Mercer County Criminal Court Dockets
Criminal court records in Mercer County are maintained by the Clerk of Courts at 103 N. Diamond Street in Mercer, Pennsylvania. The 38th Judicial District oversees criminal proceedings in this western Pennsylvania county of about 110,000 residents. This page explains how to search for criminal cases online, how to request records in person, and where to find official criminal history reports for Mercer County. Both public docket searches and certified record requests are covered here.
Mercer County Quick Facts
Mercer County Clerk of Courts Criminal Division
The Mercer County Clerk of Courts is the official keeper of all criminal case files in the county. The office is located at 103 N. Diamond Street in Mercer, and staff are available Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. You can request docket sheets, certified copies of court orders, and case file documents by visiting in person or by submitting a written request. The clerk also processes new criminal filings and updates case records as proceedings advance.
When you visit the Mercer County Clerk of Courts, bring the case number if you have it. A name and approximate year of the case will also work for most searches. Staff can access the county's internal records system as well as the statewide UJS database. For certified copies, allow time for the clerk to prepare the document with the court's official seal. Copy fees apply and are set by the county.
| Clerk of Courts |
Mercer County Clerk of Courts 103 N. Diamond Street Mercer, PA 16137 Phone: (724) 662-3800 |
|---|---|
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Court | Court of Common Pleas, 38th Judicial District |
| UJS Portal | ujsportal.pacourts.us |
Note: The Clerk of Courts handles criminal filings for the Court of Common Pleas. Magisterial District Court records are kept separately at each district court location but are also searchable through the UJS Portal.
Search Mercer County Criminal Dockets Online
Pennsylvania's Unified Judicial System portal gives the public free access to Mercer County criminal docket sheets. Go to ujsportal.pacourts.us and search by name, docket number, or date of birth. The portal returns results for both the Court of Common Pleas and Magisterial District Courts. Each docket sheet shows the charges filed, the status of the case, hearing dates, and the final disposition if one has been entered.
Docket sheets from the portal are free to view and print. They are informational copies, not certified records. For any purpose that requires official documentation, you need a certified copy from the Mercer County Clerk of Courts. That office will prepare a certified docket sheet or order copy with the court's seal upon request.
Note: The UJS Portal search is not a background check and should not be treated as one. Sealed or expunged records do not appear in the portal results.
Official Criminal History Records in Mercer County
The Pennsylvania State Police PATCH system is the official source for criminal history records in Mercer County and across the state. PATCH draws from the statewide criminal history database and returns a certified report covering arrests, charges, and dispositions submitted by reporting agencies. The fee is $22 per request. You can submit online at epatch.pa.gov or call 1-888-783-7972 for assistance by phone.
PATCH operates under the Criminal History Record Information Act, 18 Pa.C.S. § 9101 through 9183. This law controls how criminal history data is collected, maintained, and released in Pennsylvania. Some offenses may not appear in a PATCH report if the reporting agency did not submit the data to the state. Cross-referencing a PATCH report with a UJS Portal search covers both state-level and local-level records for Mercer County.
Additional information about requesting a criminal history background check in Pennsylvania is available at pa.gov and through the Pennsylvania State Police.
How Mercer County Criminal Cases Move Through Court
A criminal case in Mercer County begins when a complaint is filed with a Magisterial District Judge or when a grand jury returns an indictment. The district court handles the first appearance, bail determination, and preliminary hearing. If the case is held for court, it moves to the Court of Common Pleas in Mercer. Both stages create records that are publicly available through the UJS Portal and the Clerk of Courts.
At the Common Pleas level, the case proceeds through arraignment, pre-trial motions, and trial or guilty plea. Sentencing follows conviction. All of these steps are reflected in the official docket. Mercer County cases in the 38th Judicial District follow the same procedural framework as all other Pennsylvania counties under the Rules of Criminal Procedure. The docket number assigned at Common Pleas is the primary identifier for the case going forward.
After sentencing, records of the sentence, any probation order, and restitution requirements become part of the file. These remain accessible to the public unless sealed by court order.
Note: Cases involving juvenile defendants are handled under different rules and are generally not available to the public through standard record searches.
Record Sealing and Expungements in Mercer County
Pennsylvania's Clean Slate law at 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122.1 allows for automatic sealing of qualifying records after a set waiting period. The law covers many misdemeanors and summary offenses where the person has remained conviction-free for a period of years. Once a record is sealed under Clean Slate, it is removed from public view but remains accessible to criminal justice agencies.
Petition-based sealing under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122.2 provides a path for offenses not covered by automatic sealing. A person can file a petition with the Mercer County Court of Common Pleas asking the court to seal a specific record. If granted, the order is forwarded to the State Police and other agencies. Full expungements, which result in destruction of the record, are available in limited circumstances, including acquittals, withdrawn charges, and cases where no conviction resulted.
The Pennsylvania Courts website provides general information on the Clean Slate program. The Mercer County Clerk of Courts can advise on the filing process for local expungement petitions.
Nearby Counties
Mercer County is located in western Pennsylvania and shares borders with several other counties. Each county handles its own criminal court records. Use the links below to find records in neighboring jurisdictions.