Bethlehem Court Records Access
Bethlehem court records are maintained primarily through Northampton County, which handles most criminal, civil, and family matters for this city of about 75,000 people in the Lehigh Valley. Bethlehem is unique in that parts of the city fall within Lehigh County as well, meaning that some cases may be filed in either county depending on the address of the property or party involved. Most Bethlehem residents interact with the Northampton County Court of Common Pleas, located in Easton, the county seat. Multiple Magisterial District Courts serve the Bethlehem area for minor cases. You can search many Bethlehem court records for free at ujsportal.pacourts.us.
Bethlehem Quick Facts
Where to Find Bethlehem Court Records
Most Bethlehem court records are filed at the Northampton County Court of Common Pleas in Easton, Pennsylvania. The Northampton County Courthouse in Easton is where the Criminal Division, Civil Division, and Family Court operate. For the portion of Bethlehem that lies within Lehigh County, records go to the Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas at 455 West Hamilton Street in Allentown. When searching Bethlehem court records, check which county the relevant address falls in to determine the right courthouse.
| Primary Court | Northampton County Court of Common Pleas |
|---|---|
| Location | Easton, PA (Northampton County Seat) |
| Website | northamptoncounty.org |
| Lehigh County Court | 455 West Hamilton Street, Allentown, PA 18101 |
| Lehigh County Website | lehighcounty.org |
The Northampton County Court of Common Pleas handles criminal, civil, family, and probate matters for the majority of Bethlehem. Multiple Magisterial District Courts serve the Bethlehem area for traffic violations, summary offenses, landlord-tenant cases, preliminary hearings, and small civil claims up to $12,000. All MDJ and Common Pleas dockets are searchable through the UJS Portal regardless of which county the case is in.
How to Search Bethlehem Court Records
The UJS Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us is the best free tool for searching Bethlehem court records. A single name search returns results from both Northampton and Lehigh County courts, so you do not need to search each county separately. The portal covers Magisterial District Court cases and Court of Common Pleas cases. Docket sheets show charges, hearing dates, judge names, and case status at no charge.
For in-person searches of Northampton County records, visit the courthouse in Easton during business hours. For Lehigh County records, visit the courthouse at 455 West Hamilton Street in Allentown. Both courthouses maintain separate Clerk of Courts and Prothonotary offices. Staff can pull records by name or case number. Bring valid photo ID. Call ahead to confirm current hours and copy fees before your visit.
The Northampton County website at northamptoncounty.org and the Lehigh County website at lehighcounty.org both provide contact information, guidance on record requests, and links to court offices for Bethlehem cases in each county.
Note: The PATCH system at epatch.pa.gov provides statewide criminal history checks for $22 per person and covers both Northampton and Lehigh County records for Bethlehem residents.
Types of Cases and Court Records in Bethlehem
Bethlehem court records cover criminal, civil, family, and traffic cases. Minor cases and preliminary hearings go through the Magisterial District Courts that serve the Bethlehem area. Traffic violations, summary offenses, small civil claims under $12,000, and landlord-tenant disputes all start at the MDJ level. Felonies move from MDJ preliminary hearings to the Court of Common Pleas. Misdemeanors may be resolved at either level depending on the nature of the case.
The Northampton County Court of Common Pleas in Easton handles the full criminal prosecution of felony cases from Bethlehem. The Criminal Division manages felonies and misdemeanors. The Civil Division handles major lawsuits. Family Court takes on divorce, custody, and support matters. Orphans' Court handles estates and probate. For the small portion of Bethlehem in Lehigh County, the same types of cases go through the Lehigh County court system in Allentown.
Bethlehem Criminal Court Records
Criminal court records for Bethlehem residents typically start at the local Magisterial District Court. Summary offenses may be handled entirely at that level. Felony cases receive preliminary hearings at the MDJ court and then move to the Northampton County Court of Common Pleas for full prosecution. Both sets of records appear on the UJS Portal under different docket numbers. When searching by name, both MDJ and Common Pleas records will appear in the same search results.
The Northampton County Clerk of Courts office in Easton maintains all criminal records at the Common Pleas level for Bethlehem cases. This includes charging documents, court orders, sentencing records, and docket entries. You can search online for free through the UJS Portal or request records in person during business hours at the Easton courthouse. The Northampton County website at northamptoncounty.org has contact information for the Clerk of Courts office.
The Bethlehem Police Department at bethlehem-pa.gov handles police records requests including incident and accident reports through the city's Right-to-Know process.
Police records from the Bethlehem Police Department are separate from court records and require a separate request through the city's Right-to-Know process.
Bethlehem Civil Court Records
Civil court records for Bethlehem cases in Northampton County are filed with the Prothonotary at the Northampton County Courthouse in Easton. This office maintains civil case files for personal injury suits, contract disputes, mortgage foreclosures, and other civil matters. For the portion of Bethlehem in Lehigh County, civil records go to the Lehigh County Prothonotary at Room 132 of the Allentown courthouse. Both sets of records are searchable through the UJS Portal.
Family court records for Bethlehem residents go to the Family Court division of whichever county the case belongs to. Divorce, custody, and support cases in Northampton County are handled in Easton. Those in Lehigh County go to Allentown. The UJS Portal will show both county records in a name search, making it easier to find Bethlehem court records regardless of which county the case is filed in.
Note: Bethlehem spans two counties, so when searching for civil court records it helps to know which side of the county line the relevant address falls on. The UJS Portal name search returns results from both counties simultaneously.
Accessing Bethlehem Court Records
Bethlehem court records are public under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law (65 P.S. § 67.101) and the Electronic Case Record Public Access Policy under 204 Pa. Code § 213.81. Most docket information is free and available through the UJS Portal. Full document images and certified copies require a visit to the appropriate courthouse or a written request to the relevant court office.
Sealed records, juvenile records, and expunged cases are not publicly accessible in Bethlehem or anywhere else in Pennsylvania. If a record does not appear in an online search, it may be filed under a different spelling, sealed, or expunged. Try alternate name spellings when searching Bethlehem court records on the UJS Portal to confirm a record does not exist before concluding the search.
Northampton County Court Records
Most of Bethlehem is in Northampton County, and those court cases go through the Northampton County court system. For more on county court offices, related records, and resources, visit the county court records page.
Nearby Pennsylvania Cities
Residents of nearby Pennsylvania cities file court cases at their own county courthouse. Select a city below to find court record information for that area.