Crawford County Criminal Court Records Search
Crawford County criminal court records are filed with the Clerk of Courts at the Court of Common Pleas in Meadville, the county seat. The 37th Judicial District, which Crawford County shares with Forest County, handles all criminal proceedings for county residents. Crawford County has a population of approximately 83,000 and is located in northwestern Pennsylvania. You can search criminal records online through the free UJS Portal or visit the Clerk of Courts at 903 Diamond Park in Meadville during business hours.
Crawford County Quick Facts
Crawford County Clerk of Courts in Meadville
The Clerk of Courts at 903 Diamond Park in Meadville is the official office for criminal case records in the 37th Judicial District. This office files and stores criminal complaints, docket sheets, plea agreements, sentencing orders, and related documents for all felony and misdemeanor cases originating in Crawford County. Staff can look up records by defendant name or case number during regular business hours.
You may view records at the Crawford County courthouse without paying a viewing fee under Pa. Rule of Judicial Administration 509. Copy fees apply when you want printed documents from a case file. Bring a valid photo ID to the Clerk's office in Meadville. If you need older or complex records, calling ahead can help staff locate what you need before you arrive.
Crawford County shares the 37th Judicial District with Forest County. Criminal cases filed in Crawford County are maintained at the Clerk of Courts in Meadville, while Forest County cases are maintained at that county's own records office. If you are looking for a case and are unsure which county it was filed in, you can search by name on the UJS Portal to narrow it down.
| Office |
Crawford County Clerk of Courts Court of Common Pleas, 37th Judicial District 903 Diamond Park Meadville, PA 16335 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (814) 333-7445 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
Note: Forest County shares the 37th Judicial District with Crawford County. Records for cases filed in Forest County are maintained in that county, not in Meadville.
Searching Crawford County Criminal Dockets Online
Pennsylvania's UJS Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us provides free online access to criminal docket sheets for Crawford County and all other Pennsylvania counties. You can search by defendant name, case number, or OTN without creating an account. The portal covers Court of Common Pleas records and Magisterial District Judge records from Crawford County. Results are updated as courts enter new activity in active cases.
The image below was captured from the UJS Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us, the official Pennsylvania docket search system used to look up Crawford County criminal case records.
The UJS Portal shows charges, court dates, and case outcomes for Crawford County criminal cases without requiring a login or fee.
If you need actual documents from a Crawford County case file, such as motions or sentencing orders, contact the Clerk of Courts in Meadville. The portal provides docket-level case information only. Full documents must be obtained in person or by submitting a request directly to the Clerk's office.
Note: The UJS Portal search is free and covers both open and closed cases across Crawford County courts going back many years.
Crawford County Criminal History Through PATCH
The PATCH system (Pennsylvania Access To Criminal History) is administered by the Pennsylvania State Police and draws from the Central Repository. A PATCH check returns criminal history data from all 67 Pennsylvania counties including Crawford. The statewide scope of PATCH makes it different from a courthouse docket search, which is limited to cases filed in a specific county.
Submit a PATCH request at epatch.pa.gov. Standard checks cost $22. An individual review of your own record costs $20. Volunteers in qualifying programs may receive a free check. PATCH processes requests in chronological order. Results come back as "Record," "No Record," "Request Under Review," or "No Items Found." Call the helpline at 1-888-783-7972 for assistance. More information is at the PA State Police criminal history page and the pa.gov criminal history request page.
Types of Criminal Records in Crawford County Cases
Each criminal case in Crawford County generates a set of documents that grow as the case progresses. A felony case starts at the Magisterial District Judge level with a criminal complaint and preliminary arraignment. The case moves to the Court of Common Pleas in Meadville after a preliminary hearing. At that point, the file expands to include formal arraignment records, pretrial motions, trial or plea documents, and sentencing orders.
Many misdemeanor and summary offense cases in Crawford County are handled entirely at the MDJ level. Summary offenses such as minor traffic violations and low-level disorderly conduct rarely move to Common Pleas unless they are appealed. MDJ records for Crawford County are searchable through the UJS Portal just as Common Pleas records are.
Pennsylvania's Criminal History Record Information Act at 18 Pa.C.S. § 9101-9183 sets statewide rules for how criminal records are created, stored, and accessed. Crawford County follows the same retention schedule as all other Pennsylvania counties: felony records for 75 years, misdemeanor records for 25 years, and summary offenses for 7 years. Capital case records are never destroyed.
PA Courts Website and Crawford County's 37th Judicial District
The Pennsylvania court system's official website at pacourts.us provides information about the 37th Judicial District and Crawford County courts. You can find general guidance, forms, and contact information on the site. The PA Courts website also explains how the appellate process works for cases appealed from Common Pleas to Superior Court.
The image below is from pacourts.us, the official website of Pennsylvania's Unified Judicial System, which includes details about the 37th Judicial District in Meadville.
The PA Courts website is the most reliable source for official court contact information and procedural guidance for Crawford County.
Sealing and Expungement of Crawford County Criminal Records
Pennsylvania's Clean Slate law at 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122.1 provides for automatic sealing of qualifying convictions. Second and third degree misdemeanor convictions with sentences under two years may be sealed automatically after seven consecutive conviction-free years. Drug felony convictions with sentences under 30 months may qualify after ten conviction-free years. No court action is required for automatic sealing.
For records not covered by the automatic sealing rules, petition-based sealing under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122.2 is available. A petition is filed with the Crawford County Court of Common Pleas in Meadville. The court may hold a hearing and issues a written order. Once sealed, a record does not appear on standard public searches including the UJS Portal. Law enforcement agencies retain access to sealed records under conditions set by state law.
Expungement is a separate remedy that destroys records entirely. This also requires a petition filed with the Crawford County Court of Common Pleas. Qualifying cases include certain arrests that did not lead to conviction, dismissed charges, and some convictions. An attorney familiar with the 37th Judicial District can advise you on the best approach for your specific situation.
Public Access to Crawford County Criminal Court Records
Most criminal court records in Crawford County are open to the public under Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. § 67.101. Docket sheets, charging documents, and court orders are available for viewing at the Clerk of Courts in Meadville at no charge. The court public access policy at 204 Pa. Code § 213.81 defines what records must remain open and what may be withheld. Juvenile records, sealed files, and certain victim-related information are not available to the public.
The Pennsylvania Office of Open Records handles disputes about record access across the state. If you believe access to a Crawford County record was improperly denied, you can file an appeal with the Office of Open Records at no cost and without a lawyer. The office provides written guidance and issues binding decisions on access disputes.
Nearby Counties
Crawford County is located in northwestern Pennsylvania and borders several other counties. Criminal case records for each are held at that county's own Clerk of Courts.