Franklin County Criminal History and Background Checks
Franklin County criminal history records are held by the Clerk of Courts at the Franklin County Courthouse in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Located in south-central Pennsylvania along the Maryland border, Franklin County borders Adams, Bedford, Cumberland, and Fulton Counties. The county operates a Court of Common Pleas and multiple Magisterial District Courts. Residents and researchers can access criminal court records through the statewide UJS Portal online, request them in person from the Clerk of Courts, or run a certified background check through the PATCH system operated by the Pennsylvania State Police.
Franklin County Quick Facts
Franklin County Criminal History Records Overview
Franklin County criminal records document all cases handled by the Court of Common Pleas in Chambersburg. These records include charges filed, preliminary hearing outcomes, arraignments, bail conditions, motions, pleas, trial results, verdicts, and sentences. The Clerk of Courts is the designated custodian of these records and maintains the official criminal dockets for the county.
Criminal court records are public under the Pennsylvania Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System and the Right-to-Know Law. Certain records are excluded from public access. Juvenile adjudications, sealed cases, expunged records, mental health proceedings, adoption files, and grand jury materials are not available to the public. A record sealed or expunged by court order will not show up in any public search.
The county also has Magisterial District Courts throughout the county that handle summary offenses and the initial stages of more serious cases. Dockets from these courts are searchable online through the same statewide system. Updates to online records may lag by at least 24 hours after a filing.
Note: Online docket searches are informational only. The Pennsylvania State Police PATCH system is the only source of a certified criminal history record.
How to Search Franklin County Court Records Online
The Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System Web Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us is the primary free tool for searching Franklin County criminal records. No account or fee is required. Users can search by participant name, docket number, or offense tracking number. The portal covers both the Court of Common Pleas and Magisterial District Courts in Franklin County.
The UJS Case Search at ujsportal.pacourts.us/CaseSearch lets users narrow results to Franklin County specifically. Each docket sheet shows the case number, presiding judge, parties, and a chronological log of filings and court actions. Case status and upcoming hearing dates are also listed.
Because the Franklin County official government website had connectivity issues at the time of this research, the UJS Portal is the recommended starting point for online criminal record searches.
The PATCH system run by the Pennsylvania State Police provides certified criminal history results for Franklin County and all other Pennsylvania counties for a $22 fee.
For in-person access, visit the Clerk of Courts at the Franklin County Courthouse, 157 Lincoln Way East, Chambersburg, PA 17201. Bring valid ID and be prepared to pay copy fees where applicable. Office hours are typically Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
Franklin County Clerk of Courts
The Clerk of Courts in Franklin County is the official record keeper for criminal case filings in the Court of Common Pleas. The office records and stores all criminal dockets, processes appeals to the Superior and Commonwealth Courts, manages bail documentation, and handles expungement petitions. The Clerk also reports relevant sentencing information to PennDOT when required by law.
| Office | Franklin County Clerk of Courts |
|---|---|
| Address | 157 Lincoln Way East, Chambersburg, PA 17201 |
| Phone | (717) 261-3862 |
| UJS Portal | ujsportal.pacourts.us |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
The Franklin County Prothonotary, also located at the courthouse, handles civil court records separately from the criminal division. The District Attorney's office is responsible for criminal prosecutions and maintains case files separate from the Clerk of Courts. For Right-to-Know requests related to criminal investigative materials, contact the District Attorney's designated appeals officer under Section 503(d) of the RTKL.
PATCH Criminal Background Checks in Franklin County
PATCH, the Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History system, is the state-run tool for certified criminal background checks. The Pennsylvania State Police operates PATCH at epatch.pa.gov. The cost is $22 per check, non-refundable. Results cover all 67 Pennsylvania counties, including Franklin County.
To run a check online, go to epatch.pa.gov and click Submit a New Records Check. Accept the terms, select Individual Request, enter the subject's name and date of birth, and pay the $22 fee by card. Results are usually available within a few minutes. The check returns statewide criminal history data including arrests, charges, dispositions, and sentencing information.
Mail-in requests are accepted using Form SP 4-164, sent with the $22 fee to: Pennsylvania State Police Central Repository, RCPU, 1800 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110-9758. Processing by mail takes longer than the online option.
Full instructions and forms for PATCH and expungement are available at pa.gov/agencies/psp.
What Franklin County Criminal Records Contain
A Franklin County criminal court docket includes the docket number, the court level, the presiding judge, all parties, and a detailed log of case activity from start to finish. Entries cover initial charges, bail hearings, preliminary hearing results, continuances, motions, plea agreements, trial dates, jury verdicts, and sentencing orders. Sentencing details may include incarceration terms, probation, fines, court costs, and restitution.
A certified PATCH result from the State Police goes further than a court docket. It includes statewide offense history covering felonies, misdemeanors, and summary offense dispositions. Each entry shows the arresting agency, charges, case disposition, and sentence type. Franklin County arrests handled at both the Magisterial District Court and Common Pleas levels feed into this state record when reported to the repository.
Individuals serving sentences in state correctional institutions can be located using the inmate search tool at pa.gov/agencies/cor.
Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law and Franklin County Records
Franklin County criminal court records are public under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, enacted as Act 3 of 2008. Agencies must respond to written RTK requests within five business days. A request with no response within that window is treated as a denial under the law.
Exemptions exist. Section 708(b)(16) of the RTKL excludes criminal investigation materials including notes, reports, videos, and records that could identify a confidential source or undermine an active prosecution. The agency must prove the exemption applies by a preponderance of the evidence.
The Criminal History Record Information Act at 18 Pa.C.S. Chapter 91 provides the legal framework for accessing criminal background data through the State Police and governs how that data may be used and disclosed.
Note: Denied RTK requests can be appealed to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records at openrecords.pa.gov.
Expungement of Franklin County Criminal Records
Under 18 Pa.C.S. Chapter 91, individuals may petition the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas to expunge certain criminal records. A granted expungement removes the record from court databases and directs the State Police to clear the entry from their statewide repository. Once expunged, the record will not appear in PATCH results or public UJS Portal searches.
Common grounds for expungement include summary offense convictions where the person has been arrest-free for at least five years, charges that were dismissed or resulted in acquittal, and certain arrests that never resulted in conviction. The Clerk of Courts processes expungement orders after the judge signs them and then notifies the State Police to update their records.
Individuals seeking to clear a Franklin County criminal record should consult an attorney or contact the Clerk of Courts office for procedural guidance. The Pennsylvania State Police website also provides forms and general information about the statewide expungement process.
Franklin County Magisterial District Courts and Arrest Records
Franklin County has multiple Magisterial District Courts that serve as the first point of contact in the criminal process. These courts handle all summary offenses, DUI cases, preliminary arraignments, and preliminary hearings for misdemeanors and felonies. Arrest records in Franklin County first appear in MDJ dockets when charges are filed after an arrest.
MDJ dockets in Franklin County are searchable for free through the UJS Portal. Each docket entry shows the charges, bail details, and the result of the preliminary hearing. Cases held over to the Court of Common Pleas after the preliminary hearing become part of the county's main criminal docket at the Clerk of Courts.
The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts at pacourts.us provides statewide court information including Magisterial District Court locations and procedures across all Pennsylvania counties.
Nearby Counties
Franklin County borders Adams, Bedford, Cumberland, and Fulton Counties in Pennsylvania, and touches the Maryland state line to the south. Use the links below to access criminal history records in nearby counties.