Lebanon County Criminal Background Check Records
Lebanon County background check records are accessible through the Pennsylvania State Police PATCH system and the statewide UJS Portal. Lebanon County is located in south-central Pennsylvania and has a population of approximately 142,000 residents. The county seat is Lebanon city, and the Court of Common Pleas handles all criminal prosecutions at the county level. This page explains how to find Lebanon County criminal court records through state tools and the local Clerk of Courts office.
Lebanon County Quick Facts
Lebanon County Background Check Records Overview
Lebanon County was founded in 1813 and covers a largely agricultural region known as the Lebanon Valley. The county sits between Dauphin County to the north, Schuylkill County to the east, Berks County to the south, and Lancaster County to the west. Lebanon city is the county seat and home to the Lebanon County Courthouse at 400 South 8th Street. The Court of Common Pleas holds jurisdiction over all felony criminal cases and misdemeanor appeals in the county.
The Lebanon County website at lebcounty.org has had connection issues. As a result, the most dependable approach to searching Lebanon County background check records is through state tools. The UJS Portal and PATCH system include all Lebanon County court data and remain consistently available online. In-person requests at the Clerk of Courts are also an option for those who need certified copies or older records not yet in the digital system.
Lebanon County criminal court records include felony prosecutions, misdemeanor appeals, summary appeals, and Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) files. Each record provides a full picture of the criminal case from the initial complaint through sentencing and any post-conviction proceedings. The county's smaller size means that record requests are often processed quickly at the courthouse level.
How to Find Lebanon County Criminal Records
The UJS Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us is the best starting point for a Lebanon County background check search. The portal is free to use and does not require an account. You can search by participant name, docket number, or police incident number. Filtering by county narrows results to Lebanon County cases only. Each result links to a full docket sheet showing charges, court dates, bail information, plea entries, and final disposition. The portal covers all court levels from Magisterial District Courts through the Court of Common Pleas and appellate courts.
For an official statewide criminal background check, the PATCH system run by the Pennsylvania State Police is the right tool. PATCH pulls data from the central criminal history repository and covers all 67 Pennsylvania counties including Lebanon County. Requests require account creation and typically return results within 7 to 14 business days. For in-person record requests, visit the Lebanon County Clerk of Courts at 400 South 8th Street, Lebanon, PA 17042, or call (717) 228-4411 during business hours.
Note: Because the Lebanon County website has experienced connectivity problems, state tools are the most reliable way to begin your background check research for this county.
Lebanon County Clerk of Courts Office
The UJS Portal shown above includes all criminal case dockets from the Lebanon County Court of Common Pleas. The Lebanon County Clerk of Courts handles in-person access to these records and accepts requests by mail as well. The Clerk's office is the legal keeper of all criminal court files for cases processed in Lebanon County. Staff can perform name searches and provide plain or certified copies of court records. Fees are set by state statute.
| Office | Lebanon County Clerk of Courts |
|---|---|
| Address | Lebanon County Courthouse 400 South 8th Street Lebanon, PA 17042 |
| Phone | (717) 228-4411 |
| Website | lebcounty.org/clerk-of-courts |
| UJS Portal | ujsportal.pacourts.us |
Lebanon County criminal court records contain detailed case information. Each file typically shows the defendant's name and date of birth, charges with statute citations, the grade of the offense (felony or misdemeanor), offense dates, bail records, all court hearing dates and their outcomes, dispositions, and sentencing details including incarceration terms, probation, fines, and court costs. Appeal records are kept as part of the same case file. Civil records in Lebanon County are held by the Lebanon County Prothonotary, which maintains Protection from Abuse orders, civil judgments, and family court filings. Active warrant records are managed by the Lebanon County Sheriff.
PATCH and UJS Portal for Lebanon County Records
The PATCH system is Pennsylvania's official criminal history database. It is managed by the Pennsylvania State Police and compiles criminal records from all courts across the state. For anyone researching background check information in Lebanon County, PATCH provides the most thorough and official result. You can begin a PATCH request at pa.gov/agencies/psp. The process involves creating an account, submitting identification, and paying the applicable fee. Standard requests typically return results within two weeks.
