Access Berks County Criminal Court Records

Berks County criminal court records are maintained by the Clerk of Courts at the Berks County Services Center in Reading, Pennsylvania. As the seat of the 23rd Judicial District with a population of approximately 428,000, Berks County processes a significant number of criminal cases each year. Records can be searched online using the Pennsylvania UJS Portal, requested in person at the courthouse, or obtained through the mail. This page explains each access method and what you can expect to find in Berks County criminal court records.

Berks County Clerk of Courts

The Berks County Clerk of Courts is located on the fourth floor of the Berks County Services Center at 633 Court Street in Reading. This office is the official keeper of all criminal court records for the Court of Common Pleas in Berks County. The Clerk maintains case filings, dispositions, court proceedings, and all related documents from initial filing through final judgment and appeal.

You can request Berks County criminal court records in person, by mail, or through the UJS Portal for basic case information. In-person requests can be made at the fourth floor office during business hours. For mail requests, write to the Clerk of Courts at 633 Court Street, 4th Floor, Reading, PA 19601. Your written request should include specific case information such as the defendant name, case number, and filing dates if known. Also include your contact information and whether you need a standard copy or a certified copy.

The office accepts cash, check, or money order for fees. Standard copies are $0.25 per page. Certification costs $10 per document plus copying fees. Under Pa. Rule of Judicial Administration 509, you cannot be charged a fee just for viewing records at the courthouse.

The Berks County Prothonotary handles civil division matters from the second floor of the same building and can be reached at (610) 478-6970. The Open Records Office for Berks County is located on the 13th floor. You can reach it by email at Countyopenrecordsofficer@countyofberks.com or by fax at (610) 478-6293 for Right-to-Know Law requests under 65 P.S. § 67.101.

Searching Berks County Criminal Court Records Online

The best free online resource for Berks County criminal court records is the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System Portal. Go to ujsportal.pacourts.us and select either "Common Pleas Courts" for felony and misdemeanor cases or "Magisterial District Courts" for summary offenses. Enter the defendant's name, a case number, or an Offense Tracking Number to search.

Each case result displays the full docket sheet. The docket shows the charges filed, all court hearing dates, bail conditions, motions and orders, plea information, and the final disposition of the case. Searching on the UJS Portal is free. You do not need to create an account. Updates are added regularly by the Pennsylvania courts. The portal covers both Common Pleas and Magisterial District Court cases for Berks County.

Note: The Berks County website at co.berks.pa.us has experienced certificate issues in the past. Use the UJS Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us as the primary and most reliable online source for Berks County criminal court records.

What Berks County Criminal Court Records Include

Criminal court records in Berks County document the full timeline of a criminal case. The record begins when someone is charged with a crime and continues through every court appearance, motion, ruling, and final outcome.

The documents typically found in a Berks County criminal case file include the original criminal complaint, affidavit of probable cause, arraignment paperwork, bail documents, pre-trial motion filings and court orders, plea agreement if applicable, trial transcripts, sentencing order, and post-sentence filings. The docket sheet available through the UJS Portal lists all of these items with their filing dates. To read the full text of any document, you must visit the courthouse or submit a copy request to the Clerk of Courts.

The Pennsylvania Public Access Policy at 204 Pa. Code § 213.81 excludes certain personal information from public court filings. Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and driver's license numbers are not included in the public record. Most other information in the case file is available to any member of the public. Expunged cases, sealed records, and juvenile matters are not visible in public searches.

Criminal History Background Checks in Berks County

For a formal statewide criminal history record covering Berks County arrests and convictions, use the PATCH system administered by the Pennsylvania State Police. PATCH stands for Pennsylvania Access To Criminal History. The standard fee is $22 per request. Online requests at epatch.pa.gov are processed quickly. More information is available at pa.gov.

The fee is $20 when an individual requests their own criminal history record. Volunteers with certain organizations may qualify for a free check. For help with the PATCH system, call the helpline at 1-888-783-7972. Pennsylvania's CHRIA law at 18 Pa.C.S. § 9101-9183 governs how criminal history records are maintained, accessed, and used.

Public Access to Berks County Court Records

Berks County criminal court records are public under Pennsylvania law. The Right-to-Know Law at 65 P.S. § 67.101 grants any person the right to access government records, and the courts have their own public access policies that allow anyone to view criminal case files. No reason needs to be given for a records request. No ID is required just to view records at the courthouse.

The Berks County Open Records Office is available to handle formal Right-to-Know Law requests. It is located on the 13th floor of the Services Center. Contact the office by email at Countyopenrecordsofficer@countyofberks.com if you have questions about records access. The Office of Open Records at openrecords.pa.gov handles statewide appeals if a request is denied.

If a record has been sealed under the Clean Slate Law at 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122.1 or expunged under court order, it will not appear in public searches. Sealed records are hidden from the general public but may still be accessible to certain criminal justice agencies. Juvenille records are also kept separate and are generally not part of the public criminal court record in Berks County.

Record Sealing and Expungement in Berks County

Pennsylvania's Clean Slate Law at 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122.1 provides automatic sealing for qualifying misdemeanor records. Second and third-degree misdemeanor convictions with sentences under two years are sealed automatically after seven years of no new convictions. The court system handles this without any action needed from the individual. Once sealed, the record no longer shows in public searches on the UJS Portal or in most PATCH results.

Petition-based sealing under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122.2 applies to some offenses not covered by automatic sealing. An eligible person can file a petition with the Berks County Court of Common Pleas asking for their record to be sealed. The court decides whether to grant the request. Expungement, which removes a record from the system entirely, is available in specific situations including arrests that did not result in conviction and certain summary offense convictions after five years with no new offenses.

Note: Sealing and expungement must be done through the Berks County Court of Common Pleas. The process involves filing the correct petition and following the court's procedures. Legal aid resources serving Reading and Berks County may be able to assist eligible individuals at no cost.

Nearby Counties

Berks County is in southeastern Pennsylvania and borders several other counties. Each neighboring county has its own Clerk of Courts and its own records in the UJS Portal.

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