Somerset County Arrest Records
Somerset County arrest records are part of Pennsylvania's statewide criminal history system. The county seat is Somerset, located at 111 East Union Street in southwestern Pennsylvania. Most arrest records for Somerset County are found through the Pennsylvania State Police and the Unified Judicial System. Whether you need records for a specific person or want to look up court case details, Somerset County has clear paths for getting that information.
Somerset County Quick Facts
Somerset County Courthouse Records
The Somerset County Courthouse is located at 111 East Union Street, Somerset, PA 15501. Several offices inside the courthouse handle different types of records. The Clerk of Courts manages criminal court records. The Prothonotary handles civil documents and court filings. The Recorder of Deeds keeps land records going back to 1795. Court records in Somerset County date to the county's formation, making it one of the longer-running archives in the region.
The Clerk of Courts phone number is (814) 445-1435. The Prothonotary can be reached at (814) 445-1428. Both offices accept Right-to-Know requests in person or by mail. Somerset County follows the state's five-business-day response requirement for public record requests. If you are denied access, you may appeal to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records at openrecords.pa.gov.
| Courthouse |
Somerset County Courthouse 111 East Union Street Somerset, PA 15501 Phone: (814) 445-1473 |
|---|---|
| Clerk of Courts | Phone: (814) 445-1435 |
| Prothonotary | Phone: (814) 445-1428 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, standard business hours |
Somerset County Criminal History Search
The Pennsylvania State Police maintains the statewide criminal history database that includes Somerset County arrest records. The Pennsylvania State Police operates the PATCH system, which stands for Pennsylvania Access To Criminal History. This is the most complete source for criminal record checks in Somerset County and across the state.
The Pennsylvania State Police serves a large portion of Somerset County directly. Somerset County is rural and has limited municipal police coverage. Somerset Borough Police handles arrests within the borough, but State Police cover most of the county's rural townships and roads. All arrests made in Somerset County, whether by local or state officers, are reported to the statewide system.
The Pennsylvania State Police provides statewide coverage including rural Somerset County, where State Police respond to most calls outside of the Somerset Borough limits.
To request a Somerset County criminal history check through PATCH, visit epatch.state.pa.us. The fee is $22 for a standard check. You can also submit Form SP 4-164 by mail. The results cover all arrests recorded in Pennsylvania, not just Somerset County. This means any past charges in any county will show on the report.
Note: Notarized copies of PATCH results are available for an added fee if you need them for a legal matter or official purpose in Somerset County.
Somerset County Court Docket Search
The Unified Judicial System portal gives you free access to court dockets across all Pennsylvania counties, including Somerset. You can search by name, case number, or date of filing. The portal shows charges, hearing dates, and final dispositions. Multiple Magisterial District Courts serve Somerset County alongside the Court of Common Pleas. Court calendars are also published online through the portal.
The Unified Judicial System portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us lets you search Somerset County criminal dockets at no cost, showing charges, hearings, and final case outcomes.
When searching the UJS portal for Somerset County records, select Somerset County as your judicial district to narrow results. Criminal dockets show the charges filed, any bail set, hearing dates, and the final outcome of each case. Civil dockets are also available. Traffic court records appear under the Magisterial District Court dockets for Somerset County. For copies of actual court documents, contact the Clerk of Courts directly.
Public Access to Somerset County Records
Pennsylvania law governs who can access arrest records and criminal history files. The Criminal History Record Information Act (CHRIA), 18 Pa.C.S. § 9101, sets the rules for how criminal records are collected, kept, and shared in Pennsylvania. Under CHRIA, certain arrest records are public while others are restricted based on the outcome of the case.
The Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. § 67.101, also gives the public the right to request records from Somerset County government offices. You do not need a specific reason to submit a request. The county has five business days to respond. Somerset County may provide the records, deny the request with a reason, or request more time. If denied, you have the right to appeal to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records.
Arrest records in Somerset County that led to convictions are generally available to the public. Records for charges that were dismissed, withdrawn, or resulted in acquittal may be restricted or subject to expungement under Pennsylvania law. The Pennsylvania State Police handles expungement requests using Form SP 4-170. The filing fee for expungement is $170, and the process requires serving the petition on the Commonwealth attorney.
Note: If you want to have an arrest record removed from the PATCH database, you must file a petition for expungement in the Somerset County Court of Common Pleas and serve it on the appropriate parties.
Finding Inmates in Somerset County
If someone has been arrested and is currently held in custody, there are several ways to find them. Somerset County has a county prison that holds people awaiting trial or serving short sentences. For people serving longer state sentences, the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections operates the inmate locator tool at inmatelocator.cor.pa.gov.
The DOC locator covers all state correctional facilities in Pennsylvania. You can search by name or inmate number. The tool shows the person's location, their minimum and maximum release dates, and the facility where they are held. This is useful when someone has been transferred out of Somerset County to a state prison. For people still in the county facility, contact the Somerset County Prison directly.
Somerset County is in southwestern Pennsylvania, bordered by Cambria County to the north, Fayette County to the west, Westmoreland County to the northwest, and Bedford County to the east. A person arrested in a neighboring county will be in that county's system, not Somerset's.
Nearby Counties
Somerset County sits in the southwestern part of Pennsylvania. Several neighboring counties border it and have their own arrest records and court systems. If you are not sure which county handled a case, check which municipality or township the arrest took place in.