondence from the Northampton County Clerk of Courts. Correcting your record protects your rights under Pennsylvania law.
Nearby Counties
Northampton County is located in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. Several neighboring counties may also be relevant depending on where a case was filed or where an individual lives.