Somerset County Criminal Records
Somerset County criminal records are filed and maintained by the combined Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts office at the Somerset County Courthouse in Somerset, Pennsylvania. The county is part of the 16th Judicial District and has a population of approximately 73,000 residents. Criminal records in Somerset County date back to the county's founding in 1795. The Pennsylvania UJS Portal provides free online access to Somerset County criminal dockets, and the Pennsylvania State Police PATCH system gives you a certified statewide criminal history report that includes Somerset County records.
Somerset County Quick Facts
Somerset County Clerk of Courts
The Somerset County Clerk of Courts and Prothonotary share a combined office at the Somerset County Courthouse. This office is the official repository for all criminal case records filed in the Court of Common Pleas for the 16th Judicial District. The office stores case files, processes new filings, collects fines and court costs, handles bail bonds, and provides copies of criminal records to the public.
The courthouse is located in Somerset, the county seat. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. You can visit in person to search by name or case number and request copies. Bring a valid photo ID. Standard copy fees are $0.25 per page. Certified copies cost $5 to $10 per document. Mail requests are accepted with a written description of the needed records and payment. Somerset County criminal records dating back to 1795 are maintained, though very old records may require additional retrieval time.
The Somerset County government website provides contact information for the Clerk of Courts, courthouse hours, directions, and information about other county services available to residents searching criminal records.
The Somerset County website is the official county resource for finding Clerk of Courts contact information, courthouse access details, and information about how to access Somerset County criminal records.
| Clerk of Courts |
Somerset County Courthouse 111 East Union Street Somerset, PA 15501 |
|---|---|
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Copy Fees | $0.25 per page; certified copies $5 to $10 |
Searching Somerset County Criminal Records Online
The Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System Portal provides free public access to Somerset County criminal dockets online. This portal is operated by the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts and covers all levels of the state court system. You can access it at any time at ujsportal.pacourts.us.
Search Somerset County criminal cases by participant name, docket number, OTN, complaint number, citation number, or incident number. Court of Common Pleas criminal dockets for Somerset County follow the format CP-56-CR-XXXXXX-YYYY. Search results display the charges with statutory references, the full docket history, dispositions for each charge, and sentencing details. Magisterial District Court records from Somerset County are also available in the portal under the MDJ search section. The PAeDocket mobile app gives you the same UJS Portal access from a smartphone or tablet.
Case information is updated within 24 to 48 hours of proceedings. Some older Somerset County records from before electronic filing was implemented may exist only in paper form at the courthouse. Contact the Clerk of Courts directly if you need records not available through the online portal.
Pennsylvania PATCH for Somerset County Background Checks
PATCH, the Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History system, provides certified criminal background checks covering Somerset County and all other Pennsylvania counties. It is operated by the Pennsylvania State Police under 18 Pa.C.S. Chapter 91, the Criminal History Record Information Act. Records from Somerset County law enforcement agencies and courts are included in the PATCH database.
Submit PATCH requests at epatch.pa.gov. The standard fee is $22. A notarized copy costs $27. Volunteer checks using Form SP 4-164A are free. No Record responses come back by email immediately in about 85% of cases. Cases matching the database are reviewed manually and results are mailed within two to four weeks. PATCH reports include the subject's name and aliases, physical descriptors, offense descriptions with statutory citations, dispositions, and sentence information from Somerset County and across the state. Call 1-888-QUERY-PA for assistance during business hours.
Note: PATCH only covers Pennsylvania records. Federal records, out-of-state criminal history, juvenile records, and expunged or sealed Somerset County cases do not appear on PATCH reports.
What Somerset County Criminal Records Include
Somerset County criminal records document every stage of a criminal case from the moment charges are filed through the final resolution of the case. The record begins with the criminal complaint or information setting out the charges and the statutes allegedly violated. Every subsequent court event is logged as a docket entry.
The full Somerset County criminal docket shows the defendant's identifying information, the specific charges filed with their statutory citations, arrest date, bail conditions, the names of the judge and all attorneys of record, dates and outcomes of all hearings including preliminary hearings and arraignment, the disposition of each charge, and full sentencing details. Sentencing entries reflect any combination of incarceration, probation, fines, court costs, and restitution. Pennsylvania law under 18 Pa.C.S. Chapter 91 requires that felony records be kept permanently, misdemeanor records for 20 years, and summary offense records for three to seven years.
Somerset County criminal records are public under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. Section 67.101, unless a court order seals or expunges the record.
Expungement and Clean Slate in Somerset County
Pennsylvania law gives Somerset County residents two ways to remove or restrict public access to criminal records. The first is a court-ordered expungement. You file a petition with the Court of Common Pleas through the Clerk of Courts in Somerset. Under 18 Pa.C.S. Section 9122, you can petition to expunge arrests that led to no conviction, dismissed or withdrawn charges, ARD completions, and summary offense convictions after five years of no further arrests. Once granted, the expunged record is removed from PATCH, the UJS Portal, and law enforcement databases.
The second path is automatic Clean Slate sealing under Pennsylvania's Clean Slate Act. Eligible misdemeanor convictions are sealed without a petition once the required conviction-free period has passed and all fines are paid. Sealed records are hidden from public searches including PATCH and the UJS Portal, but remain accessible to courts, law enforcement, and certain licensing agencies. Contact the Clerk of Courts or a local attorney for specific guidance on eligibility for Somerset County records.
ARD Program in Somerset County
Somerset County offers the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) program for first-time offenders charged with certain offenses. ARD is a diversion program that allows participants to avoid a criminal conviction by completing a supervision period with conditions set by the court. Conditions typically include reporting to supervision, completing community service hours, paying program costs, and in DUI cases, completing required treatment and classes.
Successful completion of ARD in Somerset County makes the underlying arrest eligible for expungement. This means the case can be cleared from public records, including PATCH and the UJS Portal. If you were accepted into ARD in Somerset County and completed the program, contact the Clerk of Courts office to confirm your expungement eligibility and begin the petition process. Not all offenses qualify for ARD, and acceptance is at the discretion of the District Attorney's office.
Nearby Counties
Somerset County is in southwestern Pennsylvania. It borders Bedford, Cambria, Westmoreland, Fayette, and Garrett counties. Visit the county pages below for criminal records from neighboring jurisdictions.