While searching for Cumberland County, Pennsylvania public records, you can help get better search results by limiting it to the specific county. By searching for public records in Cumberland County, you are more likely to find the specific records you need, such as Cumberland County criminal records and Cumberland County death records.

Not long ago, it was much more difficult to retrieve Cumberland County public records, whether you were looking for Cumberland County, PA birth records or Cumberland County, PA marriage records. You might have been able to have public records mailed to you, but that service was not always available. Otherwise, you would have had to travel to various locations to try to find the public records you needed on your own.

Accessing these records, though possible under Right to Know laws, has been legally possible but not very easy, and certainly not useful if you couldn't actually access them. But now, thanks to the Internet, almost all recent public records are more easily accessible, and many older records are now online, too. This means Cumberland County criminal records, Cumberland County death records and other types of Cumberland County public records are easier to access now than ever before.

The Right to Know Law and Pennsylvania Public Records

Pennsylvania passed a law that went into effect on February 14, 2008 designed to make public records such as Cumberland County public records accessible to the public. Although there are limitations, many types of records that used to be considered private matters are now available to public scrutiny. And if for some reason access is denied to certain records covered by the law, legal action can be taken.

This law means that everyone has the right to obtain records, including Cumberland County, PA death records, criminal records and similar items. If there are books, letters or audio recordings that are also public, you may be able to gain access to those as well.

Cumberland County Records That May Be Off Limits

Though you may be able to access a number of different types of Cumberland County public records, some things are still off-limits. For example, you will not be able to get records that include personal identification numbers, such as Social Security Numbers or driver's license numbers.

Other information that is not included in accessible public records is information that could endanger a person's safety. Addresses of the homes of judges and law enforcement personnel cannot be revealed, either, to protect their security. These are the types of records not included in the Right to Know law.

How to Conduct Your Cumberland County Search

Your best bet for finding Cumberland County public records is to use the Internet. One place to begin your search is the website of the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records. You can also find the website for the Cumberland County, Pennsylvania courthouse, or call the courthouse in person, to find out how to get the records you need. The Pennsylvania Right to Know will make your Cumberland County Public Records search easier than ever.