Wayne County Clerk of Courts
Wayne County uses the Pennsylvania split clerk model. The Prothonotary files civil cases, the Clerk of Courts maintains criminal records, and the Clerk of the Orphans' Court handles estate, guardianship, adoption, and marriage-license functions. The Wayne County Clerk of Courts page says the criminal office maintains criminal records, including adult and juvenile matters. It also says staff attend court proceedings to administer oaths to jurors and witnesses and to catalog trial exhibits.
The office matters most when a person needs more than a public docket sheet. UJS Case Search may show public criminal docket data, but local copy needs, bail money questions, exhibit catalog issues, appellate paperwork, and restricted-record questions can require the Clerk of Courts or Court Administration. Criminal investigative records may also route to the District Attorney under Wayne County's open-records policy.
Wayne County Clerk of Courts
925 Court Street
Honesdale, PA 18431
570-253-5970
County court hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Wayne County Criminal Clerk Records
Clerk of Courts records focus on the court case after charges enter the criminal court system. A public Wayne County criminal record may include the docket number, caption, filing date, case status, OTN, complaint number, incident number, arresting agency, charge statute, grade, plea, hearing entries, disposition, sentence, bail, court costs, restitution, and appeal activity when those items are public. The docket is a case activity log, not a complete copy packet.
- Adult criminal Court of Common Pleas case files and docket activity.
- Bail posting and return-of-bail-money questions.
- Trial exhibit cataloging and court proceeding records handled by staff.
- Appeals from summary convictions before a district justice.
- Appeals from Common Pleas to Pennsylvania appellate courts.
Juvenile records are different. The Clerk of Courts page says juvenile cases are closed to the public. It also says adult criminal cases involving a child victim of physical or sexual abuse are closed to the public. Those local limits should be read with Pennsylvania juvenile-file inspection rules and criminal-history access rules.
Search Wayne County Criminal Records
Most public Wayne County criminal docket searches start with Pennsylvania UJS Case Search. The portal can search by participant name, docket number, OTN, complaint number, incident number, SID, attorney, organization, date filed, and other fields. Common Pleas criminal docket numbers use CP formatting, while Magisterial District Court preliminary and traffic or summary matters often use MJ formatting.
- Search UJS by participant name, docket number, OTN, complaint number, or incident number, and choose Wayne County when a county filter is available.
- Review the public docket for charges, court events, disposition, sentence, bail, warrant activity, and financial obligations.
- Contact the Clerk of Courts when a certified copy, bail-money question, appeal filing, or local criminal file detail is needed.
- Use the District Attorney route for criminal investigative records under Wayne County's open-records policy.
Public UJS docket information is not an official Pennsylvania State Police criminal-history background check. It also may omit juvenile, expunged, sealed, limited-access, child-victim, or otherwise restricted matters even when the person has the correct name or docket number.
When UJS does not answer the question, use the fallback channel that fits the record. Certified copies and bail-money questions go to the Clerk of Courts. Hearing schedules and court-related record routing may involve Court Administration. Criminal investigative records route to District Attorney A.G. Howell under the county policy. If the question involves custody after arrest, call Wayne County Correctional Facility or check the criminal docket for bail and next-hearing entries.
Wayne County Clerk Fees
The 2026 Wayne County fee schedule lists several Clerk of Courts charges. Filing or appeal fees are separate from copy costs. Copy requests, docket entries, and return of certified or time-stamped copies must include a stamped self-addressed envelope large enough for the return when mailed.
| Item | Fee / Note |
|---|---|
| Appeal from summary conviction before district justice | $60.00 |
| Appeal from Common Pleas to appellate court | $60.00 plus $91.25 check to appellate court |
| Subpoena | $5.00 |
| Private detective license | $300.00; individual $200.00 |
| Bail money return | Held 20 days after disposition; no interest paid |
| Certified copies | $6.00 plus per-page copy fee |
| 8.5 x 11 copies | $0.50 per page |
Wayne County Records Requests
Wayne County's Right-to-Know web form is used for county agency records, while court records can follow judiciary access rules and court-office routing. The form still shows the kind of detail a written request should provide. Criminal court copy requests should name the defendant, docket number if known, record type, approximate filing or disposition date, and whether certified or plain copies are needed.
| Field | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Submitted to agency name | Routes the request to the office that holds the record. |
| Request submitted via | Identifies email, mail, fax, in-person, or online submission. |
| Name, address, phone, and email | Allows staff to clarify copy or certification needs. |
| Records requested | Must describe the record, not ask staff to answer general questions. |
| Copies choice | Electronic, printed, or in-person inspection where available. |
| Certification affirmation | Confirms requester identity and contact details on the county form. |
Note: Criminal investigative records and court case records may be routed differently under Wayne County policy.
Restricted Wayne County Criminal Records
The Clerk of Courts page gives two clear local restrictions: juvenile cases are closed to the public, and adult criminal cases involving a child victim of physical or sexual abuse are closed to the public. Pennsylvania also restricts juvenile-file inspection under 42 Pa.C.S. 6307. Expungement and Clean Slate limited access can remove or shield eligible criminal records from ordinary public view under 18 Pa.C.S. 9122 and 18 Pa.C.S. 9122.2.
Sealed, expunged, limited-access, and child-victim cases may not appear on public UJS searches. A person with a direct legal interest may need to file with the court that handled the case, serve required parties, or work through counsel. The Clerk of Courts can identify local filing and copy procedures, but it cannot turn a restricted file into a public record without legal authority.
Those restrictions also affect broad name searches. A missing public docket does not prove that no case exists, and a visible charge line does not prove a conviction. Disposition, sentence, appeal, expungement, and limited-access entries must be read together before relying on the record. For employment, housing, credit, insurance, or licensing screening, public docket sheets should not be used as consumer reports.