Defense seeks to unseal related case in Mifflinburg assault hearing

Defense lawyers in Union County pressed for a new layer of access Monday, asking a judge to unseal a separate case tied to the alleged victim in a Mifflinburg sexual-assault prosecution. The request puts the focus on a familiar courthouse tension in Lewisburg: how much the public should see when a case involves a minor, and how much must stay hidden to protect fairness before trial.

Timothy Alan Dowhower, 44, of Conley Road in Mifflinburg, appeared with his attorney, Michael Rudinski of Williamsport, before Union County Judge Michael Piecuch. Dowhower is accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old, and the defense is seeking records connected to another case involving the same alleged victim. The court did not say Monday how Piecuch ruled.

That sealed file could matter in more than one way. If the defense gains access, Rudinski could use the material to look for information that affects strategy, witness questioning or the timeline of the case. If the request is denied, the file would remain out of reach while the underlying prosecution moves forward with less public visibility. For Union County residents, the dispute is part of a larger question about how county courts handle sensitive criminal matters in a small community where privacy concerns and public confidence often collide.

The legal backdrop is Pennsylvania’s public-access system. The Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System says common pleas docket sheets are publicly available through its portal, but its case-records policy also protects confidential information and confidential documents. That means access is not automatic when a file is sealed or contains material the rules treat as confidential, and a judge can determine what stays closed. The statewide policy now in effect took effect Jan. 1, 2022.

This is not the first time Dowhower’s case has come before the court. Earlier proceedings said the allegations involved locations in Kelly Township and Lewis Township, and that the charges were headed to Union County Court of Common Pleas after a preliminary hearing waiver. In November, Piecuch granted a defense continuance, pushing the trial back so an expert witness could be hired. At that point, Dowhower faced three counts of aggravated indecent assault and four counts of unlawful contact with a minor, among other charges.

The unsealing fight now sits alongside those unresolved charges and will shape how much of the broader record the public can see as the case continues through Union County court.