How record clearing works in Luzerne County
In Luzerne County, the Clerk of Courts accepts and processes expungement and limited access petitions for both criminal and summary cases. The main office is at the courthouse on North River Street in Wilkes-Barre. A Hazleton annex is open on a shorter schedule and does not accept cash.
Luzerne’s Common Pleas criminal dockets start with CP-40-CR, and its magisterial district court dockets start with MJ-11. A case that began before a district judge and moved to Common Pleas has both, and the petition should cover both.
Luzerne County’s self-help packets
The Clerk of Courts publishes separate packets for ARD, probation without verdict, nolle prossed or dismissed cases, cases with no offense tracking number, and governor’s pardons, plus a limited access packet. Each has its own instructions and forms. Picking the wrong packet, missing a docket, or leaving out information the rules require is the most common reason a self-filed petition stalls.
For ARD and probation-without-verdict cases, the county states that all fines and costs must be paid and all program requirements completed before you apply. We check the docket for both before we file, and if something is outstanding we tell you exactly what it is.
What it costs in Luzerne County
Our fee is flat: $895 for an expungement or $1,250 for a limited access petition, plus court costs. Luzerne County sets its own filing fees and updates them periodically; we confirm the current amount when we quote your case. The Clerk of Courts accepts card payments for expungements.
Our process
- We pull every docket. We search the statewide court system by name and date of birth, from age 18 forward, so nothing gets missed, including old magisterial district cases and anything filed in another county.
- We sort each case. Every docket is matched to expungement, limited access by petition, automatic Clean Slate, or a pardon, and you get a flat quote before we file.
- We prepare and file. We draft the petition, the proposed order with the information Pa.R.Crim.P. 790 or 791 requires, and the confidential information form, then file with the county clerk and serve the District Attorney.
- We follow it through. After the judge signs, the clerk sends the order to the State Police, the arresting agency and the other agencies listed. We confirm the updates and send you a completion packet.
Common questions
Can I file in Hazleton instead of Wilkes-Barre?
The Clerk of Courts has a Hazleton annex, but it keeps shorter hours and does not take cash. When we file for you, location doesn’t matter: we file and track the petition ourselves.
My ARD was in Luzerne County. Is my record already clear?
Not automatically. Finishing ARD makes you eligible, but a judge still has to sign an order dismissing the charges and expunging the record. Until then, the case shows on the public docket.
Do I need my State Police record?
Some petitions must include a current State Police criminal history unless the District Attorney waives it. We request it for you when it’s needed.