DUI Records in Northampton County PA
Northampton County DUI records are filed with the Clerk of Courts at the county courthouse in Easton. The county is part of the Lehigh Valley metro area in eastern Pennsylvania, serving cities like Bethlehem and Easton. All DUI charges in Northampton County go through the 3rd Judicial District Court of Common Pleas. Records are accessible to the public through the statewide UJS Portal and through in-person requests at the courthouse. This page explains the process and the resources available for searching Northampton County DUI records.
Northampton County Quick Facts
Northampton County DUI Records
When a driver is charged with DUI in Northampton County, the case enters the public court system almost immediately. Under 75 Pa.C.S. § 3802, impairment at or above 0.08 percent BAC is the basic threshold for a DUI charge in Pennsylvania. Northampton County cases are classified into the same three tiers as the rest of the state: General, High, and Highest. The tier affects penalties, license suspension length, and whether jail time is mandatory under 75 Pa.C.S. § 3804.
The Northampton County government maintains public information about its offices and services. County offices are firm about one point: no county agency will ever threaten arrest over a debt or demand phone payment. That is worth knowing if you encounter anyone claiming to act on behalf of Northampton County courts. All legitimate DUI-related contact comes through official channels, not phone demands.
Bethlehem is one of the largest cities in Northampton County, with a population around 75,000. The Bethlehem Police Department conducts active DUI patrols and saturation enforcement. Police reports and arrest records from Bethlehem are forwarded to the Northampton County District Attorney after arrest, becoming part of the case file. Easton and other municipalities in the county follow the same process. All DUI charges from across Northampton County are consolidated into the 3rd Judicial District court system.
How to Search Northampton DUI Records
Start your search at ujsportal.pacourts.us, which is the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System Portal. This free tool covers all 67 counties including Northampton. You can search by the defendant's full name or by case number. Results show the full docket sheet with charge descriptions, court dates, dispositions, and any appeals. The portal is the fastest way to confirm whether someone has a DUI case on file in Northampton County.
In-person searches are also available at the Northampton County Clerk of Courts office at northamptoncounty.org/clerk-of-courts. Staff can look up cases by name or docket number. You can request certified copies of court documents, which cost a per-page fee. Older records may require additional processing time. Bring a valid ID and be specific about the case you are looking for to speed up the search.
Northampton Court of Common Pleas DUI Cases
The Northampton County Court of Common Pleas at northamptoncounty.org/courts operates as part of the 3rd Judicial District. All misdemeanor and felony DUI cases from Northampton County are heard in this court. Summary DUI offenses are handled at the district justice level but can be appealed to Common Pleas. Repeat DUI offenders face increased scrutiny at this level, since a third DUI under Pennsylvania law constitutes a felony regardless of the tier under which the original offense was charged.
The Northampton County District Attorney prosecutes all DUI cases that come before the Court of Common Pleas. The DA's office evaluates each case for ARD eligibility, victim impact, prior record, and the specific facts of the arrest. Prosecutors work with local police departments across the county to build DUI cases from the initial traffic stop through final disposition. Chemical test results under 75 Pa.C.S. § 3814 form the core of most prosecutions. Drivers who refuse testing face license suspension and can have that refusal cited against them in court.
Note: Northampton County DUI cases from the Bethlehem area may appear under either the Northampton or Lehigh County dockets depending on where the offense occurred, since Bethlehem spans both counties.
ARD Program in Northampton County
First-time DUI offenders in Northampton County may qualify for the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program under 75 Pa.C.S. § 3807. ARD lets eligible defendants avoid a DUI conviction on their record by completing a supervision period, paying fines, attending DUI school, and meeting other conditions set by the court. The Northampton County District Attorney screens all applicants. Disqualifying factors include prior DUI charges, the presence of a minor in the vehicle, or injury to another person.
Successful ARD completion in Northampton County allows the defendant to petition for expungement of the arrest record. The expungement petition goes through the Clerk of Courts. Once granted, the DUI arrest is removed from public records. Keep in mind that the Northampton County DA retains internal records even after expungement, and some federal databases may still reflect the arrest temporarily.
Drug and Alcohol Services in Northampton County
Northampton County operates substance use services through its drug and alcohol office at northamptoncounty.org/drug-alcohol. Court-ordered DUI offenders are often required to complete a drug and alcohol assessment as part of their sentence or ARD agreement. The county office coordinates with treatment providers to schedule evaluations and track completion. DUI education programs are also available as a standalone requirement or part of a broader treatment plan.
Case management services help Northampton County DUI defendants navigate the combined demands of court supervision, treatment, and daily life. Prevention efforts in the Lehigh Valley focus on reducing impaired driving through community outreach and enforcement campaigns. The county works with the Pennsylvania DUI Association and state resources to support both enforcement and recovery services.
Right-to-Know in Northampton County
Under 65 P.S. § 67.101, Pennsylvania residents and anyone else can request access to public government records including some DUI-related documents. Northampton County handles these requests through its open records office at northamptoncounty.org/open-records. Police reports, incident records, and some administrative records are available through this process. Response times follow state statutory requirements, typically five business days for a response.
Court records in Northampton County are accessed directly through the Clerk of Courts rather than through the RTK process. Both routes lead to similar information but follow different rules. Denied requests can be appealed to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records. Most DUI case records are not exempt from public access, though records involving juveniles or sealed cases are withheld.
Cities in Northampton County
Northampton County includes several cities and boroughs in the Lehigh Valley region. DUI cases from all municipalities across the county are filed at the courthouse in Easton and processed through the 3rd Judicial District. Bethlehem is the largest city in the county and a major source of DUI case filings.
Bethlehem spans both Northampton and Lehigh counties. DUI cases are filed based on the municipality where the offense occurred. For cases in the Northampton County portion of Bethlehem, all records go through the 3rd Judicial District.
Nearby Counties
Northampton County sits in eastern Pennsylvania and borders both other Pennsylvania counties and the state of New Jersey. DUI records are filed in the county where the offense took place, so knowing the exact location of an arrest matters when you search for records.