Guide to ACLL Services for the Pro-Se Litigant: Home

County Courthouses in Pennsylvania

Courthouses are important places to look for

• birth,
• marriage and
• death records.

These are usually found in the Register of Wills office in each county. For instance, in Allegheny County, the Department of Court Records, Wills/Orphans’ Court Division accepts documents for the Orphan's Court, and  issues marriage licenses and takes passport applications.  

Records in the Recorder of Deeds offices can also be useful. Here is the Allegheny County Recorder of Deeds. 

Naturalization records are usually held by the Prothonotary's Office in each county; for Allegheny County information, click here.

If you visit the Pennsylvania Courts of Common Pleas website you will find a map of all county courthouses in Pennsylvania, as well as information on county prothonotaries and registers of wills. Access a listing of recorders of deeds in Pennsylvania.

Here is a the map for the Allegheny County Common Pleas Court.

An overview of Pennsylvania court system management

• Pennsylvania’s court system docketed over 3 million cases .
• The state court system — a core function of government — receives one-half of 1 percent of the state’s total budget.
• The judiciary collects far more in fines and fees that it receives. Over the past 10 years, the court system has collected nearly $4.6 billion. These dollars, for the most part, do not flow back to the judiciary. They are distributed to state and local governments, which include airport and parking authorities, and programs that support victims.
• The court system maintains automated statewide court case and financial management systems that provide enhanced court access and accountability to the courts, criminal justice agencies and a host of others including the Commonwealth’s citizens.

• Policy & Forms from the Federal Bureau of Prisons:  https://www.bop.gov/resources/policy_and_forms.jsp

• Resources from Pennsylvania Department of Corrections

• Access to e-books
   

Other Resources

• Resources for the formerly incarcerated from the Federal Bureau of Prisons: https://www.bop.gov/resources/former_inmate_resources.jsp

• Obtaining Your GED Information

• Disability.gov

• D.C. Reentry Navigator

• Directory of State Prison Libraries

  This directory of prison libraries is maintained by the Washington State Library Institutional Library Staff. This is the Pennsylvania entry.

• Federal Bureau of Prisons

  Maps and lists of the institutions, regional offices, a headquarters, staff training centers, and residential reentry management offices administered by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The Bureau also administers contracts with private corporations to operate additional correctional institutions.

• List of Law Libraries Serving Prisoners

  Law Libraries Serving Prisoners is an online version of the print "Directory: Law Libraries Offering Services to Prisoners." The American Association of Law Libraries (AALL), Social Responsibilities Special Interest Section, Standing Committee on Law Library Services to Prisoners compiles the data.

• Library Services to the Incarcerated

  WorldCat list of books tagged by ALA Library staff as key references for prison library management.

• National Institute of Corrections Library

  Corrections-related resources including training plans, research reports, program evaluations and more. Not all items are online. Access to the full collection and onsite Information Experts, through online Information Help Desk. Catalog searchable and browsable.