Northumberland County Felony Records and Criminal Cases
Northumberland County felony records are kept by the Clerk of Courts at the Northumberland County Courthouse in Sunbury, Pennsylvania. The county sits along the Susquehanna River in central Pennsylvania and maintains a full set of criminal case files through the Court of Common Pleas. Residents can search felony records online through the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System or visit the courthouse directly. This page explains where Northumberland County criminal records are held, how to access them, and what state tools connect to the local court system.
Northumberland County Quick Facts
Northumberland County Court of Common Pleas
The Northumberland County Court of Common Pleas is based at 201 Market Street in Sunbury, PA 17801. This court handles all felony criminal cases filed within Northumberland County. Sunbury, located at the confluence of the North and West branches of the Susquehanna River, has served as the county seat since the county was founded in 1772. The courthouse sits near the center of Sunbury and is accessible from both the eastern and western parts of the county.
The Clerk of Courts office maintains the official record of every criminal case filed in the Court of Common Pleas. This includes felony charges, case dockets, hearing schedules, sentencing orders, and post-conviction filings. The Clerk's office operates separately from the Prothonotary, which handles civil matters. For felony records specifically, the Clerk of Courts is the correct contact point. The courthouse can be reached by calling the main line listed on the county's official site.
Northumberland County was formed on March 21, 1772, from parts of Lancaster, Cumberland, Bedford, Berks, and Northampton counties. It is one of the original Pennsylvania counties, and its court records trace back to the late 18th century. Many older records have been preserved and are accessible through the county courthouse or historical society. More recent criminal records are available through the statewide UJS online portal.
| Office | Clerk of Courts |
|---|---|
| Address | 201 Market Street, Sunbury, PA 17801 |
| Court Type | Court of Common Pleas |
| PA Courts Page | pacourts.us |
| County Records | pennsylvaniacourtrecords.us |
The image below comes from Pennsylvania Court Records, showing the Northumberland County court records search interface for felony cases.
This resource provides an additional search option for those looking into Northumberland County criminal case history.
Note: The Clerk of Courts is an elected office in Pennsylvania. Officers serve four-year terms and are responsible for all criminal case files in the Court of Common Pleas.
Searching Northumberland County Felony Records Online
The primary tool for searching Northumberland County felony records online is the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System portal. This statewide system is free to use and requires no account. You can search by name, date of birth, or docket number. Results include full criminal docket sheets for cases filed in the Court of Common Pleas, including felony charges, case status, hearing dates, and dispositions.
The UJS portal pulls from case data maintained by the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts. Most Northumberland County felony records from the past several decades are included. The system is updated on a regular schedule, though a short lag can exist between what happens in the courtroom and when it appears in the online record. For the most current case status, the Clerk of Courts office can confirm details by phone or in person.
In-person searches at 201 Market Street in Sunbury allow access to physical case files, original charging documents, and older dockets that may not have been fully digitized. Staff can help identify what is on file and how to request copies. Written requests by mail are also an option. For mailed requests, include the subject's full name, any known docket numbers, and the type of record you need. The office will confirm availability before processing the request.
Note: Not all pre-1990 criminal case files have been digitized. Older Northumberland County felony records may only be available through an in-person visit to the courthouse in Sunbury.
Northumberland County Criminal Case Dockets
A criminal docket sheet in Northumberland County contains the full procedural history of a case. Each entry reflects a court action taken from the time a case is filed through its final disposition. Docket sheets are public records and are available through the UJS portal or by requesting them directly from the Clerk of Courts at the Northumberland County Courthouse.
For felony cases, the docket typically includes the defendant's name and date of birth, the charges filed and their grade, the plea entered, all scheduled and completed hearing dates, the name of the presiding judge, the verdict, and the sentence imposed. If probation or parole conditions were set by the court, they may appear in the sentencing entries. Bench warrants, capias orders, and contempt citations are also part of the case record when applicable.
Physical case files held by the Clerk may contain charging documents, criminal informations, affidavits of probable cause, pre-sentence investigation reports, and post-conviction filings. Some of these items can be restricted by court order. The basic docket, however, is open to the public under Pennsylvania law. Access to court records in Northumberland County is governed in part by 65 P.S. § 67.101, Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law, as well as the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure.
The image below is sourced from the Pennsylvania Courts website, showing the Northumberland County Common Pleas court listing with contact information and judicial resources.
The PA Courts site lists the judges assigned to Northumberland County and provides official contact details for the court.
