Prothonotary / Clerk of Courts

Duties as Prothonotary

As Prothonotary, this is office is the chief clerk and record keeper for civil proceedings and is responsible for:

Appointment of divorce masters and arbitrators
Certification and transmittal of all appeal cases to higher courts
Collection of state taxes on legal documents
Custodian for divorce costs, arbitration funds, Common Pleas Court funds, divorce testimony, court exhibits and Common Pleas Court Seal
Passport applications
Payment of all civil court jurors
Preparation of Argument List and Civil Court Trial List
Recording and filing of various legal papers
Signature and authorization of all writs and processes of the court

As Clerk of Courts, this office is chief clerk and record keeper for criminal proceedings and is responsible for:

Administers oaths and affirmations
Certifies payments of all jurors
Collects and transmits all fines and forfeited bonds
Custodian of all bail bond money
Custodian of all juvenile records
Custodian of the seal of the court
Custody and maintenance of records of all Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) cases
Keeps minutes of each hearing and trial
Maintains a record of all exhibits received into evidence
Swears in all juries and witnesses