Criminal Court Records in Butler County

Butler County criminal court records are maintained by the Clerk of Courts at the Butler County Courthouse on West Diamond Street in Butler, Pennsylvania. Butler County is part of the 27th Judicial District with a population of approximately 198,000. All felony and misdemeanor criminal cases are heard by the Court of Common Pleas. Records can be searched online for free through the Pennsylvania UJS Portal or reviewed in person at the courthouse. This guide explains how to find, access, and obtain copies of Butler County criminal court records.

Butler County Clerk of Courts

Lisa Lotz serves as the Butler County Clerk of Courts. The office is located at 124 W. Diamond Street in Butler and is the official custodian of all criminal court records for the Court of Common Pleas. The Clerk's office maintains every document in a criminal case from the initial filing through sentencing and any appeals. Staff can help members of the public search records, process copy requests, and answer questions about accessing Butler County criminal court records.

The Butler County Clerk of Courts office handles ePay online credit card payments for court-ordered costs, fines, and restitution. Payments are processed according to the Uniform Distribution Schedule. The statewide case management systems used by the office allow seamless docketing throughout the life of a criminal case, including through appeals, so the docket in Butler County stays current from beginning to end of each case.

In-person visits are accepted during regular business hours. Under Pa. Rule of Judicial Administration 509, there is no fee for viewing records at the courthouse. Copy fees apply when you want printed documents. Standard copies are $0.25 per page. Certified copies require an additional fee. Mail requests should be sent to the address below with the defendant name or case number, your contact information, and whether you need a standard or certified copy.

The Butler County Prothonotary handles civil matters at the same address and can be reached at (724) 284-5215. The Butler County Court of Common Pleas uses the statewide PACFile system for electronic filing of criminal cases, accessible through ujsportal.pacourts.us.

Searching Butler County Criminal Court Records Online

The Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System Web Portal is the best free tool for searching Butler County criminal court records. Go to ujsportal.pacourts.us. Select "Common Pleas Courts" for felony and misdemeanor cases. Select "Magisterial District Courts" for summary offense records and preliminary hearing information. Enter a defendant name, case number, or OTN to search.

Each result includes the full docket sheet for the case. The docket lists all charges filed, every court appearance, bail conditions, motions and orders, plea information, and the final case outcome. You do not need an account for a basic search. The portal is free and updated regularly by the Pennsylvania courts. It is part of the statewide system maintained by pacourts.us.

Note: The UJS Portal lists what documents exist in a case file. To get copies of those documents, contact the Butler County Clerk of Courts by phone or in person, or submit a written request by mail.

What Butler County Criminal Court Records Include

Butler County criminal court records document the full history of each criminal case handled by the Court of Common Pleas. Records begin at the charging stage and continue through every court action until the case is fully resolved, including any post-sentence proceedings or appeals.

A typical Butler County criminal case file includes the criminal complaint and affidavit of probable cause, arraignment and bail documents, preliminary hearing record, pre-trial motions and rulings, any plea agreement, trial or hearing transcript, sentencing order, and post-sentence documents if applicable. Each item is listed on the docket sheet available through the UJS Portal with its date and document title. The Clerk of Courts provides copies of any document in the public record upon request.

The Pennsylvania Public Access Policy at 204 Pa. Code § 213.81 requires that certain private information not appear in public filings. Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and driver's license numbers are excluded from public court documents. Everything else in a criminal case file is generally open for public review. Records that have been expunged, sealed under the Clean Slate Law, or involve juveniles will not appear in public searches.

Criminal History Background Checks in Butler County

For statewide criminal history information that includes Butler County arrests and convictions, use PATCH, the Pennsylvania Access To Criminal History system. PATCH is run by the Pennsylvania State Police and gives a complete statewide criminal history for any person. The standard fee is $22. Online requests at epatch.pa.gov are processed quickly. More information is available at pa.gov.

When an individual checks their own record through PATCH, the fee is $20. Certain volunteers may qualify for a free check. For help, call the PATCH helpline at 1-888-783-7972. Criminal history records in Pennsylvania are governed by the Criminal History Record Information Act, CHRIA, at 18 Pa.C.S. § 9101-9183. CHRIA sets rules on how records are collected, how long they are kept, and who may access them.

A PATCH result is a summary of statewide arrests and convictions. A UJS Portal docket search gives you the detailed case-level filing history for a specific case in Butler County. Both tools are useful but serve different purposes. Use PATCH for a background check. Use the UJS Portal for detailed case research.

Public Access to Butler County Court Records

Butler County criminal court records are public. The Right-to-Know Law at 65 P.S. § 67.101 gives any person the right to see government records in Pennsylvania, and court records follow the Pennsylvania court system's public access rules. No reason needs to be given. No ID is required just to view records at the courthouse.

Under Pa. Rule of Judicial Administration 509, courts cannot charge a fee for viewing records in the courthouse. You pay only for printed copies. The Office of Open Records at openrecords.pa.gov handles disputes about access to government records statewide and can assist if a request for Butler County records is improperly denied.

Record Sealing and Expungement in Butler County

Pennsylvania's Clean Slate Law at 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122.1 provides for the automatic sealing of qualifying misdemeanor convictions. Second and third-degree misdemeanors with sentences under two years are sealed automatically after seven years with no new convictions. The court system handles this without any petition required. Once a record is sealed, it disappears from public UJS Portal searches and from most PATCH results.

Some offenses not covered by automatic sealing may qualify for petition-based sealing under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122.2. This requires filing a petition with the Butler County Court of Common Pleas asking the court to seal the record. The court reviews the petition and decides whether to grant it. Not all offenses are eligible. Expungement, which removes the record entirely, is available when an arrest did not result in conviction, for certain summary offense convictions after five years of no new offenses, and in some other limited circumstances under Pennsylvania law.

To start the sealing or expungement process in Butler County, contact the Clerk of Courts at 124 W. Diamond Street for the proper forms and filing instructions. The entire process goes through the Butler County Court of Common Pleas. Legal aid organizations serving western Pennsylvania may be able to assist eligible individuals at no cost.

Note: Butler County criminal court records are retained according to the state schedule, with felony records kept 75 years, misdemeanor records kept 25 years, and summary offense records kept 7 years from final disposition.

Nearby Counties

Butler County is located in western Pennsylvania and borders several other counties. Records from neighboring counties are searchable through the UJS Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us.

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