Pennsylvania PATCH System and Northumberland Records
The Pennsylvania State Police operates the PATCH system, which stands for Pennsylvania Access To Criminal History. PATCH provides state-level background check results drawn from the criminal history repository maintained by PSP. The legal basis for this repository is found in 18 Pa.C.S. § 9101, which is part of the Criminal History Record Information Act, also known as CHRIA. This statute governs how criminal records are collected, stored, and made available in Pennsylvania.
A PATCH result and a UJS court search serve different purposes. PATCH reflects what has been formally reported to the state as a final conviction or disposition. Court dockets from Northumberland County show more detail, including dismissed charges, continuances, and non-conviction outcomes. Both tools are useful, but they draw from different data sets. If you need the full case history, the UJS portal or a direct request to the Clerk of Courts is the more complete option.
Individuals can request their own PATCH record through the Pennsylvania State Police website. Third-party requests require proper authorization and may be subject to restrictions under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9121, which limits who can access criminal history record information and for what purpose. Law enforcement, licensing boards, and certain employers have different access rights than members of the general public.
Note: PATCH results reflect statewide records. A Northumberland County felony case may appear in PATCH once a conviction is formally reported, but the full docket is only available through the UJS portal or the local Clerk of Courts.
Clean Slate and Expungement in Northumberland County
Pennsylvania's Clean Slate law was expanded on February 12, 2024, and now allows automatic sealing of certain low-level felony convictions after a ten-year clean period. Under this change, qualifying offenses can be sealed from public view without requiring the individual to file a petition. The sealing process runs through the court system automatically when the legal criteria are met. This means some Northumberland County felony records that were previously visible may no longer appear in public searches once the waiting period has passed.
Not every felony qualifies for automatic sealing. Offenses involving violence, firearms, or sexual conduct are excluded. For convictions that do not qualify under Clean Slate, a person can file a petition for expungement or sealing with the Clerk of Courts at 201 Market Street in Sunbury. Under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122, courts may also grant expungements for cases that ended in acquittal, dismissal, or successful completion of an ARD program. These petitions do not require the ten-year waiting period tied to Clean Slate.
Another option is applying to the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons, reachable at (717) 787-2596 at 333 Market Street, 15th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333. A pardon from the Governor does not erase the record on its own, but it opens the door to a subsequent expungement petition. The Board of Pardons reviews all applications through a statewide process, and Northumberland County residents apply the same way as residents of any other county.
Note: Sealed records under the Clean Slate law remain visible to law enforcement agencies and certain licensing boards even after public access has been removed.
Inmate and Offender Records for Northumberland County
The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections operates the PA DOC Inmate Locator, a free online tool that allows searches for individuals currently incarcerated in state prison. The locator shows name, commitment date, facility, and projected release information for current state inmates. It does not cover county jail inmates, who are held in separate local facilities.
Northumberland County operates its own county jail separate from the state prison system. County jail inmates are those who have been sentenced to terms of less than two years or who are awaiting trial. State prison inmates are those who have been sentenced to two or more years. A person convicted of a Northumberland County felony may serve time in either the county jail or a state correctional institution depending on the sentence imposed.
For questions about individuals held at the Northumberland County Prison, contact the facility directly. The PA DOC Inmate Locator covers only those committed to state facilities. Information about county jail populations is managed locally and may not be available through statewide online tools.
Public Records Access Under Pennsylvania Law
Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law, codified at 65 P.S. § 67.101, gives the public broad access to government records, including those held by county agencies. Court records that are part of the public docket in Northumberland County fall within this framework unless they are specifically restricted by court order, statute, or the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure.
Most felony case dockets are publicly accessible without a formal Right-to-Know request. Court records are presumed open under Pennsylvania court rules, and the UJS portal reflects that presumption by making docket data freely available online. Formal RTKL requests are more commonly used for non-court records such as law enforcement incident reports, county agency documents, or administrative files. The Pennsylvania Office of Open Records oversees the RTKL process and handles appeals when agencies deny access.
Some records are not open to the public. Juvenile court records are sealed by statute. Records sealed under the Clean Slate law are removed from public access. Certain victim-related documents and materials under active protective orders are also restricted. If a request for Northumberland County records is denied, the requester can appeal to the Office of Open Records within 15 business days of the denial.
Cities in Northumberland County
Northumberland County has no dedicated city pages on this site at this time. Sunbury is the county seat and the location of the Northumberland County Courthouse at 201 Market Street. Other communities in the county include Shamokin, Mount Carmel, Kulpmont, and Milton. Criminal cases from any of these communities are handled through the Court of Common Pleas in Sunbury, and felony records for cases arising anywhere in the county are maintained by the Clerk of Courts at that address.
Nearby Counties
Northumberland County borders several other Pennsylvania counties. Each maintains its own separate set of felony records through the same statewide UJS system.