Search Butler Court Records

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

  1. Butler County Court
  2. Butler County Arrest Records

Butler County, Pennsylvania Arrest Records

A Butler County arrest record is a document containing the details of an arrest that occurred in the county. These records are typically produced and maintained by the Butler County Sheriff's Office and local police departments, such as the Cranberry Township Police Department and the Butler Township Police Department.

Arrest records are presumed public under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, granting members of the public access to arrest information. However, the release of arrest information recorded in an individual's official criminal record is regulated by 18 Pa.C.S. Chapter 91.

Are Arrest Records Public Information in Butler, Pennsylvania?

Yes. Arrest records in Butler County are considered to be public records under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law. The law acknowledges the need for the public to be informed about the actions of government agencies, including law enforcement. As such, members of the public may request access to an arrest record from a law enforcement agency's office. Requesters are not obligated to provide the reason for their request, although an ID might be required if requesting in person at the agency's office. 

What Do Public Butler County Arrest Records Contain?

The following details can be found in a public arrest record in Butler County:

  • The identity of the accused, including their full legal name, gender, race, and date of birth 
  • The details of the arrest incident, including the arresting agency, the arrest date and time, and the location
  • The arrest charges
  • Booking information, such as the booking date, the detainee's housing unit in jail, and their booking number
  • The bond amount (if applicable)

These public-facing components are not the only contents of a Butler County arrest record. Some details in a record are exempt from public disclosure due to privacy or security reasons. In certain cases, the whole record may be kept private for a while. For example, under Section 708 of the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, any record relating to or resulting in a criminal investigation is exempt from public disclosure.

Other records exempt from public disclosure in Butler County include

  • Juvenile records
  • An officer's body cam footage
  • An individual's biometric information
  • Sensitive personal information of the arrestee

Butler County, Pennsylvania Arrest Search

Butler County arrest records are maintained by local law enforcement agencies, the Pennsylvania State Police, and federally by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). For locally maintained records, individuals may visit the arresting agency's office to make a request.

However, individuals who want to access their arrest record, as well as their complete criminal history record, which comprises their convictions and sentences across the state, may go through the Pennsylvania State Police. A record request can be made on the PATCH website or by submitting the SP 4–164 form to the department by mail. A request costs $22.

The FBI also issues records similar to those issued by the Pennsylvania State Police, but the FBI's records cover an individual's history across the United States. Individuals can request their records online, by mail, or through an approved channeler.

Butler County Inmate Locator

Butler County houses all its adult detainees, including newly arrested individuals, in the Butler County Prison. Unlike many states where the Sheriff's Office runs the jail, Pennsylvania employs a different structure for county-level correctional facilities. The jail is an independent county department managed by a Warden who answers to a Prison Board, such as the Butler County Prison Board.

The prison does not maintain a public, searchable online inmate or jail roster, so members of the public generally cannot perform an online search of the jail's records. However, individuals can verify if a person is in jail and obtain basic arrest information about an inmate by calling the jail at (724) 284-5256. 

Active Warrant Search in Butler County

An arrest warrant is a binding directive issued by the court that authorizes law enforcement to find and arrest an individual. Every arrest warrant (except bench warrants) requires a demonstration of probable cause supported by a written testimony from law enforcement before it can be issued. The written testimony generally identifies the individual by name and establishes the offenses the person is suspected of having committed. A bench warrant does not require a demonstration of probable cause by law enforcement, as it is issued when an individual violates a court directive.

Depending on the level of the charge, an arrest warrant may be issued by a Magisterial District Judge or a Court of Common Pleas Judge. An arrest warrant generally lists the following information:

  • The name of the accused, or a sufficient description if their name is unknown
  • The county and date of issuance
  • The charges that the suspect is accused of 
  • The directive to arrest the suspect
  • The title and signature of the issuing judge

The Butler County Sheriff's Office is responsible for executing warrants within the county. These documents are generally accessible to the public, provided they have not been sealed upon a request from the state's attorney (Pa.R.Crim.P. Rule 513.1). To perform a search for an active warrant, interested parties may utilize the Sheriff's Warrant Portal, which requires the suspect's legal name and a specific range of issuance dates. Additionally, verification of a warrant can be conducted by contacting the Sheriff's Office via telephone or by visiting their physical location.

Agency / Resource

Purpose

Search Methods

Notes

Butler County Sheriff’s Office

Maintains and serves warrants

Online, in person

The Sheriff provides a line for submitting tips to law enforcement if the whereabouts of a wanted person is known: (724) 512-2394

How to Find Arrest Records for Free in Butler County

Researchers can access Butler County arrest records for free at the arresting agency's office by requesting access to the physical record without the office reproducing it. Any reproduction of the record for the inquirer's inspection will result in the requester being charged a fee. 

Inquirers may also search for an arrest record through third-party websites that aggregate data from law enforcement agencies in the county. Additionally, certain local newspapers also aggregate and publish recent arrest information from law enforcement regularly.

Butler County Arrest Report

An arrest report is a highly detailed document written by the officer who carried out an arrest, containing the officer's observations, witness testimonies, and the suspect's statements. The report is different from the official arrest record, which only details the basic facts of the arrest, such as the arrestee's identity, the location and date of the arrest, and the arrest charges. Basically, an arrest record documents the where and when, while an arrest report documents the how and why of the arrest.

Arrest reports are mostly not open to the public, so individuals generally cannot access the arrest report of another person. However, researchers can access their report by requesting it at the arresting agency's office. Certain details in the report may be redacted before disclosure.

How to Get an Arrest Record Expunged in Butler County

Pennsylvania law (18 Pa.C.S. § 9122) provides room for individuals with an arrest record to have the record expunged under certain circumstances. An expungement removes a record from government records, effectively making it inaccessible to the general public.

Individuals can file for an expungement if

  • They were declared not guilty in court.
  • They were convicted of underage alcohol possession between the ages of 18 and 21.
  • The charges were dropped/no charges were filed within 18 months.

Individuals may also file for expungement if

  • They are at least 70 years old and have been free from arrest or prosecution for 10 years following their release from supervision.
  • They were convicted of a summary offense and have not been arrested again for 5 years following the conviction.

However, persons who meet the second eligibility criterion are not guaranteed an expungement, as the law grants the court discretion to deny the request even if the criteria are met. Individuals may file for expungement by submitting the Expungement Petition Form – 490 or the Expungement Petition Form – 790 to the Butler County Clerk of Court's Office.

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

Removing an arrest record from the internet requires securing a court order to expunge the record from government databases and then contacting private companies to also take down the record from their websites. 

Contacting private websites where the record is present is important because while securing a court order automatically clears the record from the government database, it does not automatically affect private websites that run independently. As such, individuals who have obtained an expungement order from the court should lodge a take-down request, which includes submitting a written request and a copy of the expungement order to the website online (usually an opt-out page), by email, or other designated channel.