Fayette County Criminal Records and Offense History
Fayette County criminal history records are kept by the Clerk of Courts at the Fayette County Courthouse in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. Located in southwestern Pennsylvania, Fayette County is bordered by Greene, Somerset, Washington, and Westmoreland Counties. The county is part of the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System. Residents can look up criminal records through the UJS Portal online, submit a request to the Clerk of Courts in person, or use the statewide PATCH background check system operated by the Pennsylvania State Police. This guide covers each method and what information to expect.
Fayette County Quick Facts
Fayette County Criminal History Records Overview
Fayette County court records cover all criminal proceedings handled by the Court of Common Pleas in Uniontown. These records may include charges filed, preliminary hearing outcomes, arraignment details, bail conditions, motions, pleas, verdicts, and sentences. The Fayette County Courthouse houses the Court of Common Pleas and the related clerk offices that maintain these records.
Under the Pennsylvania Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System and the state Right-to-Know Law, most criminal court records are available to the public. Exceptions include juvenile records, sealed cases, expunged records, adoption files, mental health proceedings, and certain investigative materials. Records that have been sealed or expunged by court order will not appear in public searches through any system.
The county also maintains Magisterial District Courts that handle summary offenses and the first stages of more serious cases. Dockets from these courts are searchable through the same statewide online system as Common Pleas records. There may be a delay of at least 24 hours before a recent filing shows up online.
Note: Court docket information does not replace a certified criminal history background check. Only the Pennsylvania State Police can issue a certified record through PATCH.
How to Search Fayette County Criminal Records
The primary tool for searching Fayette County criminal history online is the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System Web Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us. This free statewide resource lets anyone search by participant name, docket number, or offense tracking number. Results include case dockets for both the Court of Common Pleas and Magisterial District Courts in Fayette County.
Using the UJS Case Search at ujsportal.pacourts.us/CaseSearch, users can narrow results to Fayette County. The docket sheet for any case shows the case number, presiding judge, filing dates, court actions, and current case status. This is a free public service and does not require registration.
The statewide UJS portal is the best starting point for any Fayette County court record search before contacting the courthouse directly.
The Pennsylvania UJS Case Search portal provides free public access to Fayette County criminal case dockets and court records.
For in-person requests, visit the Clerk of Courts office at the Fayette County Courthouse, 61 East Main Street, Uniontown, PA 15401. Bring a valid photo ID and be ready to pay any applicable copy fees. Office hours are generally Monday through Friday during regular business hours.
Fayette County Clerk of Courts
The Clerk of Courts is the primary custodian of criminal records in Fayette County. This office records and stores all criminal case filings in the Court of Common Pleas, processes appeals to higher courts, handles bail documents, and manages expungement petitions. The Clerk of Courts also reports certain sentencing information to PennDOT where required by law.
| Office | Fayette County Clerk of Courts |
|---|---|
| Address | 61 East Main Street, Uniontown, PA 15401 |
| Phone | (724) 430-1200 |
| UJS Portal | ujsportal.pacourts.us |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
The Prothonotary office, also at the courthouse, handles civil court records separately from the criminal division. The District Attorney's office in Fayette County is responsible for prosecuting cases and maintains its own files related to criminal investigations and active cases. For Right-to-Know requests involving criminal investigative records, contact the District Attorney's designated appeals officer.
PATCH Criminal Background Checks in Fayette County
The Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History system, called PATCH, is the state's official tool for obtaining certified criminal history background checks. PATCH is managed by the Pennsylvania State Police at epatch.pa.gov. It costs $22 per search and results include statewide data, covering all Pennsylvania counties including Fayette County.
To run a PATCH check online, go to the site and click Submit a New Records Check. Accept the terms, choose Individual Request, enter identifying information for the subject, and pay the $22 fee by card. Most online results come back within minutes. The search returns arrest history, charges, case dispositions, and sentencing information from across the state.
Mail-in PATCH requests are also accepted. Complete Form SP 4-164 and send it with the $22 payment to: Pennsylvania State Police Central Repository, RCPU, 1800 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110-9758. Mail processing takes longer than the online option.
Full details on the PATCH process and forms are available on the State Police page at pa.gov/agencies/psp.
What Fayette County Background Checks and Dockets Contain
A Fayette County criminal court docket shows the full case history, including the docket number, judge assigned, all parties, and a log of every filing and court event. Entries cover charges, bail hearings, preliminary hearing results, motions, continuances, pleas, trial dates, verdict, and sentencing details such as incarceration length, probation, fines, costs, and restitution.
A certified PATCH record from the State Police provides a broader view. It lists offense history including felonies, misdemeanors, and summary offenses from across Pennsylvania. Each entry shows the arrest date, charge, disposition, and sentence. Cases from Fayette County Magisterial District Courts and the Court of Common Pleas both feed into this state record when the offense was reported to the State Police repository.
Individuals currently serving state sentences may be located through the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections inmate locator at pa.gov/agencies/cor.
Fayette County Criminal Records and the Right-to-Know Law
Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law (RTKL), enacted as Act 3 of 2008, gives residents and the public a legal right to access most government records. Fayette County agencies must respond to written RTK requests within five business days. If no response arrives within that period, the request is legally considered denied.
Criminal investigative records are exempt from public access under Section 708(b)(16) of the RTKL. This covers investigation materials, notes, videos, reports, and records that would expose a confidential source or compromise a prosecution. The burden is on the agency to show why a record qualifies for exemption.
The Criminal History Record Information Act, found at 18 Pa.C.S. Chapter 91, sets additional rules for how criminal background data may be accessed and used. CHRIA governs the State Police repository and limits how agencies can disclose criminal history information.
Note: Denied RTK appeals for Fayette County can be submitted to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records at openrecords.pa.gov.
Expungement of Fayette County Criminal Records
Under 18 Pa.C.S. Chapter 91, individuals may petition to expunge certain criminal records from the Fayette County Court of Common Pleas. When a court grants an expungement, the record is removed from public court databases and the State Police are directed to clear the entry from their repository. After expungement, the record does not appear in PATCH results or public UJS Portal searches.
Eligible cases for expungement include summary offense convictions where the person has remained arrest-free for five or more years, charges that were dismissed or resulted in acquittal, and certain arrests that never led to a conviction. The Clerk of Courts processes expungement orders once the judge signs them and then notifies the State Police to update their statewide database.
Individuals seeking to clear a Fayette County criminal record should file a petition with the Court of Common Pleas. Consulting an attorney is strongly recommended. Information on the state-level expungement process is also available through the Pennsylvania State Police website.
Fayette County Magisterial District Courts and Arrest Records
Fayette County has several Magisterial District Courts that serve as the first point of contact for criminal proceedings. These courts handle all summary offenses, DUI cases, preliminary arraignments, and preliminary hearings for misdemeanors and felonies. If a case is held over to the Court of Common Pleas after a preliminary hearing, it becomes part of the main criminal docket managed by the Clerk of Courts.
Arrest records initially appear in Magisterial District Court dockets. These are accessible through the UJS Portal at no cost. Each MDJ docket entry shows the charges, hearing dates, bail information, and the outcome of the preliminary hearing. Records from these courts are public unless sealed by order.
The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts at pacourts.us provides statewide court information including locations and procedures for all levels of the court system in Pennsylvania.
Nearby Counties
Fayette County shares borders with Greene, Somerset, Washington, and Westmoreland Counties in Pennsylvania. Use the links below to find criminal history records in adjacent counties.