Luzerne County Criminal Court Records

Luzerne County criminal court records are maintained by the Clerk of Courts in Wilkes-Barre, the county seat. With a population near 317,000, Luzerne County is one of the larger counties in northeastern Pennsylvania. The county is part of the 11th Judicial District and is served by the Court of Common Pleas. Court records are housed at 200 North River Street in Wilkes-Barre. You can search these records online through the state portal or visit the courthouse during regular business hours. This page covers both methods and explains what criminal court records from Luzerne County contain.

Luzerne County Clerk of Courts Criminal Records Office

The Clerk of Courts in Wilkes-Barre keeps all criminal case records for Luzerne County's Court of Common Pleas. The office at 200 North River Street is open Monday through Friday. Staff can search records by case number or defendant name and provide copies of court documents on request.

Criminal cases in Luzerne County begin at the magisterial district court level throughout the county. Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton, Nanticoke, and other communities in the county are each served by magisterial district judges who handle arraignments, preliminary hearings, and summary offenses. When a case is held for court, it transfers to the Court of Common Pleas, and the Clerk of Courts takes over. Every filing from that point forward, including motions, plea agreements, trial records, and sentencing orders, becomes part of the permanent file at the courthouse on North River Street. Requests for copies of documents should be directed to the clerk's office by phone at (570) 825-1585 or in person. Fees for copies and certified documents apply; check current rates before your visit.

Note: The Luzerne County courthouse is located along the Susquehanna River in downtown Wilkes-Barre. Parking is available nearby, and public transit serves the area.

Search Luzerne County Criminal Dockets Online

The Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System portal provides free online access to criminal court dockets for every Pennsylvania county, including Luzerne. No account is required, and you can search at any time.

Go to ujsportal.pacourts.us and select "Court Dockets." Choose "Court of Common Pleas" for felony and misdemeanor cases from Luzerne County. Enter a name or case number in the search fields. You can filter results to show only Luzerne County cases. Each result links to a full docket sheet that lists every filing, court date, charge, and outcome associated with that case. Bail information, attorney names, and post-sentence activity are all shown. For preliminary hearings and summary matters handled at the magisterial district level, select "Magisterial District Courts" from the same portal and apply a county filter. Luzerne County has multiple district courts serving different parts of the county, and all of their public records appear on the portal.

Luzerne County Criminal Records and Public Access Rights

Criminal court records in Luzerne County are public documents. Two key legal sources support this. The Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law at 65 P.S. § 67.101 covers access to government records. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court's Public Access Policy at 204 Pa. Code § 213.81 applies directly to court records. Under Pa. Rule of Judicial Administration 509, any person may inspect court records at the Luzerne County courthouse without charge. Fees apply only for printed copies and certified documents.

Luzerne County processes a substantial number of criminal cases each year. Records span a wide range of offense types, from summary traffic matters handled at the district court level to serious felonies in the Court of Common Pleas. Each case creates a permanent record. The docket is the public index of that record. The underlying case file holds the actual documents. Most adult criminal case materials are open to public review. Exceptions include sealed records, juvenile case files, and materials restricted by court order.

A complete Luzerne County criminal case record typically contains the following:

• Criminal complaint and affidavit of probable cause
• Arraignment and bail documents
• Formal criminal information with charge details
• Pretrial motions, responses, and court rulings
• Plea agreement transcript or trial record
• Sentencing order including supervision terms and fines
• Any post-sentence motions and appeal filings

The Criminal History Record Information Act at 18 Pa.C.S. § 9101-9183 governs criminal history records maintained by Pennsylvania courts and law enforcement agencies. This law defines what information must be included in criminal history data and how individuals may challenge inaccurate records.

Pennsylvania Criminal History and Background Check Resources

For a statewide criminal history report that goes beyond Luzerne County, the PATCH system is the official tool. PATCH is managed by the Pennsylvania State Police and compiles conviction data from all 67 counties. Submit requests at epatch.pa.gov. Standard reports cost $22. Individual self-checks cost $20. Qualifying volunteer organizations can request free reports. For assistance, call 1-888-783-7972. More information is available at psp.pa.gov.

Pennsylvania's Clean Slate law at 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122.1 and § 9122.2 provides for automatic sealing of eligible criminal records. Once sealed, records no longer appear in public searches on the UJS portal or in most background check contexts. Sealing happens automatically for qualifying records. For expungement, individuals must file a petition with the Luzerne County Clerk of Courts. A judge reviews each petition before granting or denying it. The Pennsylvania Office of Open Records handles disputes over access to public records, including court documents.

Note: PATCH reports reflect conviction records reported to the state police, while UJS docket searches show the full case history, including charges that were dismissed or resulted in acquittal.

Nearby Counties

Luzerne County borders several other northeastern Pennsylvania counties. Criminal cases are filed in the county where the offense occurred. Use these links to search records in nearby counties.

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