Susquehanna County Criminal History Records
Susquehanna County criminal history records are held by the Clerk of Courts at the Susquehanna County Courthouse in Montrose, Pennsylvania. Located in northeastern Pennsylvania and named after the Susquehanna River, the county borders New York State to the north. 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 locate and request criminal history records in Susquehanna County.
Susquehanna County Quick Facts
Susquehanna County Criminal History Records Overview
Criminal court records in Susquehanna County are maintained by the Clerk of Courts at the Court of Common Pleas. These records document criminal proceedings from the initial filing through final disposition. They include arraignment records, preliminary hearing outcomes, motion practice, plea entries, jury verdicts, sentencing orders, and appellate filings.
Most criminal court records are public under Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law and the Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System. Several categories are exempt from public access. Juvenile records, sealed cases, expunged filings, adoption matters, mental health proceedings, and grand jury materials cannot be accessed through public channels.
Online databases may lag behind actual courthouse filings by at least one business day. A court action taken at the Susquehanna County Courthouse may not appear on the UJS Portal immediately. Anyone who needs confirmed current data should contact the Clerk of Courts or visit in person.
How to Search Susquehanna County Criminal Records
The main public tool for Susquehanna County criminal history searches is the Pennsylvania UJS Case Search portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us. This free statewide resource allows searches by participant name, docket number, organization name, or offense tracking number. It covers Courts of Common Pleas and Magisterial District Courts across Pennsylvania, including Susquehanna County.
Search results list each case with the parties, assigned judge, case type, and a full chronological log of court actions and filed documents. Docket sheets can be viewed and printed at no charge from the portal.
The Susquehanna County government site at susqco.com provides contact information for the Clerk of Courts and guidance on requesting criminal court records in Montrose.
For in-person access, visit the Susquehanna County Courthouse, 105 Maple Street, Montrose, PA 18801. The Clerk of Courts office is open during standard weekday business hours. Bring valid photo identification when requesting records in person.
Note: Online docket data may not reflect filings made within the most recent business day. Allow at least one full day for new entries to appear on the portal.
Susquehanna County Clerk of Courts
The Clerk of Courts is the official record keeper for criminal cases in Susquehanna County. This office maintains all criminal dockets at the Court of Common Pleas level, processes new case filings, manages bail-related documentation, and sends required sentencing data to the Pennsylvania State Police and other state agencies. The Clerk also processes paperwork for appeals sent to the Superior or Commonwealth Court.
| Office | Susquehanna County Clerk of Courts |
|---|---|
| Address | Susquehanna County Courthouse, 105 Maple Street, Montrose, PA 18801 |
| County Website | susqco.com |
| UJS Portal | ujsportal.pacourts.us |
| PATCH System | epatch.pa.gov |
The Prothonotary handles civil court records and is located in the same courthouse. For Right-to-Know requests involving non-judicial Susquehanna County records, contact the county's designated open-records officer through the official county website at susqco.com.
PATCH Background Checks for Susquehanna County
PATCH, the Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History system, is the official statewide tool for certified criminal background checks. Operated by the Pennsylvania State Police, it is available at epatch.pa.gov. Each check costs $22, which is non-refundable.
To request a check online, go to epatch.pa.gov, click "Submit a New Records Check," accept the terms, choose "Individual Request," enter the subject's information, and pay by credit or debit card. Most online results are returned within minutes.
Mail requests are accepted using Form SP 4-164 with a $22 check or money order payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Send to: Pennsylvania State Police Central Repository - RCPU, 1800 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110-9758. Mail processing takes longer than online submissions.
Susquehanna County convictions reported to the State Police under 18 Pa.C.S. Chapter 91 appear in PATCH results. Felony, misdemeanor, and summary offense data are all included when properly reported.
Note: PATCH is the only source for a certified criminal history background check. Docket sheets from court portals are not a certified result.
What Susquehanna County Criminal Records Contain
Criminal records in Susquehanna County vary in content by source. Court dockets from the UJS Portal list the case number, parties, assigned judge, case type, and a chronological log of all filings and court actions. They document the case from initial filing through final disposition and any appeal.
A certified PATCH result may include arrest records, charge classifications, conviction dispositions, and sentencing details such as incarceration terms, probation, fines, costs, and restitution. Felony, misdemeanor, and summary offense records are included when reported to the State Police.
Active warrants and bench warrants may appear in some searches. Protection from Abuse orders are separately maintained. Records that have been expunged or sealed by court order are not visible in public searches or PATCH results once processed.
Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law and Susquehanna County Records
Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law, passed in 2008 as Act 3, gives residents the right to access most government records. Agencies must respond to written requests within five business days. Failure to respond is treated as a denial that may be appealed.
Susquehanna County criminal court records are governed by 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 records go through 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.
Under 18 Pa.C.S. Chapter 91, the Criminal History Record Information Act governs who may obtain criminal history data and for what purposes. Appeals of denied RTK requests may be filed with the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records.
Expungement of Criminal Records in Susquehanna County
Pennsylvania law permits certain criminal records to be expunged. Petitions for expungement must be filed with the Susquehanna County Court of Common Pleas. When granted, the record is removed from public court databases and the State Police criminal history system is updated to remove it.
Common grounds for expungement include summary conviction cases where five years have passed without a new arrest, charges that ended in acquittal or nolle prosequi, and arrests that did not result in conviction. Under 18 Pa.C.S. Chapter 91, the Clerk of Courts processes expungement orders and notifies the Pennsylvania State Police.
Pennsylvania's limited access law allows certain nonviolent misdemeanor convictions to be sealed from public view after a waiting period. Individuals in Susquehanna County seeking expungement or limited access should consult the Clerk of Courts or a licensed Pennsylvania attorney for procedural guidance.
Note: Expungement of a record does not remove it from private data brokers who may have captured the information before the expungement was processed.
Susquehanna County Magisterial District Courts
Susquehanna County has Magisterial District Courts that handle the first level of criminal proceedings. These courts conduct arraignments, preliminary hearings for misdemeanor and felony charges, summary offense trials, and minor civil matters. All Magisterial District Court records are searchable on the UJS Portal at no charge.
Cases that proceed past the preliminary hearing stage are transferred to the Court of Common Pleas, where the Clerk of Courts takes over record maintenance. Both sets of records are accessible through the UJS Portal by searching a participant name or case number.
The Pennsylvania UJS Portal case search tool provides free access to Susquehanna County court dockets at the Magisterial District and Common Pleas levels.
Note: Summary offense records from Magisterial District Courts appear in PATCH results when reported to the Pennsylvania State Police as required by law.
Nearby Counties
Susquehanna County borders several Pennsylvania counties and shares a border with New York State to the north. Search criminal history records for nearby counties using the links below.