Pennsylvania Divorce Decree Records by City
If you live in a major Pennsylvania city and need to find a divorce decree, you go to the county courthouse that serves your city. Pennsylvania does not have city-level divorce courts. All divorce cases are filed at the county Court of Common Pleas. The Prothonotary at that courthouse keeps the divorce decree and the full case file. Use the city links below to find which county serves your area and how to access the records you need in Pennsylvania.
Where City Residents File for Divorce in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania law requires that a divorce case be filed in the county where at least one spouse lives. This applies to city residents just as it does to people in rural areas. If you live in Philadelphia, you file at the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas. If you live in Pittsburgh, you file at the Allegheny County courthouse. The city itself does not maintain divorce records. All of that is handled at the county level by the Prothonotary office.
This setup means that if you move to a new city before your divorce is final, the case stays with the county where it was originally filed. The records do not transfer. Once a divorce decree is entered, it remains in the file at the courthouse in the county where the case was heard. That is where you go to get a copy of the divorce decree, no matter where you live now in Pennsylvania.
Some people are not sure which county handles records for their city. The table below gives the county for each major city covered on this site. If your city is not listed, check with the county where you live. The UJS Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us can also help you find a case if you are not certain which county filed it.
Which County Serves Each Major Pennsylvania City
Each city in Pennsylvania falls within a county. The county Court of Common Pleas is the place where divorce cases are filed and where divorce decree records are kept. Here is the county that serves each major city on this site:
- Philadelphia — Philadelphia County
- Pittsburgh — Allegheny County
- Allentown — Lehigh County
- Reading — Berks County
- Erie — Erie County
- Upper Darby — Delaware County
- Bethlehem — Northampton County
- Scranton — Lackawanna County
- Lower Merion — Montgomery County
- Bensalem — Bucks County
- Lancaster — Lancaster County
- Levittown — Bucks County
To get a copy of a divorce decree, contact the Prothonotary in the matching county. Most offices can be reached by phone or through the county website. Bring the names of both spouses and the year of the divorce if you know it. That information helps staff find the record quickly.
How to Find Divorce Decree Records Online from Pennsylvania Cities
The best online tool for finding Pennsylvania divorce decree records is the UJS Portal. It covers all 67 counties in the state. You can search by name from home at any time. The portal is free and does not require a login. Go to ujsportal.pacourts.us and use the Court of Common Pleas search. Type in the last name of either spouse. The system returns all matching cases across Pennsylvania. Once you find the case, you can see the county and case number and then contact the Prothonotary for a copy of the divorce decree.
The PA Department of Health Division of Vital Records keeps divorce certificates for divorces in Pennsylvania going back to 1906. A certificate is a brief record that confirms a divorce took place. It lists the names of both spouses and the date the decree was entered. It does not show the terms of the settlement. Certificates can be ordered online through VitalChek, by mail, or in person at the state office in Harrisburg.
For research into older divorces, the Pennsylvania State Archives holds historical records that may not be available through modern court systems. The FamilySearch guide to Pennsylvania divorce records is also a helpful starting point for genealogical research. Resources like PennsylvaniaCourtRecords.us can also help you find case information for recent divorces across the state.
If you need legal help related to a divorce decree in Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Legal Aid offers free services to people with low income. Their staff can help you understand your rights and find the records you need.
Browse Divorce Decree Records by City
Select a city below to find divorce decree records and county courthouse information for that area of Pennsylvania.