Find Criminal Court Records in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh criminal court records are handled by Allegheny County, the 5th Judicial District of Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh is the largest city in Allegheny County with approximately 300,000 residents, and all criminal matters originating within the city go through the county court system centered at the Allegheny County Courthouse on Grant Street. Records are split between the Pittsburgh Municipal Court for summary offenses and preliminary hearings and the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas for felonies and misdemeanors. This page explains where to find Pittsburgh criminal court records, how to search them online, and what each records office covers.
Pittsburgh Quick Facts
Pittsburgh Criminal Court Records Access Points
Two offices at the Allegheny County Courthouse hold Pittsburgh criminal court records. The Department of Court Records, Criminal Division, on the first floor in Room 115, handles case filings, dockets, and records requests. The Clerk of Courts, one door away in Room 114, maintains official criminal records and provides public access to docket sheets. Both offices serve the same courthouse building at 436 Grant Street in downtown Pittsburgh.
| Office | Allegheny County Dept. of Court Records (Criminal) |
|---|---|
| Address | 436 Grant Street, Room 115 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 |
| Phone | (412) 350-1229 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Director | Michael McGeever |
| Clerk of Courts | 436 Grant Street, Room 114 | (412) 350-5323 |
| Municipal Court | 660 First Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 | (412) 350-6750 |
The Clerk of Courts in Room 114 provides in-person access to docket sheets. Visitors can request to view dockets, obtain certified copies, or get help from staff. Bring a valid photo ID and any case details you have, such as a case number or the defendant's full name. Confidential and sealed records are not available to the public.
Note: The Department of Court Records and the Clerk of Courts are two separate offices at the same address. The Criminal Division of the Department of Court Records handles most record requests, while the Clerk of Courts maintains official court documents and provides certified copies.
Searching Pittsburgh Criminal Court Cases Online
Allegheny County provides two online tools for searching Pittsburgh criminal court records. The first is the Allegheny County Department of Court Records web portal. The second is the statewide UJS Portal. Both are free and cover Pittsburgh cases at different court levels.
The Allegheny County Courts website provides information on the Clerk of Courts office, which maintains official criminal court records for Pittsburgh and all of Allegheny County.
The Allegheny County Department of Court Records online portal is at dcr.alleghenycounty.us. This county-level search tool covers Common Pleas cases filed in Allegheny County, including those originating in Pittsburgh. You can search by name or case number and view docket entries for criminal matters.
The Allegheny County DCR portal allows free online searches of criminal case dockets for Pittsburgh and surrounding Allegheny County communities.
The statewide UJS Portal covers Pittsburgh cases through the Allegheny County search function. You can search by defendant name, case number, or OTN. Results include both MDJ (Municipal Court) cases and Common Pleas cases, giving a full picture of a person's criminal court history in Pittsburgh from the earliest hearing through final disposition.
Search Pittsburgh criminal court dockets for free through the Pennsylvania UJS Portal, which covers Allegheny County cases at every court level.
Types of Pittsburgh Criminal Court Records
Pittsburgh criminal cases generate records at the Municipal Court level and at the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas level. Summary offenses and traffic violations stay at the Magisterial District Judge level. Preliminary hearings for more serious charges also happen at that level before the case moves to Common Pleas. Each step creates records that are tracked through the MDJS and CPCMS statewide systems.
At the Common Pleas level, Pittsburgh criminal court records include criminal complaints, bail documents, indictments, plea agreements, trial transcripts, verdicts, and sentencing orders. Appeals and post-conviction filings become part of the same case file. Every docket entry is time-stamped and reflects the official progression of the case.
The Pittsburgh Municipal Court at 660 First Avenue handles summary offenses and traffic matters for city residents. Its records are part of the MDJS system and are accessible through the UJS Portal. Cases that proceed beyond the preliminary hearing level transfer to Allegheny County Common Pleas and from that point are maintained by the Department of Court Records.
Note: Records sealed under Pennsylvania's Clean Slate Law (18 Pa.C.S. § 9122.1) for certain older nonviolent convictions will not appear in public docket searches, even through the UJS Portal or the county's DCR system.
Pittsburgh Police and Arrest Records
The Pittsburgh Police Department maintains arrest records for incidents within the city limits. The Records Division is located at 1203 Western Avenue in Pittsburgh. The phone number is (412) 323-7836. Arrest records document police contact, arrest circumstances, and booking details. These records are separate from court dockets.
When requesting a Pittsburgh Police arrest record, provide as much detail as possible about the incident. Useful information includes the date and time of the arrest, the location, and the names of the people involved. The more detail you can provide, the faster the Records Division can locate the relevant file. Arrest records and court records tell different parts of the same story, and researchers often need both.
For criminal cases that resulted in court charges, the Allegheny County Department of Court Records is the right place to request official court documents. The Pittsburgh Police Records Division handles the pre-arrest and arrest documentation, while the courthouse offices hold everything that happened after charges were filed.
Criminal History Checks for Pittsburgh Residents
The Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History system, known as PATCH, provides statewide criminal history records including all Pittsburgh and Allegheny County cases. Background checks through PATCH are processed by the Pennsylvania State Police and draw from the statewide criminal history database, which includes court dispositions from all 67 Pennsylvania counties.
Submit a PATCH request online at epatch.pa.gov. The standard fee is $22. Individuals checking their own record pay $20. Volunteers at qualifying nonprofits may request a free check. The PATCH helpline is available at 1-888-783-7972 for questions about requests, results, or how to correct errors. More information on the process is available through the PA.gov criminal history page.
PATCH results reflect the statewide criminal history compiled by the Pennsylvania State Police under CHRIA (18 Pa.C.S. § 9101-9183). This is a summary record. For a complete view of a specific Pittsburgh case, including all filings and docket entries, search the UJS Portal or request records from the Allegheny County Department of Court Records directly.
Public Access to Pittsburgh Criminal Court Records
Pittsburgh criminal court records are public records subject to the Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System (Pa. Rule of Judicial Administration 509). Most dockets and case documents are open to anyone who requests them. Exceptions apply to sealed records, juvenile cases, and any materials restricted by court order.
In-person requests can be made at the Allegheny County Courthouse during regular business hours. The Department of Court Records Criminal Division in Room 115 and the Clerk of Courts in Room 114 both assist the public with records access. Bring identifying information about the case to speed up the search. Staff can look up cases by party name or case number and make copies from the file.
For Allegheny County government records not held by the courts, the Right-to-Know Law (65 P.S. § 67.101) governs public access requests. Court records fall under the Public Access Policy rather than the Right-to-Know Law. If you are unsure which process applies to a specific record, the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records can clarify the appropriate path. You can also reach out to the Pennsylvania Courts website for guidance on accessing records through the judicial system.
Allegheny County Criminal Court Records
Pittsburgh is located in Allegheny County, and all felony and misdemeanor criminal cases from the city are processed through the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. For a full overview of the county court system, clerk contact information, and additional record resources, visit the Allegheny County criminal court records page.
Nearby Pennsylvania Cities
Criminal court records in nearby Pennsylvania cities are maintained by their respective county court systems. Choose a city below to find records access information for that area.