Delaware County Background Check and Criminal Records

Delaware County criminal records and background check information are available through county offices in Media and through statewide Pennsylvania tools. With over 576,000 residents, Delaware County is one of the largest suburban counties in the Philadelphia region. The Court of Common Pleas handles felony cases, misdemeanor appeals, and other serious criminal matters. The Office of Judicial Support in Media serves as the central location for accessing Delaware County criminal and civil court records. This page explains how to run a background check and find criminal history information for anyone with ties to Delaware County.

Delaware County Criminal Record System

Delaware County is located in southeastern Pennsylvania, directly west of Philadelphia and adjacent to the city limits. The county seat is Media, a small borough where the Delaware County Government Center houses the main court offices. With more than half a million residents spread across dozens of municipalities, Delaware County generates a high volume of court activity each year, making organized record access important for attorneys, researchers, and members of the public.

Delaware County made a notable administrative change by consolidating the former Clerk of Courts and Prothonotary functions into a single office called the Office of Judicial Support. This office manages both criminal and civil court records from one location at 201 West Front Street in Media. The Criminal Division handles all felony case files, misdemeanor appeals, summary appeals, bail records, and appellate filings. The Civil Division manages civil suits, liens, judgments, and related matters.

The Delaware County government website at delcopa.gov serves as the main online hub for county services. From there, residents can find contact information for the Office of Judicial Support, the Sheriff, and the Open Records office. Criminal dockets for cases filed in Delaware County are also searchable online through the statewide UJS Portal, which is free and requires no registration for basic case lookups.

How to Search Delaware County Background Check Records

Searching Delaware County criminal records starts with the Unified Judicial System Portal. This free statewide tool allows name-based searches across all Pennsylvania courts. Enter the subject's name in Last, First format, then filter by Delaware County and the criminal case category. Results show docket sheets with charges, hearing dates, dispositions, and sentences. The portal covers both the Court of Common Pleas and all Magisterial District Courts in Delaware County.

For an official Pennsylvania background check, the PATCH system through the Pennsylvania State Police is the proper route. PATCH draws on the central statewide criminal history repository and returns certified results covering all counties, not just Delaware. In-person requests at the Office of Judicial Support in Media are also an option for those who need certified copies of specific case documents. Staff can search by name or case number and provide copies for a statutory fee.

Note: The Office of Judicial Support does not accept personal checks for payment; money orders, attorney checks, and major credit cards are the accepted forms of payment when requesting records in Delaware County.

Delaware County Office of Judicial Support

The Delaware County government consolidated its court record offices into the Office of Judicial Support to streamline public access. Both criminal and civil court records are maintained at this single location in Media. The Criminal Division handles case files for all felony prosecutions, misdemeanor appeals, ARD records, and post-conviction matters including expungement petitions. Criminal case records from the OJS are also accessible online through the UJS Portal for docket-level information.

Criminal dockets in Delaware County contain detailed case information. Each docket shows the defendant's name and date of birth, all charges with statute citations and offense grades, bail conditions, preliminary hearing outcomes, plea entries, trial dates, final dispositions, and sentencing details such as probation terms, fines, costs, and restitution orders. Certified copies of these records carry the official court seal and are accepted for legal purposes. Simple copies are available for one dollar per page, while certified documents carry a six-dollar certification fee.

The Delaware County Sheriff maintains warrant information and handles civil process service from the same Government Center location. The Sheriff's office phone number is (610) 891-4290. For warrant verification or civil process questions, contact the Sheriff directly. The Prothonotary functions that handle civil litigation, liens, and Protection From Abuse orders are also part of the Office of Judicial Support's Civil Division, reachable at (610) 891-4269.

Pennsylvania PATCH System and UJS Portal Access

The Pennsylvania State Police PATCH system at pa.gov/agencies/psp provides the most complete background check available for Delaware County residents and anyone who has lived or been prosecuted in Pennsylvania. PATCH covers all felonies and misdemeanors in the statewide criminal history repository. Requesters create an account, submit the subject's full name and date of birth, and receive results electronically within seven to fourteen business days. Some requests need manual review if the name generates multiple potential matches.

