Centre County Criminal Records and Court Dockets
Centre County criminal court records are filed with the Clerk of Courts at the Court of Common Pleas in Bellefonte, the county seat. The 49th Judicial District handles all criminal proceedings for Centre County, which includes the State College area and Penn State University. The county's population of about 162,000 makes it a mid-size county by Pennsylvania standards. You can search criminal case records online through the state's free UJS Portal or in person at the courthouse on Allegheny Street in Bellefonte.
Centre County Quick Facts
Centre County Clerk of Courts in Bellefonte
The Clerk of Courts office at 102 S. Allegheny Street in Bellefonte is the official keeper of criminal case records for the 49th Judicial District. This office handles case filings, docket maintenance, and document storage for all felony, misdemeanor, and appealed summary cases in Centre County. Staff can assist you with record searches by name or case number during regular business hours.
You may view criminal records at the Clerk's office without paying a fee. Pa. Rule of Judicial Administration 509 makes clear that viewing records at the courthouse is free. Copy fees apply when you want printed documents. The Prothonotary office, which handles civil matters, is reached at (814) 355-6790. For criminal records, contact the Clerk of Courts directly.
Centre County sees a higher volume of cases than many rural Pennsylvania counties, in part because of the State College area and the university population. Staff at the Clerk's office are accustomed to handling requests from individuals who are not familiar with court procedures. Calling ahead to explain your request can make your visit more productive.
| Office |
Centre County Clerk of Courts Court of Common Pleas, 49th Judicial District 102 S. Allegheny Street Bellefonte, PA 16823 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (814) 355-6797 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Prothonotary | (814) 355-6790 |
Centre County Criminal Docket Search on the UJS Portal
The Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us is the best free tool for searching Centre County criminal records online. The portal covers cases at the Court of Common Pleas level and at Magisterial District Judge courts throughout Centre County. You can search by defendant name, case number, or OTN without creating an account.
The screenshot below comes from the UJS Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us, the state's free docket search system for Centre County criminal case records.
The UJS Portal displays docket sheets showing charges, court dates, and case outcomes for Centre County criminal cases.
Search results include the defendant's name, case number, charges filed, hearing and trial dates, and the final disposition of the case. The portal is updated regularly as Centre County courts process new activity. If you find a case you need documents from, contact the Clerk of Courts in Bellefonte for copies of the actual filings.
Note: The UJS Portal does not charge fees for searching or viewing docket sheets. Fees apply only when you request printed copies from the courthouse in Bellefonte.
Pennsylvania Background Check Through PATCH
PATCH (Pennsylvania Access To Criminal History) is the statewide criminal background check system run by the Pennsylvania State Police. A PATCH search covers criminal history records from all 67 Pennsylvania counties, including Centre County. It draws data from the PA State Police Central Repository.
Request a PATCH check online at epatch.pa.gov. Standard checks cost $22. Individual review requests for checking your own record cost $20. Qualified volunteers may be eligible for a free check. Results may come back as "Record," "No Record," "Request Under Review," or "No Items Found." The PATCH helpline is 1-888-783-7972. More information is available at the PA State Police criminal history page and through the pa.gov criminal history request service.
Criminal Case Records Held in Centre County
Criminal cases in Centre County generate a full set of public documents at each stage. A felony case starts with a criminal complaint and proceeds through preliminary arraignment, preliminary hearing, formal arraignment at Common Pleas, and then pretrial proceedings, trial or plea, and sentencing. Each stage produces documents that become part of the case file at the Clerk of Courts in Bellefonte.
Misdemeanor cases follow a similar path. Many lower-level misdemeanors and summary offenses are handled at the Magisterial District Judge level throughout Centre County without ever moving to the Court of Common Pleas. These records are still searchable through the UJS Portal.
Under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9101-9183, the Criminal History Record Information Act governs what criminal records are created, how they are stored, and who can access them. State retention rules require felony records to be kept for 75 years, misdemeanor records for 25 years, and summary offense records for 7 years. Capital case records are kept permanently.
Centre County Courts on the PA Courts Website
The Pennsylvania court system's official website at pacourts.us includes contact information and general guidance for Centre County courts. The site covers the 49th Judicial District and links to court forms, procedural rules, and self-help resources. If you are navigating the court process in Centre County without an attorney, the PA Courts website is a helpful starting point.
The image below is from the pacourts.us website, which covers court system information for all Pennsylvania counties including Centre County.
The PA Courts site also has information about how criminal appeals from Centre County are handled at the Superior Court level.
Sealing and Expungement of Centre County Criminal Records
Pennsylvania's Clean Slate law at 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122.1 provides automatic sealing for certain criminal records. Second and third degree misdemeanor convictions carrying sentences under two years may be automatically sealed after seven consecutive years without a new conviction. Certain drug felony convictions with sentences under 30 months may be sealed after ten conviction-free years.
Individuals seeking to seal records that do not qualify automatically may file a petition under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122.2 with the Centre County Court of Common Pleas. The petition process allows the court to weigh the circumstances before deciding whether to seal the record. Once sealed, the record no longer shows on standard public searches including the UJS Portal. Law enforcement retains access to sealed records under conditions defined by state law.
Expungement is a more complete remedy that results in the actual destruction of records. This requires a separate petition filed with the Centre County Court of Common Pleas in Bellefonte. Qualifying convictions, arrest records where charges were dropped, and certain juvenile records may be eligible for expungement depending on the facts of each case.
Note: Consulting an attorney familiar with Centre County courts is the best way to evaluate whether a specific record qualifies for sealing or expungement under Pennsylvania law.
Public Access to Centre County Criminal Court Records
Criminal court records in Centre County are generally open to the public under Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. § 67.101. Anyone can request to view docket sheets and case filings at the Clerk of Courts in Bellefonte. The public access policy at 204 Pa. Code § 213.81 defines what is available and what may be withheld. Juvenile records, sealed files, and certain victim-related information are not part of the public record. The Office of Open Records handles disputes about access to government records and provides guidance on how to appeal denials in Pennsylvania.
Nearby Counties
Centre County is surrounded by several other central Pennsylvania counties. Criminal records for each county are maintained at that county's Clerk of Courts.