Cumberland County Arrest Records
Cumberland County arrest records are kept by the Clerk of Courts at the Cumberland County Courthouse in Carlisle. The county sits just west of the Susquehanna River, directly adjacent to Harrisburg in Dauphin County. Residents and researchers can search criminal case files online through the state court portal or in person at the courthouse. This page explains how to find arrest records in Cumberland County, which offices keep them, and what state tools are available to help you search.
Cumberland County Quick Facts
Cumberland County Clerk of Courts
The Clerk of Courts in Cumberland County maintains all criminal court files from 2001 forward. Files are updated on a daily basis. Prior criminal case files are added when new filings come in. Juvenile cases and other non-public files are not available for public access. The Clerk of Courts processes expungement petitions as well.
The county also has an Archives office that holds non-active permanent records, mostly those created before 1950. The Prothonotary handles civil court files from August 2001 onward. If you need criminal records for an older case, contact the Archives to see if the file was transferred there. The Recorder of Deeds keeps land records going back to 1750, though those are separate from criminal matters. The county website at cumberlandcountypa.gov/2675/Public-Records-Documents lists each office and what records it holds.
The county seat is Carlisle, and that is where the courthouse is located. When you visit in person, bring a photo ID. Staff can help you search by name or case number. Copy fees apply for printed documents.
The Cumberland County Public Records portal is the starting point for most records searches. You can see which office holds the type of record you need before you make the trip to Carlisle.
The Cumberland County Public Records portal lists all available document types and the offices that hold them.
The portal is organized by office, making it easy to locate the right contact for arrest or court records in Cumberland County.
| Office |
Cumberland County Clerk of Courts Cumberland County Courthouse Carlisle, PA 17013 |
|---|---|
| Records From | 2001 to present (updated daily) |
| Website | cumberlandcountypa.gov |
Search Cumberland County Records Online
The Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System (UJS) Web Portal lets you search Cumberland County arrest records and criminal dockets at no cost. You can look up cases by participant name, docket number, OTN, or citation number. The system covers both the Court of Common Pleas and all Magisterial District Courts in Cumberland County. Criminal, civil, and traffic dockets are all available through the same portal.
The UJS Case Search portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us provides free access to Cumberland County court dockets and criminal case histories.
The portal updates frequently and shows charges, hearing dates, and case dispositions for Cumberland County criminal matters.
To get the most from the portal, use the name exactly as it appears on court documents. You can also narrow results by county and date range. Court calendars showing upcoming hearings in Cumberland County are also published through the portal. For Protection from Abuse cases, those are searchable as well. Visit ujsportal.pacourts.us to begin a search for Cumberland County arrest and court records.
Note: The UJS portal shows docket information only. To get copies of actual court documents from Cumberland County, you must contact the Clerk of Courts directly.
Pennsylvania PATCH Criminal History Search
The Pennsylvania State Police runs the PATCH system, which stands for Pennsylvania Access To Criminal History. Cumberland County arrest records are part of this statewide database. A standard criminal history check costs $22 and can be ordered online at epatch.state.pa.us. Results include arrests from all Pennsylvania counties, not just Cumberland County. This makes PATCH the most complete way to get a full statewide criminal history on a person.
If you prefer to submit by mail, use Form SP 4-164 and send it to the Pennsylvania State Police Central Repository at 1800 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110-9758. Notarized copies cost extra beyond the base $22 fee. Local law enforcement in Cumberland County includes the Carlisle Police Department, Mechanicsburg Police, and Camp Hill Police. The Pennsylvania State Police cover rural townships where no municipal department operates. Shippensburg University Police handle incidents on campus.
Right-to-Know Requests in Cumberland County
Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law, found at openrecords.pa.gov, gives the public a legal right to request government records. In Cumberland County, you submit a written request to the Open Records Officer of the specific agency that holds the record you need. The agency has up to five business days to respond, though extensions may apply for large or complex requests. If your request is denied, you can appeal to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records.
The county also maintains a Recorder of Deeds with land records going back to 1750. For questions about the LANDEX subscription system for land records, call (717) 240-6370. That system covers deeds, mortgages from 1973, and miscellaneous documents from 1956. These are not arrest records, but they are part of the broader public records picture in Cumberland County.
The main Cumberland County government website links to all county offices and their records portals.
County office pages list hours, contact information, and direct links to online records tools for Cumberland County residents.
Under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9101, the Pennsylvania Criminal History Record Information Act governs how criminal records are collected, stored, and shared. Agencies in Cumberland County must follow these rules when responding to records requests involving arrest data.
Inmate and Incarceration Records
If someone has been arrested in Cumberland County and is held in a state facility, you can search for them through the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections inmate locator at inmatelocator.cor.pa.gov. This tool is free and covers all state correctional facilities in Pennsylvania. It does not cover county jails, so for someone held locally in Cumberland County, you would need to contact the county jail directly.
The Pennsylvania State Police website at pa.gov/agencies/psp is another resource for statewide law enforcement information. It links to PATCH, sex offender registries, and other public safety databases that may be useful when searching Cumberland County arrest histories.
Note: County jail records are managed locally and are not part of the state DOC inmate locator system. Contact the Cumberland County jail for current booking information.
Nearby Pennsylvania Counties
Cumberland County borders several other Pennsylvania counties. If the arrest you are searching for may have happened in an adjacent county, use the links below to find the right records office. Each county has its own Clerk of Courts and criminal docket system.