Union County Felony Records and Criminal Cases
Union County felony records are held at the Court of Common Pleas in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. The Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts office is the official custodian of criminal case files, docket sheets, and disposition records for all felony charges filed in the county. Many records are searchable online through the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System portal at no cost. In-person access is available at 103 S. 2nd Street in Lewisburg. This page explains how to find and request felony records in Union County, including online tools, local court resources, and state programs.
Union County Quick Facts
Union County Clerk of Courts and Prothonotary
The Union County Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts office is located at 103 S. 2nd Street in Lewisburg. This office maintains the official record for every criminal case filed in Union County, including felony cases that have moved from the magisterial district level to the Court of Common Pleas. Staff process new filings, manage case documents, and provide public access to court records.
Union County is part of the 17th Judicial District, which it shares with neighboring Snyder County. Cases originating in Union County are assigned to the Union County docket rather than the Snyder County docket, even though the two counties share judicial resources. The courthouse in Lewisburg is the physical home for Union County felony case files.
The official Union County Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts page lists office hours, staff contacts, and instructions for requesting documents. You can also visit in person during regular business hours to review case files and request certified copies. Bringing a full name and approximate date of birth of the person you are researching will speed up any in-person records search.
The following image comes from the Union County Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts page at unioncountypa.org.
The Clerk of Courts office processes public requests for Union County felony docket sheets and certified copies of court orders.
Note: The Union County Clerk of Courts office does not offer legal advice and cannot interpret the outcome of cases for members of the public.
How to Search Union County Felony Records Online
The fastest way to find Union County felony records is through the UJS Case Search portal run by the Pennsylvania court system. The portal is free. It does not require registration. You can search by name, docket number, or date of birth.
The UJS Portal covers all 67 Pennsylvania counties. When you search for Union County cases, select the county filter to narrow results to Lewisburg. Each result links to a docket sheet that lists every action taken in the case: charges, judge assigned, bail status, hearing dates, and final disposition. Docket sheets can be downloaded as PDF files at no cost. This is the starting point for most public records searches in Union County.
Useful search tips for the UJS Portal:
- Start with last name only, then add a first name to narrow results
- Use date of birth to separate individuals who share a common name
- Set the county filter to Union to limit results to local cases
- Note the docket number for any case you want to follow up at the courthouse
In-person searches at the Clerk of Courts office are also available. Staff can assist with older paper records that may not be indexed in the online portal. Some Union County felony records from earlier decades exist only in paper form at the courthouse in Lewisburg.
Note: Search results in the UJS Portal may not reflect activity from the same day; updates typically appear after court staff process daily filings.
Union County Record Document Filing and Case Access
The Union County Clerk of Courts manages document filing for all criminal cases in the county. Once a felony case is bound over from a magisterial district court to Common Pleas, the Clerk of Courts becomes the official filing office for that case. Every motion, order, and judgment is filed with this office and becomes part of the permanent record.
The Union County record document filing page describes how documents are submitted and tracked. Public access to filed documents is available at the courthouse. Most felony case documents are open to the public under Pennsylvania's Criminal History Record Information Act, codified at 18 Pa.C.S. § 9101, which governs what criminal history information may be collected and shared in the state.
The following image comes from the Union County record document filing page at unioncountypa.org.
Document filing records show the date and type of every submission made to the court in a Union County felony case, giving a detailed timeline of the case's progress.
PA Courts Union County Felony Case Information
The Pennsylvania Courts website maintains a dedicated page for each county's Court of Common Pleas. The PA Courts Union County page lists current judges, judicial district information, and links to local court resources. This page is a useful reference point for confirming court assignments and understanding how Union County's felony docket is organized.
Union County sits in the 17th Judicial District. The Court of Common Pleas for this district handles all felony trials, sentencing hearings, post-conviction motions, and appeals that originate in Union County. The PA Courts website also provides guidance on reading docket sheets and understanding the flow of felony cases through the Pennsylvania court system.
The following image comes from the PA Courts Union County listing at pacourts.us.
The PA Courts directory is updated regularly and reflects current judicial assignments and contact information for Union County.
Note: The PA Courts website is the authoritative source for judicial district assignments and does not display individual case records directly.
