Arrest Records in Mercer County
Mercer County arrest records are available through the county's Open Records Office and the Clerk of Courts in Mercer, Pennsylvania. Located in western Pennsylvania near the Ohio border, Mercer County maintains criminal case records and booking data at the courthouse on Diamond Street. You can submit a Right-to-Know request or search court dockets online to find arrest records in Mercer County. The Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System portal and the state PATCH criminal history system are also useful tools for tracking down arrest and court data connected to this county.
Mercer County Quick Facts
Mercer County Open Records Office
The Mercer County Open Records Office handles Right-to-Know requests for public records including arrest-related documents. The Open Records Officer is Ann Morrison. You can reach the office by phone at (724) 662-7534 or (724) 662-7542, or by email at amorrison@mercercountypa.gov. The office is located at 103 Courthouse, Mercer, PA 16137.
The Mercer County Open Records Office provides a standard Right-to-Know request form online. The fee schedule for copies follows state guidelines. Agencies must respond within five business days under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law. If a request is denied, you can appeal to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records at openrecords.pa.gov. This process applies to all Mercer County agencies, including law enforcement and court offices.
Using the Open Records Office is often the most direct route for obtaining arrest reports, booking records, and incident data held by Mercer County agencies.
| Office |
Mercer County Open Records 103 Courthouse Mercer, PA 16137 |
|---|---|
| Officer | Ann Morrison |
| Phone | (724) 662-7534 or (724) 662-7542 |
| amorrison@mercercountypa.gov |
Note: Mercer County follows state RTKL guidelines and must respond to your records request within five business days of receipt.
Mercer County Clerk of Courts Criminal Records
The Mercer County Clerk of Courts maintains the criminal case records that result from arrests in the county. These records are public and cover felonies, misdemeanors, and summary appeals filed in Mercer County. The office is at 125 S. Diamond Street, Suite 112, Mercer, PA 16137.
You can reach the Clerk of Courts at (724) 662-3800 ext. 2248. Fax is (724) 662-1604. The email address is mdepreta@mercercountypa.gov. Right-to-Know requests are accepted for criminal records access. Court records are available for public inspection during office hours. Copy fees follow the state fee schedule. You need a name or case number to start a search at the Clerk's office. Staff can help you locate older records that may not appear in online databases.
Criminal records at the Mercer County Clerk of Courts include the full case history from the time charges are filed through final disposition. This gives you more detail than a basic online docket search.
Search Mercer County Criminal Dockets Online
The Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System portal provides free online access to Mercer County court dockets. Three Magisterial District Courts serve Mercer County. These lower courts handle arraignments and preliminary hearings when someone is first arrested. The Court of Common Pleas takes over for felony trials and serious misdemeanor cases.
At ujsportal.pacourts.us, you can search Mercer County dockets by participant name, case number, or filing date. Criminal dockets list the charges, all court appearances, and the final outcome for each case. Civil dockets are also available through the same system. Traffic court records from the MDJ courts appear there too. Court calendars are published so you can check on upcoming hearings for pending cases in Mercer County. The portal is free for basic searches and is available around the clock.
For physical copies of documents or certified records, contact the Clerk of Courts at the Mercer County Courthouse. The portal shows you what is in the file, but getting paper copies requires a visit or a formal request to the clerk's office.
Pennsylvania PATCH and Mercer County Criminal History
Mercer County arrest records are part of the statewide PATCH criminal history database. Law enforcement agencies in Mercer County that report to PATCH include Hermitage Police, Sharon Police, Farrell Police, and the Pennsylvania State Police, who cover rural areas and state highways. Multiple other municipal departments throughout the county also submit data to the state.
You can order a PATCH check online at epatch.state.pa.us. The standard fee is $22. Mail requests use Form SP 4-164 sent to the Pennsylvania State Police. Results cover all Pennsylvania arrests on file, not just Mercer County records. Notarized copies of criminal history are available for an additional charge. The Pennsylvania State Police website explains what PATCH results include and how long it takes to get a response.
PATCH is the most complete source for a person's full Pennsylvania criminal history, drawing data from every county including Mercer County.
Note: PATCH checks cost $22 and cover the full state, making them the most thorough option when you need a complete criminal history that goes beyond Mercer County alone.
Mercer County Arrest Record Laws
Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. § 67.101, gives the public the right to request and view government records held by Mercer County agencies. Arrest reports, booking records, and incident reports held by local law enforcement are typically subject to this law. The Right-to-Know Law requires agencies to respond within five business days.
The Criminal History Record Information Act, 18 Pa.C.S. § 9101, governs how criminal history data is maintained and shared across Pennsylvania. This law sets limits on how conviction and arrest records can be used. It does not block public access to court records in most cases. Mercer County court records filed in the Court of Common Pleas are public documents unless a judge seals them. Juvenile records and expunged cases are not available to the general public.
If a Mercer County agency denies your Right-to-Know request, you have 15 business days to appeal to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records. The OOR makes the final call unless the matter goes to court. Most arrest records requests result in at least partial disclosure.
Finding Inmates Connected to Mercer County
People arrested in Mercer County are typically held at the county jail during their case. After conviction, those sentenced to state time are transferred to a Pennsylvania Department of Corrections facility. You can find state inmates using the free DOC Inmate Locator at inmatelocator.cor.pa.gov. Search by name or inmate number to see the facility, sentence, and expected release date.
For people still in county custody, contact the Mercer County Sheriff's Office or the county prison directly. The DOC locator only shows people in state facilities, not county jails. Mercer County borders Ohio, and some cases may involve cross-border activity, but all Pennsylvania arrests are tracked through the state systems regardless of where a person originally came from.
Nearby Counties
Mercer County borders several Pennsylvania counties and shares its western edge with Ohio. If an arrest occurred near a county line, you may need to check records in more than one place.