Northampton County Criminal History in Easton

Northampton County occupies the eastern edge of Pennsylvania, sharing a border with New Jersey along the Delaware River. Its county seat is Easton, home to the County Courthouse at 669 Washington Street. The county operates 14 Magisterial District Courts alongside the Court of Common Pleas, which handles felony and serious criminal matters. Criminal history records are maintained by the Clerk of Courts in the Criminal Division, and the state PATCH system offers a statewide background check. The county also borders Bucks, Carbon, Lehigh, and Monroe counties in Pennsylvania.

Northampton County Criminal History at the Clerk of Courts

The Northampton County Clerk of Courts - Criminal Division is located at 669 Washington Street, Easton, PA 18042. The phone number is (610) 829-6439. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

The Criminal Division maintains all official court records for cases heard in the Northampton County Court of Common Pleas. This includes docket sheets, case filings, judgments, and other court documents. The Prothonotary at the same address handles civil records, reachable at (610) 829-6457.

Requesting records in person requires completing a records request form with the subject's full name, date of birth, case number if known, requestor contact information, and the purpose of the request. Valid photo identification is required. Accepted forms include a driver's license, state ID, or passport.

Fees for in-person searches are $10.00 per name searched. Copies cost $0.25 per page. Certified copies of documents are $10.00 each. Personal checks are not accepted. Use a business check or money order payable to Northampton County Clerk of Courts.

Note: Records involving arrests are retained permanently, while criminal complaint documents are kept for seven years; court case files are permanent for felonies and seven years for misdemeanors.

Online Access to Northampton County Court Records

The Pennsylvania UJS Case Search portal provides free online access to Northampton County court dockets. Both Magisterial District Court and Common Pleas records are searchable by name, case number, offense tracking number, or other identifiers.

Mail requests are also accepted by the Criminal Division. Download the appropriate form, include a self-addressed stamped envelope, and send a check or money order payable to Northampton County Clerk of Courts to the Criminal Division at 669 Washington Street, Easton, PA 18042.

The Pennsylvania Judiciary Web Portal is the starting point for searching Northampton County criminal court dockets online without visiting the courthouse.

Docket searches through the UJS portal do not constitute a certified background check. The Pennsylvania State Police notes that docket sheet information should not be used in place of an official criminal history record obtained through PATCH.

Note: Entries made at county filing offices may not immediately appear online, so there can be a short lag between court action and when that action is visible in the portal.

Northampton County Criminal Records via PATCH

The Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History system, PATCH, is the official statewide criminal history background check run by the Pennsylvania State Police. PATCH searches the statewide repository and returns dispositions from courts across all 67 Pennsylvania counties, including Northampton.

Online PATCH searches are submitted at epatch.pa.gov for $22. "No Record" results come back right away online. When the system finds a record, more processing time is required. Notarized copies add $5 and must be requested by mail.

Mail requests use Form SP 4-164 and go to the Pennsylvania State Police Central Repository, 1800 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110-9758, with a $22 payment. Allow two to four weeks for mail processing. Volunteer organizations working with vulnerable populations may request free PATCH checks using Form SP 4-164A.

Northampton County Magisterial District Courts

Northampton County operates 14 Magisterial District Courts that handle a wide range of matters. These include preliminary hearings for felony charges, DUI cases, third-degree misdemeanor trials, and civil claims within financial limits set by state law.

Magisterial District Courts serve as the entry point for most criminal matters. After a preliminary hearing, cases that are held for court are transferred to the Court of Common Pleas for further proceedings. District courts serve Bethlehem and other municipalities throughout the county.

The UJS Case Search tool provides public access to Northampton County Magisterial District Court records as well as Common Pleas dockets.

Magisterial District Court records are maintained by the county's clerk of records and the individual district courts. These records are also accessible through the UJS portal.

Expungement of Northampton County Criminal History

Pennsylvania allows eligible individuals to expunge or seal criminal records under specific conditions. Cases that were dismissed, withdrawn, or resulted in acquittal can typically be expunged. Summary offenses may qualify after five years without further convictions. Completion of the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program often qualifies a person for expungement as well.

To begin the process in Northampton County, file a petition with the Clerk of Courts at 669 Washington Street, Easton, PA 18042. Filing fees typically run between $100 and $200. The petition is served on the District Attorney, who must consent. Victims of the underlying offense also have the right to object.

Pennsylvania's Clean Slate Law, in effect since June 2019, provides for the automatic sealing of qualifying misdemeanor records after a sufficient period of law-abiding behavior. No petition is needed for records that qualify under Clean Slate.

Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law in Northampton County

The Pennsylvania Office of Open Records oversees the Right-to-Know Law statewide. This law applies to Northampton County local agencies. Records held by those agencies are presumed public unless a recognized exemption applies.

Written requests go to the agency's open-records officer. A response is due within five business days. Failure to respond is treated as a denial and can be appealed to the Office of Open Records. Northampton County's district attorney designates appeals officers for matters involving criminal investigative records held by local agencies in the county.

Active criminal investigative materials are exempt from disclosure if releasing them would reveal the progress of an investigation, endanger someone, or interfere with an arrest or prosecution. Police blotter information maintained by local law enforcement is generally available to the public.

Court Contact Information

Cities in Northampton County

Bethlehem is the largest city in Northampton County and has its own Magisterial District Court presence for local criminal matters.

Nearby Counties

Northampton County borders several Pennsylvania counties and shares its eastern edge with New Jersey. Each bordering county maintains its own court records system.

View All 67 Counties