Union County Criminal Background Check Through PATCH
The Pennsylvania State Police operates the PATCH system for statewide criminal history background checks. PATCH stands for Pennsylvania Access To Criminal History. It is available online at epatch.state.pa.us. A PATCH search covers felony convictions from Union County and every other Pennsylvania county. The report draws from the state police criminal history database.
A PATCH report and a UJS Portal docket search serve different purposes. The UJS Portal shows what was filed and how cases resolved in court. A PATCH report shows the official conviction record as submitted by courts to the Pennsylvania State Police. Both tools have value for researching Union County felony records. For individuals checking their own record, PATCH provides the official view of what the state holds on file.
Third-party PATCH requests require written consent from the subject of the search. Individuals can request their own record at any time. The Pennsylvania State Police maintains PATCH data separately from the court system. If a conviction in Union County was reported to the state police, it will appear in a PATCH search even if the case is no longer active in the court docket. For questions about what PATCH covers and how to submit a request, consult the Pennsylvania State Police website.
Sealing and Expungement of Union County Felony Records
Pennsylvania law provides two main ways to limit public access to felony records: expungement and limited access (sealing). Expungement removes the record from state and court databases. Sealing restricts who can see the record without erasing it. Both processes run through the Union County Court of Common Pleas.
Clean Slate 3.0 took effect on February 12, 2024. Under the current law, low-level felony convictions may qualify for automatic sealing after ten years if the person has completed their sentence and remained crime-free. The court system applies these seals without requiring a petition. If a Union County felony record qualifies, it will be hidden from public searches automatically over time. Misdemeanor convictions may qualify for automatic sealing after seven years under the same program.
Not all felony convictions qualify for Clean Slate sealing. Serious violent offenses and certain sexual offenses are excluded. For cases that do not qualify, individuals may petition the Union County Court of Common Pleas for limited access under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122. The petition must be served on the district attorney, who may object. If the petition is granted, the record is hidden from public view but remains accessible to law enforcement.
Another option is a pardon through the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons. The Board reviews applications and holds hearings before making a recommendation to the governor. A pardon from the governor can lead to full expungement of a Union County felony conviction. The Board of Pardons can be reached at (717) 787-2596. This process takes longer than a sealing petition but results in complete erasure if approved.
Note: Consulting a licensed Pennsylvania attorney is the best way to determine which relief option applies to a specific Union County felony record.
Public Access Rights for Union County Felony Records
Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law, at 65 P.S. § 67.101, gives residents the right to request records from government agencies. Court records in Pennsylvania are governed by court rules rather than the Right-to-Know Law directly, but the general principle of open access applies to felony case dockets. Most felony records at the Union County Court of Common Pleas are open to public inspection.
Some records are excluded from public access. Juvenile records are sealed by default. Records placed under limited access orders are not available to the general public. Mental health records connected to a criminal case are restricted. Victim information in certain cases may be redacted from publicly available documents. These limits protect individuals while keeping the broader criminal justice process open and transparent.
For disputes about access to government records, the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records handles statewide appeals. For court-specific records in Union County, requests go directly to the Clerk of Courts in Lewisburg. If a request is denied, the Office of Open Records can provide guidance on next steps.
If an individual is currently incarcerated as a result of a Union County felony conviction, the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections maintains the PA DOC Inmate Locator. This free public tool allows you to search for individuals held in a Pennsylvania state correctional institution. It is separate from court records and is maintained by the Department of Corrections.
Note: Records requests made in person at the Union County Clerk of Courts office are typically fulfilled the same day for cases that are already indexed in the electronic system.
Cities in Union County
Lewisburg is the county seat of Union County and home to Bucknell University. All felony cases for Union County residents are filed at the Union County Court of Common Pleas in Lewisburg. Municipalities including Mifflinburg, New Berlin, and Hartleton all fall under the jurisdiction of this single courthouse, and their felony records are part of the same Union County docket maintained by the Clerk of Courts.
Nearby Counties
Union County shares its judicial district with neighboring Snyder County. Felony cases are filed in the county where the offense occurred. If you are not sure which county applies, the UJS Portal statewide search will return results from all Pennsylvania counties at once.