Philadelphia County Criminal History Records
Philadelphia County is coterminous with the City of Philadelphia and is served by the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania, the largest and most complex court system in the state. Criminal history records in Philadelphia are handled by multiple courts and offices. The Court of Common Pleas - Criminal Division manages felony cases, while Philadelphia Municipal Court handles misdemeanors, summary offenses, and preliminary hearings. The Clerk of Quarter Sessions maintains criminal records for the county. Philadelphia borders Bucks, Delaware, and Montgomery counties in Pennsylvania, and shares a border with New Jersey across the Delaware River.
Philadelphia County Quick Facts
Philadelphia County Criminal History - Court Structure
The First Judicial District of Pennsylvania serves Philadelphia County and operates several distinct courts. The Court of Common Pleas - Criminal Division handles all felony criminal matters in the county. Cases proceed through the Criminal Justice Center, located at 1301 Filbert Street in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia Municipal Court handles misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, and civil claims up to $12,000. Municipal Court also conducts preliminary hearings for felony charges and handles summary offenses. The Traffic Court addresses motor vehicle violations separately.
The Clerk of Quarter Sessions is the official record-keeper for criminal case files in Philadelphia County. This office maintains dockets, judgments, and other documents for cases heard in the Criminal Division and Municipal Court. In-person record requests require photo identification, and copy fees apply.
Specialized problem-solving courts also operate within Philadelphia's system, including Drug Court, Mental Health Court, and Veterans Court. These courts handle qualifying defendants differently, with treatment and supervision components that affect the criminal record outcome.
Note: Some Philadelphia records may be restricted by court order, sealed by law, or otherwise unavailable for public inspection, including expunged records and juvenile matters.
Philadelphia Criminal History Records - Online Access
The Pennsylvania UJS Case Search portal provides free public access to Philadelphia County criminal court dockets. Searches can be run by participant name, case number, offense tracking number, or other identifiers. The portal covers both Municipal Court and Common Pleas records.
The First Judicial District website also provides case search tools specific to Philadelphia courts. Criminal and civil case information can be searched directly through the court's own case management system. Docket sheets are publicly accessible by name or case number.
The Philadelphia Courts website provides access to case information for all First Judicial District courts, including the Court of Common Pleas and Philadelphia Municipal Court.
The PAeDocket mobile app, available free in the Apple Store and Google Play Store, provides quick access to Philadelphia criminal court docket sheets. It allows searches by case number, participant name, and other identifiers from any mobile device.
Note: Docket information is not a certified background check. For official criminal history, use the PATCH system maintained by the Pennsylvania State Police.
PATCH System for Philadelphia County Criminal History
The Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History system, PATCH, is the official statewide background check tool managed by the Pennsylvania State Police. It pulls from a central repository covering all 67 Pennsylvania counties, including Philadelphia.
Online PATCH searches are submitted at epatch.pa.gov for $22. "No Record" results are returned immediately online. When a record is found, the State Police requires additional time to process and release the results. Notarized copies cost an additional $5 and must be requested by mail.
Mail requests use Form SP 4-164 and are sent with a $22 check or money order payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to the Pennsylvania State Police Central Repository, 1800 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110-9758. Allow two to four weeks for mail processing. The PATCH helpline can be reached at 1-888-QUERY-PA.
Volunteer organizations working with children or vulnerable populations may request free PATCH checks using Form SP 4-164A submitted through the volunteer organization itself.
Philadelphia Municipal Court and Criminal History
Philadelphia Municipal Court operates out of the Juanita Kidd Stout Center for Criminal Justice. It conducts arraignments, bail hearings, and preliminary hearings for all criminal cases in the county, as well as misdemeanor trials and summary offense hearings.
Bail hearings in Philadelphia are conducted by Municipal Court judges. Defendants are advised to arrive early for scheduled hearings, appear in proper attire, and keep cell phones silenced in courtrooms. Interpreters are available upon request. The court provides multilingual support in English, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Haitian Creole, French, Swahili, Portuguese, Russian, and Vietnamese.
The official City of Philadelphia website connects residents to Municipal Court information, the District Attorney's Office, the Defender Association, and public safety resources related to criminal history records.
Appeals from Municipal Court go to the Court of Common Pleas. Sentencing at all levels follows the Pennsylvania Sentencing Guidelines. The District Attorney's Office prosecutes all criminal matters in the county, while the Defender Association represents those who cannot afford counsel.
Note: Philadelphia Municipal Court maintains a separate docket system in addition to the statewide UJS portal, and accessing both may be necessary for complete case information.
Expungement of Philadelphia County Criminal History
Pennsylvania law allows certain criminal records to be expunged or sealed. Cases that were dismissed, withdrawn, or resulted in acquittal are generally eligible for expungement in Philadelphia. Summary offenses may qualify after five years with no further convictions. Completion of ARD, the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program, typically results in eligibility as well.
Petitions for expungement in Philadelphia County are filed with the Clerk of Quarter Sessions. Filing fees run between $100 and $200. The petition must be served on the District Attorney's Office. Victims retain the right to object, and the court has final discretion over whether to grant or deny the petition.
Pennsylvania's Clean Slate Law, in effect since June 2019, provides for automatic sealing of qualifying misdemeanor records without a formal petition. Eligible records are sealed after the required crime-free period has passed.
The First Judicial District complies with the Right-to-Know Law, and expunged records are removed from public access once the court order is executed. Juvenile records are confidential under Pennsylvania law regardless of expungement.
Pennsylvania Open Records Law in Philadelphia County
The Pennsylvania Office of Open Records administers the Right-to-Know Law, which applies to all Philadelphia County and City agencies. Government records are presumed public unless a specific exemption applies.
Written requests go to the relevant agency's open-records officer. A five-business-day response window applies. If the agency does not respond, the request is treated as denied and can be appealed to the Office of Open Records.
Active criminal investigative materials are exempt from public disclosure if releasing them would reveal ongoing investigations, endanger individuals, compromise confidential sources, or hinder prosecution. Police blotter information maintained by Philadelphia Police is generally not exempt and may be disclosed.
Requests for bulk data from the courts or other agencies require special approval. The First Judicial District notes that requests of this nature follow specific procedures beyond standard Right-to-Know Law requests.
Court Contact Information
| Office | Details |
|---|---|
| Criminal Justice Center | 1301 Filbert Street, Philadelphia, PA |
| Municipal Court | Juanita Kidd Stout Center for Criminal Justice |
| Clerk of Quarter Sessions | Maintains criminal records for the county |
| Philadelphia Courts | courts.phila.gov |
| City of Philadelphia | phila.gov |
| UJS Portal | ujsportal.pacourts.us |
| PATCH System | epatch.pa.gov |
Cities in Philadelphia County
Philadelphia is the sole city in Philadelphia County and serves as both the county seat and the largest city in Pennsylvania.
Nearby Counties
Philadelphia County borders three Pennsylvania counties and shares its eastern edge with New Jersey. Each has its own court system and record access procedures.