Union County Court Docket Records

Union County is located in central Pennsylvania along the west branch of the Susquehanna River, with Lewisburg as the county seat. Lewisburg is home to Bucknell University, which contributes to the county's character as a blend of rural and small-city communities. Union County is part of the 17th Judicial District, which it shares with neighboring Snyder County. Court records for Union County span criminal, civil, family, and orphans court matters and are accessible through the statewide UJS Portal without charge. Residents, legal professionals, and researchers can use the portal to search case dockets at both the Court of Common Pleas and Magisterial District Judge levels.

17th Judicial District of Pennsylvania

Union County is part of the 17th Judicial District of Pennsylvania, sharing the district with Snyder County. This two-county judicial district arrangement is common in central Pennsylvania, where individual county populations are modest enough that combining judicial resources provides a more efficient and cost-effective court system. Judges of the 17th Judicial District are elected within the combined district and may be assigned to hear cases in either Union or Snyder County. Local rules adopted by the district apply uniformly to both counties.

The Court of Common Pleas for the 17th Judicial District handles all major trial-level court business for Union County, including felony and misdemeanor criminal prosecutions, civil litigation, family court proceedings, and orphans court matters. Parties filing in Union County must comply with the local rules of the 17th Judicial District in addition to the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil and Criminal Procedure. These local rules can affect deadlines, motion practice, and specific filing requirements that may differ from the statewide defaults.

Note: Although Union and Snyder counties share the 17th Judicial District, each county maintains its own courthouse and independently manages its court records; confirm which courthouse handles your specific matter before visiting.

UJS Portal Access for Union County Dockets

The UJS Web Portal is the main online tool for searching Union County court records without charge. The portal provides docket information for cases at both the Court of Common Pleas and Magisterial District Judge levels, searchable by party name, docket number, attorney name, or date of birth. Union County Court of Common Pleas criminal dockets use the "CP-60" prefix, which is the state-assigned county code for Union County. MDJ cases in Union County use the "MJ-60" prefix.

The portal is updated on an ongoing basis as court staff enter case information and allows users to check case status, scheduled court dates, charges, bail conditions, attorney appearances, and final dispositions at any time. For Union County specifically, using the county code filter when searching by name avoids confusion with Snyder County (CP-55) cases filed in the same 17th Judicial District. The portal's free access makes it the most practical first step for anyone researching Union County court activity.

Note: When using the UJS Portal to search Union County records, filter results by the CP-60 or MJ-60 county code to distinguish Union County cases from those filed in Snyder County under the 17th Judicial District.

Union County Court of Common Pleas

The Union County Court of Common Pleas is the trial court of general jurisdiction for the county, operating as part of the 17th Judicial District. Criminal Division cases involve felony and misdemeanor charges filed under Pennsylvania law, and the court's docket records document each case from arraignment through sentencing and any post-sentence proceedings. The Clerk of Courts at the Union County Courthouse in Lewisburg maintains these criminal records and provides copies and certified documents to parties and members of the public upon request.

Civil cases in the Union County Court of Common Pleas include contract disputes, real estate matters, personal injury claims, and other civil actions within the court's jurisdiction. The Prothonotary's office maintains civil docket records and assists with filing requirements and document requests. Family court proceedings handled by the court include custody, support, and divorce matters, as well as protection from abuse cases. The Orphans Court Division handles estate administration, guardianships, and adoptions filed in Union County.

Note: The Union County Courthouse in Lewisburg operates on regular weekday business hours; contacting the relevant office before visiting helps confirm current hours and any specific requirements for the type of record you are seeking.

Magisterial District Judge Courts in Union County

Union County is served by Magisterial District Judge courts that handle the earliest stages of criminal proceedings, summary offense cases, and small civil disputes. MDJ courts are the first point of contact with the court system for many Union County residents who encounter a traffic violation, a minor criminal charge, or a small civil dispute. Preliminary arraignments and preliminary hearings for criminal defendants are conducted before an MDJ, with cases that are bound for trial advancing to the Court of Common Pleas.

MDJ dockets for Union County are searchable through the UJS Case Search. Summary offense cases resolved at the MDJ level are documented in the statewide MDJS system and are accessible through the UJS Portal. Small civil judgments entered by MDJ courts in Union County can be enforced through the Court of Common Pleas if the judgment debtor does not comply with the judgment voluntarily within the applicable time period.

Note: MDJ courts in Union County serve specific geographic districts; confirm the correct MDJ jurisdiction for your borough or township before filing any matter at the MDJ level.

Criminal Records in Union County

Criminal records for Union County cases are publicly accessible through the UJS Portal and provide the complete case docket including all charges, court dates, bail conditions, attorney appearances, pleas or verdicts, and sentencing outcomes. The docket is the official public record of the case and reflects every formal step taken from the filing of charges through the conclusion of the matter. Unless a record has been sealed or a defendant has obtained an expungement order, these records remain available to the public.

For a statewide criminal history report that draws on Union County dispositions along with records from all other Pennsylvania counties, the PATCH system maintained by the Pennsylvania State Police is the appropriate resource. PATCH is accessible online and charges a modest fee per record request. The PATCH report provides a summary-level overview of an individual's criminal history based on disposition data submitted by Pennsylvania courts. Combining PATCH with a UJS Portal docket search provides both the formal summary and the detailed procedural record for Union County cases.

Note: PATCH reports reflect only finalized case dispositions; open or pending Union County criminal cases will appear in the UJS Portal but may not yet be reflected in a PATCH report.

Requesting Copies and Understanding Public Access

Certified copies and physical documents from Union County court cases are available from the appropriate courthouse office in Lewisburg. The Clerk of Courts handles criminal record requests, and the Prothonotary manages civil filings. Standard copy fees of $0.25 per page apply to non-certified documents, with additional charges for certification. In-person requests can be made during regular business hours, and mail requests should include sufficient case identifying information along with payment for anticipated copy costs.

The Pennsylvania courts public records policy governs access to Union County court records and establishes the presumption that court records are open to the public. Exceptions exist for juvenile records, sealed cases, expunged records, and certain protected family court filings. The 17th Judicial District local rules may also affect specific access procedures for Union County records. Aggregate court statistics for Union County and the 17th Judicial District are part of the annual reports published by the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts on the Pennsylvania courts statistics page.

Note: Individuals who have received an expungement order for a Union County case should follow up with the Clerk of Courts to confirm that the record has been removed from public databases including the UJS Portal.

Nearby Counties

Union County borders Snyder, Northumberland, Lycoming, and Centre counties, all of which have court dockets searchable through the Pennsylvania UJS Portal.

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