Cambria County Criminal Records and Case Lookup
Cambria County felony records are maintained by the Clerk of Courts office in Ebensburg, Pennsylvania. The county operates under the 47th Judicial District. Criminal case filings, disposition records, and docket sheets are available through both the county office and the statewide court portal. This guide covers the offices that hold these records, how to reach them, and where to begin a search online. No legal advice is given here. All information is for reference only.
Cambria County Quick Facts
Cambria County Felony Records Overview
Cambria County sits in west-central Pennsylvania. The county seat is Ebensburg, and the Court of Common Pleas serves as the trial court for all felony matters. Criminal cases filed in this court become part of the public record under Pennsylvania law. The 47th Judicial District handles all case types, from misdemeanors to serious felony charges. Court records include charging documents, bail orders, trial transcripts, and sentencing information.
Felony cases in Cambria County follow the same filing structure as all Pennsylvania counties. The Clerk of Courts receives and stores these filings once a case moves past the magisterial district level. From that point forward, all court documents are part of the official criminal docket. Anyone can request access to these records in person or look them up through the state's online portal.
Note: Some records may be restricted under court order or sealed by a judge even when a case is otherwise public.
Clerk of Courts Office in Cambria
The Clerk of Courts for Cambria County is Max Pavlovich. The office is located at 200 South Center Street, Ebensburg, PA 15931. This is the primary office for criminal court filings and docket records in the county. The general phone number is 814-472-1440, and the criminal division has a direct line at 814-472-1540. The fax number is 814-472-0761.
The Clerk of Courts accepts in-person requests for criminal records. Staff can provide case information, docket sheets, and copies of filed documents. For faster service, have the defendant's full name and date of birth ready before you call or visit. Case numbers also speed up any search.
The image below comes from the Cambria County Clerk of Courts office page.
The Clerk of Courts office handles both new filings and requests for older case documents going back many years.
The Prothonotary for Cambria County is Lisa Crynock. Her office handles civil matters rather than criminal records. You can reach her at 814-472-1636 or by email at lcrynock@co.cambria.pa.us. The fax number for the Prothonotary is 814-472-0761. The Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts are separate offices in Cambria County, each with its own staff and scope of work.
Online Felony Records Search Tools
The Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System portal offers free public access to criminal dockets statewide. You can search Cambria County felony records by name, date of birth, or case number at the UJS Case Search portal. Results include case status, charges, dispositions, and upcoming court dates. The portal is updated regularly and reflects the most current docket entries available to the public.
The Pennsylvania State Police maintain a separate background check system. The PATCH system provides official criminal history reports for a fee. These reports are generated from the central repository maintained by the Pennsylvania State Police. PATCH reports reflect convictions and arrests reported across all counties, not just Cambria.
For inmates currently in state custody, the Pennsylvania DOC Inmate Locator lets you search by name or inmate number. This tool does not show court records but confirms whether someone is serving a sentence in state prison. It is a useful companion to a court docket search.
Note: The UJS portal only shows records for cases filed in the Court of Common Pleas, not summary offenses handled at the magisterial level.
Cambria County Open Records Access
The Open Records Officer for Cambria County is Melissa Kestermont. Her office processes formal public records requests under the Right-to-Know Law. You can reach her at 814-472-1607 or by email at mkestermont@co.cambria.pa.us. The fax number for open records requests is 814-472-6940. The county has a dedicated open records page where you can review the process and submit a request form.
The image below is sourced from the Cambria County open records page.
The open records office can direct requests to the right department when it is unclear which office holds a particular document.
Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law is codified at 65 P.S. § 67.101 and gives the public a general right to access government records. Court records, however, fall under a different system and are handled through the Clerk of Courts rather than the open records process. When requesting criminal court documents, contact the Clerk of Courts directly. For non-court county records, the open records office is the correct starting point. The Pennsylvania Office of Open Records provides guidance if a request is denied.
Criminal History and Background Checks
A full criminal history check for Cambria County involves several steps. The UJS portal gives you court-level data. A PATCH report adds conviction data from the state repository. These two tools together give a thorough picture of a person's criminal record in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania's Clean Slate 3.0 law, signed on February 12, 2024, expanded the types of records that qualify for automatic sealing. Under this law, more non-violent felony convictions become eligible for sealing after a waiting period without a new offense. Sealed records do not appear in most public searches. A PATCH report or UJS search may not show a record that has been sealed under Clean Slate. This is important to keep in mind when interpreting search results.
Under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9121, criminal history record information may be disseminated to certain authorized recipients. Section 9122 covers the expungement of criminal records in specific situations. These statutes govern what can be shared and what must be withheld, even for records that were once publicly visible.
PA Courts and Cambria County Dockets
The Pennsylvania Courts website maintains a county-specific page for each Court of Common Pleas. The Cambria County page includes contact information, judge listings, and links to court resources.
This image is taken from the PA Courts Cambria County page.
The PA Courts page is a reliable starting point when looking for judge assignments and court schedules in Cambria County.
The 47th Judicial District covers only Cambria County. This single-county district means all felony cases go through one courthouse. The Court of Common Pleas in Ebensburg handles criminal, civil, and family matters. Felony records from this court appear on UJS within a short time of filing. Court Records Manager Kendra J. Miknis can be reached at 814-355-6727 for questions about specific case documents held by the court administration office.
The county's official website at cambriacountypa.gov lists all county offices, their hours, and contact details. It is worth checking there if you are unsure which office handles a particular type of record. The site also links directly to the Clerk of Courts and open records pages for convenience.
Note: Pardons for Pennsylvania convictions are handled at the state level through the Board of Pardons, not by the county court.
Felony Record Information Summary
Getting felony records in Cambria County comes down to a few key resources. The Clerk of Courts in Ebensburg holds the physical case files. The UJS portal provides online docket access at no cost. The PATCH system offers certified background check reports. The open records office handles formal written requests for non-court county documents. Together, these channels cover most public record needs.
Pennsylvania law under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9101 defines criminal history record information and sets the framework for how it is collected and used. Knowing this framework helps you understand what to expect from a records search. Not every arrest leads to a conviction, and not every conviction stays on a public record forever. Clean Slate 3.0 continues to change the landscape of what is visible in public searches.
If you have questions about a specific case, the Clerk of Courts criminal division at 814-472-1540 is the best first call. Staff there can confirm whether a case exists, what charges were filed, and what the outcome was. In-person visits to 200 South Center Street in Ebensburg are also welcome during business hours.
The following offices are the main contacts for felony record access in Cambria County:
- Clerk of Courts (criminal division): 814-472-1540
- Open Records Officer: 814-472-1607
- Prothonotary (civil records): 814-472-1636
- UJS portal (online dockets): ujsportal.pacourts.us
- PATCH (background checks): epatch.state.pa.us
Cities in Cambria County
Cambria County includes several municipalities with residents who may have cases filed in the Ebensburg courthouse. Johnstown is the largest city in the county and generates a significant share of the criminal court filings. Other communities include Cresson, Portage, Carrolltown, Nanty Glo, and Patton. All criminal cases from these areas eventually route to the Court of Common Pleas at 200 South Center Street in the county seat of Ebensburg.
Nearby Counties
Cambria County borders several other Pennsylvania counties. Each has its own Clerk of Courts and court records system. If a case involves multiple counties or if you are searching for someone who may have moved, checking nearby county records is worth the effort.