Snyder County Criminal History and Court Records
Snyder County criminal history records are held by the Clerk of Courts at the Snyder County Courthouse in Middleburg, Pennsylvania. Snyder County is located in central Pennsylvania and is a largely agricultural county named after Governor Simon Snyder. Criminal records are accessible through the county court office, the statewide Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System Web Portal, and the PATCH system operated by the Pennsylvania State Police. This page explains how to access and request criminal history records in Snyder County.
Snyder County Quick Facts
Snyder County Criminal History Records Overview
The Clerk of Courts at the Snyder County Court of Common Pleas maintains all criminal court records for the county. These records cover criminal proceedings from arraignment through final disposition, including preliminary hearings, motion practice, plea entries, sentencing orders, and appeals. Under Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law and the Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System, most of these records are available to the public.
Certain records are not public. Juvenile records, sealed cases, expunged filings, adoption proceedings, mental health commitments, and grand jury materials are exempt from public disclosure. A court order sealing or expunging a record removes it from all public search tools and databases.
Online systems can lag behind courthouse activity. A filing entered at the Snyder County Courthouse may not appear on the UJS Portal the same day. Anyone who needs verified, current information should contact the Clerk of Courts or visit the courthouse in person.
Note: Court docket information is not a certified criminal history background check. Only PATCH results from the Pennsylvania State Police carry that official status.
How to Search Snyder County Criminal Records
The primary public tool for Snyder County criminal history searches is the Pennsylvania UJS Case Search portal. Available free of charge at ujsportal.pacourts.us, this statewide system lets users search docket sheets by participant name, case number, organization name, or offense tracking number. It covers Courts of Common Pleas and Magisterial District Courts across Pennsylvania, including Snyder County.
Search results list each case with the presiding judge, parties involved, case type, and a chronological log of all court actions and filings. Users can view and print docket sheets from the portal without any fee.
The Snyder County government site at snydercounty.org provides contact information for the Clerk of Courts and guidance on requesting criminal court records in Middleburg.
For in-person requests, visit the Snyder County Courthouse, 9 West Market Street, Middleburg, PA 17842. The Clerk of Courts office is open during regular weekday business hours. Bring valid photo identification when requesting records in person.
Note: Online portal data may not include filings from the most recent business day. Allow at least one full business day for new entries to appear.
Snyder County Clerk of Courts
The Clerk of Courts is the primary record keeper for criminal cases in Snyder County. The office maintains all criminal dockets at the Court of Common Pleas level, processes case filings, handles bail records, and sends sentencing data to state agencies as required under Pennsylvania law. The Clerk also manages paperwork related to appeals filed with higher courts.
| Office | Snyder County Clerk of Courts |
|---|---|
| Address | Snyder County Courthouse, 9 W. Market Street, Middleburg, PA 17842 |
| County Website | snydercounty.org |
| UJS Portal | ujsportal.pacourts.us |
| PATCH System | epatch.pa.gov |
The Prothonotary, which handles civil court records, is located in the same courthouse. For Right-to-Know requests involving non-judicial Snyder County records, contact the county's designated open-records officer through the official county website at snydercounty.org.
PATCH Background Checks for Snyder County
PATCH, the Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History system, is the official statewide resource for certified criminal background checks. It is run by the Pennsylvania State Police and available at epatch.pa.gov. The fee is $22 per check and is non-refundable.
To submit an online request, go to epatch.pa.gov and click "Submit a New Records Check." Accept the terms, choose "Individual Request," fill in the required subject information, and pay by credit or debit card. Results for most online requests are returned within minutes.
Mail requests are accepted using Form SP 4-164. Include a $22 check or money order made payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and mail to: Pennsylvania State Police Central Repository - RCPU, 1800 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110-9758. Mail processing takes longer than online requests.
PATCH results include Snyder County criminal convictions that have been reported to the State Police as required under 18 Pa.C.S. Chapter 91. Felony, misdemeanor, and summary offense data are all included when properly reported.
What Snyder County Criminal Records Contain
Criminal records in Snyder County vary in content depending on the source. Court dockets from the UJS Portal list the case number, parties, judge, case type, and all filings and judicial actions taken in the case. They cover the full history of a case from initial filing through final disposition and any appeals.
A certified PATCH result may include arrest history, charge classifications, plea and verdict information, and sentencing details such as incarceration terms, probation, fines, costs, and restitution. Active warrants, bench warrants, and Protection from Abuse orders may appear in related searches.
Records that have been expunged or sealed by court order are not visible in public searches or certified results. The State Police remove expunged records from their repository after receiving a certified expungement order from the court.
Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law and Snyder County Records
Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law, passed in 2008 as Act 3, gives residents the right to request most government records. Agencies must respond to written requests within five business days. No response within that window is treated as a denial.
Snyder County criminal court records fall under the Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System, not the RTKL. Requests for court documents should go to the Clerk of Courts. Requests for other county government records go to the county's open-records officer.
Section 708(b)(16) of the RTKL exempts active criminal investigation materials, informant identities, and records that could endanger safety or compromise a prosecution. These exemptions apply to law enforcement investigative files, not to court case records.
Under 18 Pa.C.S. Chapter 91, the Criminal History Record Information Act sets rules for who may obtain criminal history data and how it may be used. Denied RTK requests may be appealed to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records.
Expungement of Criminal Records in Snyder County
Certain criminal records in Pennsylvania can be expunged or sealed. Expungement petitions must be filed with the Snyder County Court of Common Pleas. Once granted, the record is removed from public court databases and the State Police criminal history repository is updated.
Common grounds for expungement include summary offense convictions with five years free from arrest, charges that ended in acquittal or nolle prosequi, and arrests that did not result in conviction. The Clerk of Courts processes expungement orders and notifies the Pennsylvania State Police, as required under 18 Pa.C.S. Chapter 91.
Pennsylvania's limited access law also allows certain nonviolent misdemeanor convictions to be sealed from public view after meeting a waiting period, even without a full expungement.
Individuals seeking expungement in Snyder County should contact the Clerk of Courts or a licensed Pennsylvania attorney for procedural guidance.
Snyder County Magisterial District Courts and Criminal History
Snyder County has Magisterial District Courts that handle the first stage of criminal proceedings. These courts conduct arraignments, preliminary hearings for felonies and misdemeanors, summary offense trials, and minor civil matters. Records from Magisterial District Courts are searchable on the UJS Portal at no charge.
When cases are transferred from a Magisterial District Court to the Court of Common Pleas, they become part of the criminal record maintained by the Clerk of Courts. Both levels of court records are accessible through the UJS Portal by searching name or case number.
The Pennsylvania State Police PATCH system provides certified Snyder County criminal history records including convictions from both Magisterial District Courts and the Court of Common Pleas.
Note: Summary offense records are included in PATCH results when reported to the State Police as required under Pennsylvania law.
Nearby Counties
Snyder County is surrounded by several central Pennsylvania counties. Search criminal history records for nearby counties using the links below.