Bedford County Arrest Records
Bedford County arrest records are held by the combined Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts office at the Bedford County Courthouse in Bedford, Pennsylvania. This office maintains criminal case files for matters heard by the Court of Common Pleas and the four Magisterial District Courts that serve the county. You can search Bedford County arrest records online through the Pennsylvania UJS Portal, request records in person at the courthouse, or obtain a full statewide criminal history through the PATCH system. This guide covers all three methods and provides contact details for county offices.
Bedford County Quick Facts
Bedford County Clerk of Courts
Bedford County combines the Prothonotary, Clerk of Courts, and Clerk of Orphan's Court into one office. This combined office at the courthouse handles both civil and criminal records. For Bedford County arrest records, the Clerk of Courts function covers criminal cases including felonies and misdemeanors bound over from the Magisterial District Courts. Court records are available for public inspection during business hours.
The office can be reached at (814) 623-4807 and is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The main courthouse is at 200 South Juliana Street, Bedford, PA 15522. A separate contact number for the Court of Common Pleas is (814) 623-4833, with fax at (814) 623-4831. Copy fees are $0.25 per page following the statewide fee schedule. The Public Defender services are also available through the county for people who qualify for indigent defense.
The Bedford County Courts page at bedfordcountypa.org provides information on the court system, office contacts, and available services for people seeking records or legal resources.
The Bedford County courthouse law library is also available for public legal research and can be useful when reviewing case law related to your Bedford County criminal records search.
| Office | Bedford County Clerk of Courts 200 South Juliana Street Bedford, PA 15522 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (814) 623-4807 |
| Court of Common Pleas | (814) 623-4833 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | bedfordcountypa.org |
How to Search Bedford County Arrest Records
Three methods give you access to Bedford County arrest records. Each approach works best in different situations depending on how much you know about the case and how detailed a result you need.
The Pennsylvania UJS Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us is free and provides online access to Bedford County Court of Common Pleas and all four Magisterial District Court dockets. The Central Court is at 200 South Juliana Street in Bedford. District courts are located in Schellsburg, Bedford, and Everett. Search by participant name, case number, or docket number. Criminal records in the system include felonies, misdemeanors, and summary offenses. Civil cases include contract disputes, landlord-tenant matters, and small claims. Court calendars show upcoming hearings. This tool is the fastest free option for checking whether someone has an open or past case in Bedford County.
For a complete Pennsylvania criminal history that includes all agencies, use the PATCH system at epatch.state.pa.us. For certified copies, visit the Clerk of Courts in person during business hours.
Note: In-person access to Bedford County court records is available at the courthouse during regular business hours without an appointment.
PATCH System for Bedford County Records
The Pennsylvania Access To Criminal History system is operated by the Pennsylvania State Police and is available at epatch.state.pa.us. It is the most complete source for Bedford County criminal records because it draws data from all Pennsylvania law enforcement agencies. The standard fee is $22 per non-volunteer request, with online results available immediately.
Mail requests require Form SP 4-164 with a certified check or money order. Send mail requests to the PSP Central Repository at 1800 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110. Mail processing takes two to four weeks. Notarized copies are available for an additional $5 fee. Results cover all Pennsylvania arrests, not just Bedford County. This includes records from Bedford Borough Police, Everett Borough Police, Pennsylvania State Police troopers who cover the county's rural areas, and the Bedford County Correctional Facility.
The Bedford County Correctional Facility also maintains inmate arrest records for people held in local custody. For state-sentenced inmates who passed through Bedford County courts, use the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Inmate Locator at inmatelocator.cor.pa.gov to find their current location.
Bedford County Court of Common Pleas
The Bedford County Court of Common Pleas handles all serious criminal matters in the county. Felony and misdemeanor cases are bound over from the Magisterial District Courts to Common Pleas for trial and sentencing. The court also oversees Family Court, which handles divorce, custody, and support matters. Orphans' Court handles estates, wills, and guardianships.
Civil jurisdiction at Common Pleas includes contract disputes over $12,000 and real estate matters. All court records at Common Pleas level are available for public inspection during business hours. The combined Clerk of Courts office files and maintains all case records. The four Magisterial District Courts are the entry point for criminal charges and handle preliminary hearings, bail, summary offenses, and small civil claims before any matter moves to Common Pleas.
Juvenile probation services are available through Bedford County for youthful offenders. Domestic relations handles child support matters. The law library at the courthouse is open to the public for legal research during court business hours.
What Bedford County Arrest Records Show
Bedford County arrest records from the Clerk of Courts contain case-specific information for each criminal matter. Records include the defendant's name, charges filed, offense dates, charge grade (felony, misdemeanor, or summary), and the outcome of the case. Docket sheets list every court action from initial filing through final disposition, including bail decisions, hearing dates, continuances, and sentencing.
Booking records from the Bedford County Correctional Facility and local law enforcement contain additional detail such as arrest date, arresting officer or agency, and physical description of the person arrested. The PATCH system consolidates this information into one report showing all Pennsylvania criminal history, with charge descriptions, offense dates, and case outcomes. Social Security numbers, personal financial data, and other sensitive identifiers are redacted from publicly released records under state law. DNA and RNA records, information about minors under 18, and autopsy reports from the medical examiner are also restricted from public release in Bedford County.
Bedford County Public Access Policy
Bedford County follows the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. § 67.101, which makes most government records open to the public unless restricted or exempted. The county's public access policy is described at bedfordcountypa.org. Records that are exempted from public access include DNA and RNA records, information about minors under 18, medical examiner autopsy reports, psychological and medical records, law enforcement investigation records deemed confidential, and expunged or sealed records.
Social security numbers and personal financial data are redacted before records are released. Juror information is protected from public disclosure. Most other Bedford County criminal records are publicly accessible. You do not need to be a party to a case to view or request copies of criminal dockets and court records. The standard Right-to-Know form from the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records at openrecords.pa.gov can be used to submit a formal request to Bedford County. The county must respond within five business days, with a possible extension for complex requests.
If your records request is denied, you can appeal to the Pennsylvania OOR within 15 business days of receiving the denial.
Note: Expunged records in Bedford County are fully removed from public access once a court order is entered, and neither the Clerk of Courts nor the PATCH system will show them.
Pennsylvania Criminal History Law
Bedford County arrest records are governed by the Pennsylvania Criminal History Record Information Act, known as CHRIA, at 18 Pa.C.S. § 9101. CHRIA sets the rules for collecting, maintaining, and sharing criminal history data across Pennsylvania. It applies to every agency in Bedford County that handles criminal records, including the Clerk of Courts, the Sheriff's Office, local police departments, and the state police.
Under CHRIA, adult arrest and conviction records are generally available to the public. Juvenile records are restricted and will not appear in public searches or PATCH results. Records that have been expunged by court order are removed from all public access. The law also requires Pennsylvania agencies to keep records current and accurate. When a case is dismissed or the defendant is acquitted, the record must be updated so it does not continue to show as an open or conviction case. This affects what appears in the UJS Portal and in PATCH results for Bedford County cases.
Together, CHRIA and the Right-to-Know Law at 65 P.S. § 67.101 define the full scope of public access to Bedford County criminal records. CHRIA governs criminal history specifically, while the RTKL covers the broader category of government-held records including law enforcement documents and administrative files.
Nearby Counties
Bedford County sits in south-central Pennsylvania and borders several other counties. If an arrest occurred near the county line, records might be held in a neighboring county's court system.