The Pennsylvania State Police system shown above is the authoritative source for statewide criminal history in Lebanon County and across all of Pennsylvania. For free public access to case dockets, the UJS Portal is the companion tool. It covers every court level in all 67 counties and is searchable by name, docket number, or case type. Each docket sheet includes the case caption, all charges, attorney information, bail details, scheduled hearings, plea entries, and final dispositions. The UJS Portal also supports mobile searches through the PAeDocket application available for iOS and Android. Keep in mind that the portal notes its data may have brief processing delays for recent filings.
Public Records and Right-to-Know in Lebanon County
Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law gives the public the right to access government records from state and county agencies. Most criminal court records in Lebanon County are public documents that anyone may request. The Pennsylvania Office of Open Records administers this law and handles disputes when agencies deny access to records. Residents can use the Right-to-Know Law to request records from the Lebanon County Clerk of Courts, the Sheriff, and other county offices.
To request records under the Right-to-Know Law in Lebanon County, submit a written request to the designated open records officer for the agency. The agency has five business days to respond. Denials can be appealed to the Office of Open Records within 15 business days. The Office of Open Records website at openrecords.pa.gov has request form templates, guidance on what records are typically available, and a searchable database of past appeal decisions.
Certain records are not subject to public disclosure. Juvenile criminal records are generally protected from public access. Records sealed by a court order and records related to ongoing investigations may also be withheld. Expunged records are completely removed from the public record and will not appear in searches conducted through the UJS Portal or PATCH system.
Note: For Lebanon County records that predate the online UJS system, in-person requests at the Clerk of Courts office may be necessary to locate older case files.
Lebanon County Sex Offender Registry
The Pennsylvania Megan's Law Registry lets the public search for registered sex offenders in Lebanon County. The registry is maintained by the Pennsylvania State Police and is available at pameganslaw.state.pa.us. Searches can be filtered by county, municipality, or geographic radius. Each listing includes the offender's name, photo, address, employment location, offense history, and registration compliance status.
Pennsylvania uses a three-tier classification system for sex offenders under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Tier I offenders register for 15 years, Tier II for 25 years, and Tier III for life. The tier level reflects the severity of the offense. The public registry for Lebanon County is updated regularly based on required registrations and compliance checks performed by local law enforcement. Free email alert subscriptions are available through the registry website and notify subscribers when a registered offender moves into or out of a specified area in Lebanon County.
The Megan's Law search shown above can be filtered specifically for Lebanon County. The registry does not replace an official background check but serves as an important supplemental resource for community safety in the Lebanon Valley region.
Clean Slate and Expungement in Lebanon County
Pennsylvania's Clean Slate law at 18 Pa.C.S. Section 9122.2 provides automatic sealing for certain misdemeanor convictions older than 10 years when all court-ordered restitution has been satisfied. Sealing happens automatically without the need to file a petition. Once sealed, those records do not appear in standard criminal background check searches through the PATCH system or other public tools. The Clean Slate law applies to Lebanon County residents just as it does to residents of any other Pennsylvania county.
Expungement goes further than sealing by removing the record entirely from criminal history databases. Pennsylvania law allows expungement for cases that were dismissed, resulted in a not-guilty verdict, or were resolved through a completed ARD program. In Lebanon County, the expungement petition is filed with the Court of Common Pleas. Once the judge signs the order, both the Lebanon County Clerk of Courts and the Pennsylvania State Police process the removal. The criminal history record information act under 18 Pa.C.S. Section 9101 governs how all criminal history data may be collected, stored, and used in Pennsylvania. Certain serious offenses, including violent felonies and sexual offenses, are excluded from both Clean Slate sealing and expungement eligibility.
Nearby Counties
Lebanon County borders Dauphin, Schuylkill, Berks, and Lancaster counties in south-central Pennsylvania. If you need criminal records for someone who may have lived in a neighboring area, use the links below to find the right county court.