Search Cumberland County Clerk of Courts Records

About the Cumberland County Clerk of Courts

The Clerk of Courts is the official record keeper for all Criminal Division matters of the Court of Common Pleas. Every document tied to a criminal court case must be filed with this office. Dennis E. Lebo is listed as Clerk of Court, an office filled by county voters for a four-year term. All of its records are public except juvenile records and other non-public files.

Beyond record-keeping, the office collects costs and fines for the Court of Common Pleas. Because Pennsylvania splits its clerks, people often arrive at the wrong counter; the Clerk of Courts is the criminal office, while civil filings go to the Prothonotary down the hall. The contact details are below.

What the Clerk of Courts Does in Cumberland County

The office carries a wide set of duties on the criminal side of the court. It records and maintains case files, handles appeals, processes bail paperwork, and collects the money a court orders. It also performs several licensing and registration tasks that surprise many people. The main duties include the following.

• Record and maintain criminal dockets, including juvenile records that are non-public.
• Process appeals from summary convictions and appeals to state appellate courts.
• Handle bail paperwork and assess, collect, and distribute fines, costs, and restitution.
• Report criminal dispositions to state agencies.
• License private detectives, register constables, and maintain county road dockets.

The county profiles the office and its full responsibilities online. See the About Clerk of Courts page.

Criminal Records the Clerk Keeps

The Clerk of Courts holds the full record of a criminal case once it reaches the Court of Common Pleas. That begins when charges move up from a Magisterial District Court and continues through plea, trial, and sentencing. The office keeps the documents that show what happened at each stage.

• Criminal informations and the charging documents filed by the prosecutor.
• Pleas, verdicts, and sentencing orders.
• Bail papers and bond records.
• Appeals from summary convictions and appeals to the state appellate courts.
• Juvenile records, which are maintained but kept out of public view.

The office also maintains county road dockets and registers constables, two duties that sit oddly beside criminal files but are part of the role.

Court Costs, Fines, and Restitution

The Clerk of Courts is also the money office for criminal cases in Common Pleas. It assesses, collects, and distributes the fines, costs, and restitution a court orders. Restitution goes to victims, costs cover the system, and fines are the court's penalty. The office tracks payment plans and reports outcomes to state agencies, which is how a disposition reaches the statewide criminal record systems.

If you owe court costs or restitution in a Cumberland County case, this is the office that handles payment and balances. For payments tied to a citation or case, the statewide PAePay portal may also be an option when the case is eligible. Keep in mind that a case with one or more limited-access matters may not be payable online, because those cases are no longer publicly visible on the statewide portal, so the office handles them directly.

Searching Cumberland County Criminal Records

Criminal court files are searchable in two ways. The county says its online criminal court files run from 2001 forward, except juvenile and other non-public files, and update daily. For a broader search by name, docket number, or OTN, the statewide UJS Case Search is the better tool, since it covers Common Pleas and Magisterial District Court criminal cases across Pennsylvania.

The Clerk of Courts page links the criminal record search and office services. See the Clerk of Courts page.

Remember that a docket is public case information, not a certified criminal history, which only the Pennsylvania State Police provide. You can run a statewide search through the UJS Case Search.

A criminal docket here shows the CP docket number, the defendant, the charges with statute and grade, the arresting agency, bail entries, and each event from formal arraignment through sentencing. It also lists the financial obligations the office tracks. What it will not show is anything sealed: juvenile matters, expunged cases, and limited-access records drop off the public view, so a short or empty result may simply mean the record is protected rather than missing.

How to Request a Certified Copy

A certified copy of a criminal record is the version courts and agencies accept. The Clerk of Courts issues them for a fee. To get one, identify the case and bring or send the details to the office.

1. Identify the criminal case by docket number or defendant name.
2. Contact the Clerk of Courts in Room 205, by phone, or by email.
3. Request the certified document and pay the copy and certification fees.
4. Pick up the copy or arrange to receive it by mail.

Note: a per-name criminal search and certification each carry their own fee, listed below.

Records Request Details

Give the office enough to locate the file. A docket number is ideal, but a defendant name plus the document type works. The pieces below help the Clerk process a request smoothly.

Cumberland County Clerk of Courts Fees

The office charges set fees for searches, copies, and certifications, under a fee schedule effective January 1, 2026. The amounts below are current county figures. A petition to expunge or limit access carries the largest single fee.

The county posts its current fee schedule online. See the Clerk of Courts fee schedule.

Expungement and Limited Access Filings

The Clerk of Courts processes petitions to expunge or limit access to criminal records. Expungement removes qualifying criminal history record information under narrow conditions, while limited access shields qualifying records from public view without destroying every government copy. The office charges $155 for the petition, with a possible added miscellaneous fee and automation fee if the case is not currently at the common pleas level.

The grounds for expungement are set by state law. The full text is in 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122, with separate juvenile rules in section 9123. More on the difference between sealing and expungement is on the arrest records page.

After a court grants an order, the Clerk processes it and the record moves out of public view. The office reports the change so the state repository and affected agencies update their files. The practical path starts with identifying the docket, getting the right forms or legal help, filing in the proper court, serving the district attorney when required, and confirming the order is processed. Pennsylvania's adult expungement is narrow, so many people qualify only for limited access rather than full expungement.

Right-to-Know and the Clerk of Courts

Criminal case access mostly runs through the docket and the office directly, since court records follow the judiciary's own rules rather than the Right-to-Know process. Where a Right-to-Know request applies to a Clerk of Courts administrative record, the county routes it to clerkofcourts@cumberlandcountypa.gov. The full request process and form are covered on the public records page.

Related Cumberland County Resources

For civil filings, see the Prothonotary. For arrests and charges, see arrest records. For full case files, see court records, and for the courts themselves, see the Court of Common Pleas and Magisterial District Courts.