Erie County Criminal Court Records

Erie County criminal court records are maintained by the Clerk of Records at the Erie County Courthouse in Erie, Pennsylvania. Erie County is unique in Pennsylvania because its Clerk of Records performs the functions of multiple offices under one roof: Clerk of Courts, Prothonotary, Recorder of Deeds, Register of Wills, and Clerk of the Orphans' Court. The county is in the 6th Judicial District with a population of about 269,000. Public access to criminal case records is available in person at the courthouse and through the free statewide UJS Portal online. This guide explains how Erie County handles criminal records and how to access them.

Erie County Clerk of Records Criminal Court Bureau

Erie County operates differently from most Pennsylvania counties. Rather than having separate offices for each court function, the Clerk of Records holds all of them. Aubrea Hagerty-Haynes serves as the Clerk of Records. The Clerk of Courts Bureau within this office is specifically responsible for criminal court records. The office is located at the Erie County Courthouse, 140 W. 6th Street in Erie.

The Clerk of Courts Bureau has a clearly stated mission: to efficiently and accurately maintain criminal court records per state requirements and to collect and account for court fees, costs, fines, and restitution. The bureau maintains, dockets, and indexes all criminal court records. It also assesses and collects court costs, fines, and fees, then distributes those funds as directed by court orders. This comprehensive role makes the Erie County Clerk of Records one of the most centralized court record-keeping offices in Pennsylvania.

Because one office handles so many functions, visiting the Erie County Courthouse at 140 W. 6th Street gives you access to criminal records, civil records, deeds, wills, and estate records all from one location. For criminal records specifically, go to the Clerk of Courts Bureau and bring the case docket number or the name of the person you are researching.

Note: The Clerk of Records performs duties for multiple court divisions. When you call or visit, specify that you need criminal records from the Clerk of Courts Bureau to be directed to the right staff member.

Search Erie County Criminal Dockets Online

Free online access to Erie County criminal dockets is available through the Pennsylvania UJS Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us. The portal covers both the Court of Common Pleas and all 13 Magisterial District Courts that serve Erie County. Search by defendant name, date of birth, or docket number. Filter results by selecting Erie County from the county dropdown.

A docket sheet from the UJS Portal provides a complete procedural history of a criminal case. You can see every charge filed, every court date held, bail status and conditions, plea information, verdicts, and sentencing details. The docket also lists the title of every document in the case file. The documents themselves are not downloadable from the portal. For copies of the actual filings, contact the Clerk of Records at (814) 451-6250 or visit the courthouse in person. The Erie County court website at courts.eriecountypa.gov may have additional resources and local information.

Erie County Magisterial District Courts

Thirteen Magisterial District Courts serve Erie County. These courts handle the initial stages of criminal cases, including preliminary arraignment, bail, preliminary hearings, and summary offense proceedings. Each MDJ office covers a specific geographic area within the county.

Preliminary hearings in Erie County are held at the Central Court location at the courthouse. This is where charges are initially reviewed to determine if there is enough evidence to hold a defendant for trial in the Court of Common Pleas. If a case proceeds past the preliminary hearing stage, the full case file transfers to the Clerk of Courts Bureau at the Erie County Courthouse.

Records from all 13 Magisterial District Courts in Erie County are searchable through the UJS Portal. Select "Magisterial District Courts" as the court type and choose Erie County. Results show summary offense cases, bail records, and preliminary hearing outcomes.

Criminal Background Checks in Pennsylvania

The Erie County Clerk of Records holds case files for the 6th Judicial District. For a statewide criminal history check covering all 67 counties, use the PATCH system. PATCH is operated by the Pennsylvania State Police and is governed by the Criminal History Record Information Act, 18 Pa.C.S. § 9101-9183 (CHRIA). This law defines standards for maintaining, sharing, and restricting access to criminal history information across the state.

PATCH requests are submitted online at epatch.pa.gov. The standard fee is $22 per search. Individuals reviewing their own record pay $20. Volunteers with qualifying organizations may receive a free check. The PATCH helpline is 1-888-783-7972. Mail requests go to the PA State Police Central Repository at 1800 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110. The PA State Police website at psp.pa.gov has full instructions and forms.

PATCH results reflect dispositions reported to the state police from courts statewide, including Erie County. For complete information on a specific case, always check both PATCH and the UJS Portal docket. The two systems can sometimes show different levels of detail.

Public Access to Erie County Criminal Court Records

Criminal court records in Erie County are governed by the UJS Public Access Policy at 204 Pa. Code § 213.81. Most criminal case information is public. Restricted categories include Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and information identifying minor victims or witnesses. Staff at the Clerk of Courts Bureau will redact protected information before providing access to the rest of the file.

There is no charge to view records at the courthouse. Pa. Rule of Judicial Administration 509 prohibits fees for simply looking at public court records. Copy fees apply when you want to take documents away. Call (814) 451-6250 to ask about current copy rates before your visit.

The Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law at 65 P.S. § 67.101 covers county and state agency records outside the court system. Court records are not subject to this law because courts are governed by their own access rules. For non-court government records in Erie County, contact the county's open records officer. The PA Office of Open Records at openrecords.pa.gov handles Right-to-Know appeals and provides guidance on the process statewide.

Sealing and Expungement in Erie County

Pennsylvania provides several ways to limit public access to criminal records. The automatic Clean Slate process under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122.1 seals second- and third-degree misdemeanor convictions after seven conviction-free years, provided the original sentence was under two years. No action is required from the person whose record is being sealed. The court processes these automatically.

For records not covered by automatic sealing, a petition under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122.2 may allow sealing of a broader range of charges. Expungement petitions are available for arrests that did not result in conviction and for summary convictions after five years. Both petitions are filed in the Erie County Court of Common Pleas at 140 W. 6th Street. The Erie County District Attorney must be served. The Clerk of Records at (814) 451-6250 can help you understand the filing requirements and available forms.

Nearby Counties

Erie County is located in the far northwest corner of Pennsylvania, on the shore of Lake Erie. The county borders Crawford County to the east and Warren County to the southeast. Each maintains separate criminal court records through its own clerk office.

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