Find Cameron County Divorce Records
Cameron County divorce decree records are held at the Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts office at the Cameron County Courthouse in Emporium, Pennsylvania. The county was created on March 29, 1860, and divorce records in Cameron County date back to that founding year. The Prothonotary maintains all civil and family court filings, including divorce decrees, for the Court of Common Pleas. If you need a certified copy of a Cameron County divorce decree or want to confirm that a divorce was granted, the courthouse in Emporium is the place to start.
Cameron County Quick Facts
Cameron County Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts
The Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts office in Cameron County handles all divorce filings and record requests. The office is located at the Cameron County Courthouse, 20 E. 5th Street, Emporium, PA 15834. You can reach the office by phone at 814-486-3349 ext. 328. The Prothonotary keeps all civil case records for the Court of Common Pleas, including every Cameron County divorce decree filed since 1860.
Cameron County is part of the Fifty-Ninth Judicial District of Pennsylvania, which also serves neighboring Elk County. This shared judicial district means that some court administration is handled jointly. However, divorce records specific to Cameron County are filed and stored at the Emporium courthouse. Each county in the district keeps its own records. If you need a Cameron County divorce decree, the Emporium courthouse is the only place to get it.
The Cameron County Court of Common Pleas is the court that issues divorce decrees in this county. Civil action cases including divorce are filed here. The court's information is available through the Pennsylvania Courts system.
| Office |
Cameron County Courthouse 20 E. 5th Street Emporium, PA 15834 Phone: 814-486-3349 ext. 328 |
|---|---|
| Prothonotary | cameroncountypa.com/government/prothonotary |
| Court | pacourts.us - Cameron County |
How to Access Cameron County Divorce Decrees
Cameron County is a small, rural county. Most record requests are handled in person or by mail. To visit in person, go to the Cameron County Courthouse at 20 E. 5th Street in Emporium during regular business hours. Bring the full names of both parties and the approximate year of the divorce if you know it. Staff can search the index and locate the Cameron County divorce decree file.
If you cannot visit in person, you can request records by mail. Send your request to the Prothonotary at the courthouse address above. Include the names of both parties and the year of the divorce. Cameron County also has a drop box at the courthouse for after-hours filings. The drop box is on the Chestnut Street side of the building at the base of the handicap ramp. Use it to drop off written record requests or court filings outside of business hours.
When filing documents by mail in Cameron County, send one original and two copies of everything. Include stamped, addressed envelopes for the return of your copies. This ensures the Prothonotary can send your Cameron County divorce decree copies back to you promptly. The office cannot provide legal advice, so contact an attorney if you have questions about your case.
The statewide UJS Portal may also have Cameron County divorce docket information for recent cases. Search by party name or case number to check whether a docket sheet is available online before contacting the Prothonotary.
Note: Court employees in Cameron County cannot give legal advice. Contact an attorney or Pennsylvania Legal Aid for legal questions about a divorce decree.
Cameron County Divorce Filing Fees
Cameron County imposes a $10.00 surcharge on all divorce complaints filed in the county. This is in addition to the standard court filing fees. The surcharge applies to every divorce complaint filed at the Cameron County Courthouse. Fees for copies of divorce decree documents vary, so contact the Prothonotary at 814-486-3349 ext. 328 to confirm current rates before submitting a request or visiting the courthouse.
Certified copies of Cameron County divorce decree records carry the official court seal and are needed for legal purposes like name changes, property transfers, or remarriage in another state. Plain copies are available for personal or informational use. The Prothonotary can tell you what each type of copy costs and how long it takes to prepare your order.
Filing for Divorce in Cameron County
A Cameron County divorce begins with a complaint filed at the Prothonotary's office in Emporium. The complaint must be on forms approved under the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure Chapter 1920. After filing, you must serve the other spouse with the papers. The method of service must comply with Pennsylvania law and must be documented in the case file.
For an uncontested Cameron County divorce, both parties sign consent affidavits after the 90-day waiting period. The record is then transmitted to the judge. Under 23 Pa.C.S. § 3323, the judge enters the final decree of divorce. That document is then filed with the Prothonotary and becomes the permanent Cameron County record. Any party to the case can then request a certified copy of the Cameron County divorce decree.
Property and support matters can be resolved by written agreement under 23 Pa.C.S. § 3105. These agreements are filed with the Cameron County Prothonotary and become part of the court record. If ancillary claims remain open, the court retains jurisdiction even after the divorce decree is entered, as noted in the decree form under Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes Title 23.
Cameron County Divorce Records History
Cameron County was created on March 29, 1860 from parts of Clinton, Elk, McKean, and Potter counties. Divorce records in Cameron County therefore begin in 1860. This is the oldest available date for any Cameron County divorce decree. Records from earlier periods would be found in the parent counties, depending on where the parties lived before Cameron County was formed.
Pennsylvania has kept divorce records at the county level since 1804, as noted by FamilySearch's Pennsylvania Divorce Records wiki. Before that, divorces were handled by the Legislature or Supreme Court. For researchers looking at the earliest Cameron County divorce records, 1860 is the starting point. The Prothonotary in Emporium holds all records from that date forward.
The Pennsylvania State Archives in Harrisburg may hold supplemental records related to early Cameron County cases, though the primary source for all Cameron County divorce decree records is the courthouse in Emporium. The state archives are at 1681 N. Sixth Street, Harrisburg, PA 17102 and can be reached at (717) 783-3281.
Note: The CDC guide for Pennsylvania vital records confirms that divorce copies must be obtained from the county courthouse where the decree was granted, not from any state agency.
Nearby Counties
Cameron County is a small county in north-central Pennsylvania. The counties bordering Cameron County are listed below. If you are unsure where a divorce was filed, check the nearby county offices.