Act 153 of 2014 created three-clearance requirements for positions involving direct contact with children. Organizations in Delaware County that work with minors must collect a PATCH-based criminal history check, a Pennsylvania child abuse history clearance from the DHS COMPASS portal, and an FBI fingerprint-based check. These clearances must be renewed every sixty months. Fingerprinting for the FBI check is done at authorized IDEMIA sites located throughout Delaware County and the surrounding Philadelphia region.

The UJS Portal offers free public access to Delaware County criminal dockets. Users can search by name or case number and filter by court type and case status. The portal is available around the clock and works on desktop and mobile browsers. For mobile use, the PAeDocket app for Apple and Android devices provides the same search functions with a mobile-optimized interface. Basic docket information is free; obtaining physical copies requires contacting the Office of Judicial Support.

Public Records Access in Delaware County

Delaware County maintains a dedicated Open Records Office to handle Right-to-Know Law requests from the public. Residents can submit requests for records held by county agencies including incident reports, arrest logs, court dockets already in the public record, and certain administrative documents. The Open Records Office can be reached at (610) 891-4720 or by email at openrecords@co.delaware.pa.us. Formal requests may also be submitted in writing to the Delaware County Government Center in Media.

The Delaware County Open Records office processes requests under Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law. Agencies have five business days to respond, with the option to extend by thirty days for complex requests. If a request is denied, the requester may appeal to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records in Harrisburg. The OOR publishes decisions that set precedent for what types of records must be disclosed across all counties. Criminal history records specifically are not available through right-to-know requests to the county, since PSP is the official custodian of that data.

Note: Certain law enforcement records are exempt from disclosure under Section 708 of the Right-to-Know Law, including records that would compromise ongoing investigations or identify confidential informants.

Megan's Law Registry in Delaware County

The Pennsylvania Megan's Law sex offender registry at pameganslaw.state.pa.us is maintained by the Pennsylvania State Police and covers all registered offenders living, working, or attending school in Delaware County. Searches can be filtered by county, borough, township, or a geographic radius from any address. Registry listings include the offender's name, current photograph, home and work addresses, vehicle information, offense history, and tier classification.

Delaware County's population density and proximity to Philadelphia mean the registry contains a significant number of listings compared to rural counties. The PSP updates the registry regularly and conducts periodic compliance verifications with local law enforcement. Users can sign up for email alerts to receive notifications when a registered offender moves into or out of a specified area within or near Delaware County. This free service provides an ongoing way to monitor changes to the registry without repeated manual searches.

Clean Slate and Expungement in Delaware County

Pennsylvania's Clean Slate law under 18 Pa.C.S. Section 9122.2 provides automatic sealing of qualifying misdemeanor convictions after ten years. No petition is needed. Once sealed, records no longer appear in standard public criminal background check searches. This applies to Delaware County records just as it does statewide. Sealed records remain accessible to law enforcement and certain licensing boards but are invisible to the general public and most background check queries.

Expungement fully removes a record from the criminal history database, rather than just sealing it. Qualifying cases include dismissed charges, not-guilty verdicts, and successfully completed ARD programs. Delaware County residents seeking expungement must file a petition with the Court of Common Pleas at the Government Center in Media. Once the court grants the order, a certified copy goes to the Pennsylvania State Police, which then removes the record and coordinates with the FBI for records that were shared with federal databases.

The Criminal History Record Information Act at 18 Pa.C.S. Section 9101 sets the rules for how criminal records can be collected and used in Pennsylvania. Those who believe their rights under CHRIA have been violated may seek civil remedies including actual damages. Delaware County residents with questions about expungement or Clean Slate eligibility should consult with a Pennsylvania attorney or contact a local legal aid organization for guidance.

Cities in Delaware County

Delaware County includes many municipalities, from large townships to small boroughs. Upper Darby is among the most populous communities in the county, bordering the city of Philadelphia to the east. Court cases from across Delaware County are consolidated at the Office of Judicial Support in Media, making it the single point of contact for criminal record requests regardless of which municipality a case originated in.

Neighboring Pennsylvania Counties

Delaware County shares borders with Philadelphia to the northeast, Chester County to the west, and Montgomery County to the north. If you need records from a neighboring county, each maintains its own court offices and public records staff.

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