Forest County Criminal Court Records
Forest County criminal court records are kept by the Clerk of Courts at the courthouse in Tionesta, Pennsylvania. Forest County is one of the least populous counties in Pennsylvania, with about 6,800 residents. The county shares the 37th Judicial District with Crawford County. Criminal case files, docket sheets, and other court documents are maintained at 526 Elm Street in Tionesta. Free online docket searches are available through the statewide Pennsylvania UJS Portal. This page covers how to locate, access, and obtain criminal court records from Forest County.
Forest County Quick Facts
Forest County Clerk of Courts in Tionesta
The Forest County Clerk of Courts is located at 526 Elm Street in Tionesta. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. Note the earlier closing time compared to many other Pennsylvania counties. Staff maintain all criminal case records for the Court of Common Pleas cases heard in Forest County.
Forest County is one of Pennsylvania's smallest counties by both population and case volume. Staff can generally pull case files quickly. To access records, bring the case docket number or the full name of the defendant. Call ahead at (814) 755-3526 to confirm the file is on site and to ask about copy fees. Viewing records at the courthouse is free under Pa. Rule of Judicial Administration 509. Fees apply only when you request paper copies.
Forest County shares the 37th Judicial District with Crawford County. Cases originating in Forest County are heard by the Court of Common Pleas and those records stay in Tionesta. If you are researching a case from the Crawford County side of the 37th Judicial District, that county's records are in Meadville, not Tionesta.
| Office |
Forest County Clerk of Courts 526 Elm Street Tionesta, PA 16353 Phone: (814) 755-3526 |
|---|---|
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM |
| Court Website | pacourts.us |
Note: Forest County closes at 4:00 PM, one half hour earlier than many other Pennsylvania county clerks. Plan your visit to arrive no later than 3:30 PM to allow time for your records research.
Searching Forest County Criminal Dockets Online
The Pennsylvania UJS Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us is the free statewide tool for online docket searches. Forest County criminal records are fully searchable through this system. Go to the portal, select "Court of Common Pleas" for felony and misdemeanor cases or "Magisterial District Courts" for summary offenses, and choose Forest County from the county filter. Enter a defendant name, date of birth, or docket number.
The portal returns a docket sheet that shows all charges, every court date, bail information, plea or verdict, and sentence. Each entry on the docket names the document filed on that date. Document images are not downloadable from the portal. To get copies of the actual filings, contact the Clerk of Courts at (814) 755-3526 or visit 526 Elm Street in Tionesta during office hours.
Forest County's small population means the portal results for this county tend to be manageable in size. Even so, confirm identity by using a full name with a date of birth before concluding a search is complete. The UJS Portal is updated regularly and is generally the most current public source for docket information.
The 37th Judicial District Shared with Crawford County
Forest County is one of a handful of Pennsylvania counties that shares a judicial district with a neighboring county. The 37th Judicial District includes both Forest and Crawford Counties. This arrangement allows a smaller county like Forest to share administrative costs and judicial resources with a larger partner.
Despite sharing the judicial district, each county maintains its own Clerk of Courts office and its own physical case files. A case filed in Forest County stays in Tionesta. A case from Crawford County stays in Meadville. The UJS Portal tracks both counties separately. When searching online, select the correct county to avoid confusion between the two. If you are not sure which county a case was filed in, you can search the portal without a county filter to see if the case appears at all, then narrow down from there.
Forest County Criminal Record Types and Retention
Criminal case files in Forest County start with the criminal complaint and grow through each stage of the proceeding. Bail orders, preliminary hearing records, formal charging documents, motions, and court orders are all part of the file. Plea agreements and sentencing orders are among the most often requested documents. If a case goes to trial, the jury verdict and any post-trial motions are also included.
Pennsylvania retention rules apply uniformly across all 67 counties. Felony records are kept for 75 years. Misdemeanor records are retained for 25 years. Summary offense records have a 7-year retention period. Capital cases are permanent. Records within these windows are public unless a court has ordered them sealed or expunged. In a small county like Forest, older files may be stored in compact filing systems or archived. Call ahead to confirm that older records are accessible without a lengthy wait.
Statewide Background Checks and Criminal History
Forest County records cover the 37th Judicial District. A complete Pennsylvania statewide criminal history check requires the PATCH system. PATCH covers all 67 counties and is administered by the PA State Police. The standard fee is $22. Individuals reviewing their own record pay $20. Qualifying volunteers may check for free. Request online at epatch.pa.gov or by calling 1-888-783-7972. The Central Repository address is 1800 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110. Additional details are at psp.pa.gov.
The Criminal History Record Information Act at 18 Pa.C.S. § 9101-9183 (CHRIA) governs criminal record maintenance and use in Pennsylvania. CHRIA sets standards for accuracy, defines who can access certain records, and establishes rules for how criminal history may be used. All county courts, including Forest County, operate within this framework.
Sealing and Expungement of Forest County Records
Pennsylvania law provides ways to limit public access to criminal records in Forest County. The Clean Slate law at 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122.1 automatically seals second- and third-degree misdemeanor convictions after seven conviction-free years when the sentence was under two years. No petition is required. Sealed records are removed from public search results on the UJS Portal and from PATCH results.
For records that do not qualify for automatic sealing, a petition under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122.2 may provide relief. This requires a filing in the Forest County Court of Common Pleas. The District Attorney must be served. A judge decides based on the offense and the individual's record. Expungement petitions, which result in physical destruction of the record, are available for non-conviction records and certain summary convictions. Contact the Forest County Clerk of Courts at (814) 755-3526 for forms and filing guidance.
Nearby Counties
Forest County is a small, rural county in western Pennsylvania. Neighboring counties each maintain their own criminal court records systems through separate Clerk of Courts offices.