Search Beaver Court Records

BeaverCountyCourt.us is not a consumer reporting agency as defined by the FCRA and does not provide consumer reports.
All searches conducted on BeaverCountyCourt.us are subject to the Terms of Service and Privacy Notice.

  1. Beaver County Court
  2. Beaver County Arrest Records

Beaver County, Pennsylvania Arrest Records

Beaver County arrest records are records created by an arresting agency, typically the Beaver County Sheriff's Office, that contain the details of an arrest. Other police departments, like the Beaver Valley Regional Police Department and the Beaver Police Department, also create and maintain arrest records in the county.

Arrest records are generally public information in the county, but are also subject to the Criminal History Record Information Act (18 Pa.C.S. Chapter 91), which controls how law enforcement agencies compile and disclose criminal history records. 

Are Arrest Records Public Information in Beaver, Pennsylvania?

Yes. The Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law presumes all government records, including Beaver County arrest records, which are generally held by law enforcement, to be open for public inspection. This means that anyone can contact a criminal justice agency in Beaver County to access an arrest record, provided the record is not confidential. Confidential arrest information has limited access and is not open to the public. Members of the public seeking access to confidential information will have to receive authorization from the court.

What Do Public Beaver County Arrest Records Contain?

In Beaver County, the content of an arrest record is generally split into public and non-public information. The publicly accessible content of a Beaver County arrest record includes 

  • The arrestee's identifying information: Full name, age, gender, mugshot, and physical descriptors, such as hair color, eye color, and bodily markings.
  • The logistics of the arrest: Date, time, and location of the arrest.
  • The criminal charges associated with the arrest
  • The arresting agency
  • Booking details: Booking date, booking number, and bond

The non-public content of an arrest record generally includes

  • The arrestee's sensitive personal details, such as their social security number or phone number
  • The identities of certain crime victims
  • Transcripts of law enforcement interrogation or interview with a suspect
  • The arrestee's fingerprint card

Beaver County, Pennsylvania Arrest Search

In Pennsylvania, arrest records are retained by the Pennsylvania State Police. The police preserve the arrest record of all individuals arrested within the state's borders, along with their dispositions and convictions. These details and documents collectively form an individual's criminal record. An individual's criminal record is only obtainable by them, their client, a potential employer, or their attorney. A request can be made on the PATCH website or by completing and mailing the SP 4–164 form to the department.

Individuals can also obtain their arrest records from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) online, by mail, or via an approved channeler. The FBI's report, which is commonly known as a rap sheet, covers a person's criminal history in the United States.

Beaver County Inmate Locator

The Beaver County Prison Department, managed by a Warden, is responsible for the creation and preservation of inmate records in the county. Individuals arrested in the county are usually kept in the county jail under the supervision of corrections officers. To locate an inmate, researchers may call the Beaver County jail at (724) 378-8177. Inquirers who want to search for an inmate online may use third-party services, as Beaver County does provide a tool for locating inmates in the county jail.

Active Warrant Search in Beaver County

An arrest warrant is a written directive ordering law enforcement to arrest someone accused of a crime. Warrants are exclusively issued by judges, such as a Magisterial District Judge or a Common Pleas Judge, when they receive a complaint and an affidavit from a law enforcement officer showing sufficient evidence that the person accused in the complaint committed the said crime. A warrant of arrest may also be issued if an individual fails to appear in court or comply with a court order. Such warrants of arrest are commonly known as bench warrants.

A valid warrant generally details the name of the suspect, the alleged offense, the arrest command, and the title and signature of the issuing judge. After a warrant is issued in the county, it is handed over to the Beaver County Sheriff's Office for service. These warrants can generally be accessed by the public unless they are sealed in accordance with Pa.R.Crim.P. Rule 513.1. An arrest warrant may be sealed at the request of the attorney of the Commonwealth if good cause exists and can remain sealed for up to 60 days. To access the list of active warrants in Beaver County, individuals may contact the Sheriff's Office.

Agency / Resource

Purpose

Search Methods

Notes

Beaver County Sheriff’s Office

Maintains and serves warrants

Phone, in person

Phone inquiry is the most convenient way of searching for an arrest warrant.

How to Find Arrest Records for Free in Beaver County

There are several ways to access an arrest record in Beaver County. Researchers may visit the arresting agency's office, submit a Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law Request (RTKL) Form to the Sheriff's Office, or search the Pennsylvania UJS Case Search Portal. 

Submitting an RTKL form incurs fees because it involves the duplication of the record. Searching for the arrest record on the UJS Case Search Portal is generally free. However, confidential arrest information is not accessible through the portal, and only arrests that resulted in a case may be found on the portal. 

Individuals who choose to access the record in person at the arresting agency or Sheriff's Office may not be charged a fee if a copy of the record is not requested. Confidential details that are generally not accessible through other means can be viewed in person. However, the inquirer must provide their ID, so the office may verify if they have authorization to view those details.

Beaver County Arrest Report

An arrest report in Beaver County is a document prepared by the arresting officer immediately after an arrest is made that narrates in detail what they saw, how they responded, the actions they took during the arrest, witnesses or victims they spoke to, and other important information. Individuals should not confuse this report with the official record of arrest. The arrest record is a summary document containing only information that confirms that an individual was detained. Arrest reports are primarily maintained by the arresting agency and are generally not open to the public.

How to Get an Arrest Record Expunged in Beaver County

An expungement in Beaver County permanently erases an arrest entry from law enforcement records as though the arrest never happened. This is useful to individuals who want a clean slate and a fresh start in society after being arrested. 

The expungement process in the county and in all of Pennsylvania is regulated by 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122. The state's expungement law is fairly narrow compared to some other states, as most adult convictions are not eligible unless they fall into specific categories. Expungement is divided into two big buckets: mandatory expungement and discretionary expungement. 

Both types of expungement have their respective eligibility requirements. 

Individuals are eligible for a mandatory expungement if

  • There was no disposition on their arrest within 18 months of the arrest
  • They were not convicted by the court
  • They received a full (unconditional) pardon
  • They received a conviction under 18 Pa.C.S. § 6308 if aged 18 to 20 at the time of commission

Individuals should note that a mandatory expungement does not mean an automatic expungement. Eligible persons still have to file a petition for expungement in court.

Below is the basic eligibility criteria for a discretionary expungement.

  • If the individual is at least 70 years old and has been arrest-free for 10 years.
  • Deceased individuals may be eligible after 3 years
  • Individuals with convictions for summary offenses (e.g., disorderly conduct) and 5 arrest-free years have passed

A discretionary expungement means it is within the court's discretion to approve or deny the request.

To file for expungement, petitioners may submit the Expungement Petition Form - 490 (for low-level summary offenses) or the Expungement Petition Form - 790 (for Court of Common Pleas offenses) to the Beaver County Clerk of Courts Office.

How Do You Remove Beaver County Arrest Records From the Internet?

The process of removing Beaver County arrest records published on the internet slightly differs from the expungement of records from law enforcement and court databases. An arrest record can be removed from law enforcement and court databases by obtaining an expungement order from the court. However, the expungement may not affect records that still linger on private websites. As such, individuals may need to take extra steps to remove the records from these private websites.

To remove an arrest record from the internet after obtaining an expungement order, individuals may

  • Request de-indexing from search engine sites. This does not remove the record from websites, but removes specific links from showing up when someone searches the individual's name. This also helps with hiding news that contained the arrest, as news outlets are protected by the First Amendment and cannot be legally obligated to take down the news.
  • Mail a copy of the order to private background checking companies that may have a copy of the record in their database.
  • Employ the services of private companies that can surf the internet to remove the record from websites.