Judicial Directory & Operating Procedures:
Before your court date, you can look up your judge's specific rules and preferences. Judges may have slightly different ways of handling cases, so this can help you understand what to expect in their courtroom.
Local Rules for the Family Division
The Local Rules of the Family Division, along with the Rules for Exhibits in Family Court, set out how Family Court works in Allegheny County. These rules explain how to file paperwork, meet deadlines, and follow court procedures, and they also cover what happens to evidence (called 'exhibits') after it is used in court. Both documents work together with the Pennsylvania's statewide court rules to make the process more clear and consistent.
Family Division Fees (Allegheny County):
Fees associated with filing in the Family Division. Please note that these are subject to change, so please check back to this page frequently.
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Family Court is a division of the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. It handles legal matters involving families and children within the Fifth Judicial District of Pennsylvania.
Family Court is divided into two parts:
Note: This section of the LibGuide covers the Adult Section of Family Court.
For Juvenile matters, visit the Allegheny Court’s Family Division website.
Title 23 of Pennsylvania's Consolidated Statues covers family-related legal topics. The laws are organized by chapter, with each chapter focusing on a specific area of family law. Keys areas include:
⚖️ View the full text of Title 23 on the Pennsylvania General Assembly website.
These statutes are also available through the databases Lexis Advance and Westlaw. These tools help you see how laws have been applied in real cases, find related legal materials, and track changes over time.
Lexis Advance is available in-person at the Allegheny County Law Library, while Westlaw can be accessed at all Carnegie Library locations.
To get married in Allegheny County, you’ll need to apply for a marriage license. The links below provide information on how to apply, office hours, fees, and how to use video conferencing:
These instructions are also available directly through the application portal.
For more details, contact the Marriage License Office:
Marriage License Office - Allegheny County
414 Grant Street, First Floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Phone: 412-350-4230
Email: dcrml@alleghenycounty.us
Fill out the online contact form to request a response.
The Custody Department is part of the Family Division of the Allegheny County court system and manages all private custody cases. To learn more about the Custody Department, please visit the Allegheny County Custody Department website.
📌 All custody documents must be filed with the Allegheny County Department of Court Records (DCR), Family Division Filing Office, not directly with the family division.
Location:
Department of Court Records (DCR)
City-County Building, First Floor
414 Grant St., Pittsburgh, PA 15219-2469
☎️ 412-350-5394
If you are interested in starting a custody case, modifying an existing custody order, or learning how to enforce your current custody order, please visit the links below. These links are from the Allegheny County Family Division website and contain important information specifically for residents of Allegheny County.
Note: For a more extensive list of legal organizations, visit the Legal Organizations in Allegheny County page in this LibGuide.
Divorce is the legal process to end a marriage. While the laws are the same across the state of Pennsylvania, the process of filing your paperwork depends on the county where you live.
In Allegheny County, all divorce pleadings must be filed with the Allegheny County Department of Court Records (DCR), not with the Family Division of the Court of Common Pleas. The DCR's Civil/Family Division is responsible for receiving divorce paperwork, keeping official records, and processing filings.
Pennsylvania recognized two main types of divorce: no-fault and fault-based.
No-Fault Divorce - The most common way couples end their marriage in Pennsylvania. It is generally faster, less expensive, and less stressful because it does not require proving wrongdoing.
Fault-Based Divorce: In a fault-based divorce, one spouse must prove that the other did something legally recognized as "misconduct." Fault-based divorces are much less common because they are harder, more expensive, and more time-consuming to prove.
Grounds for a fault-based divorce can include:
As is mentioned above, all divorce paperwork in Allegheny County must be filed with the Department of Court Records.
The forms you need depend on your type of divorce.
For more information and to see public state-wide forms please visit The Pennsylvania Court's page on Divorce Proceedings.
Note: For a more extensive list of legal organizations, visit the Legal Organizations in Allegheny County page in this LibGuide.
A Protection from Abuse (PFA) order is a court order that helps protect people from abuse by a current or former partner or family member.
If you need immediate and safe shelter - please click on this link.
To file a Protection from Abuse Petition please go to the Family Law Center - PFA Department:
Weekdays from 8:00 AM-11:00 AM
Family Law Center - PFA Department
440 Ross Street, Suite 301
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Phone: 412-350-4441
“If you are in immediate danger and the Family Law Center, PFA Department is closed, you may request an Emergency PFA Order at a Magisterial District Court or Pittsburgh Municipal Court.”
For more information about this process and to get started, please see the Allegheny Court’s PFA page.
Note: For a more extensive list of legal organizations, visit the Legal Organizations in Allegheny County page in this LibGuide.
