Records of divorce in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, are available through several channels. NorthamptonCourt.us allows you to quickly find public information about divorce cases in this county. Additionally, documents can be obtained directly from the court that issued the decision, at the county's Prothonotary office, as well as at the State Library of Pennsylvania, which holds reference information on the state's vital records. Below is a practical guide to searching, requesting, and obtaining copies of such documents.
Northampton Divorce Records Search
In Pennsylvania, divorce records are maintained at the county level — since 1804, they have been kept by the Courts of Common Pleas. In Northampton County, civil cases, including divorces, are handled by the Prothonotary office. This is where complaints, settlement agreements, divorce decrees, custody orders, and other related documents are registered.
The collection of records includes:
- Divorce decrees
- Settlement agreements
- Custody orders
- Petitions and motions of the parties
- Docket sheets
Docket sheets can be viewed for free through the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania portal. This tool shows the case chronology but does not always contain the full text of decisions — to obtain copies of documents, you need to contact the Prothonotary office directly.
Northampton County Prothonotary
For older records that are no longer stored in the court's active archive, you should contact the Northampton County Archives, where documents from over 30 different county departments are kept.
Where Divorce Records Are Filed in Northampton
Divorce cases in Northampton County are handled by the Court of Common Pleas — a general jurisdiction court that operates in each county of Pennsylvania. Once a judge signs a divorce decree, it is registered in the Prothonotary office and becomes part of the county's civil registry.
Pennsylvania does not have a centralized state divorce registry in the sense that the state issues birth or death certificates. According to the State Library guide, since 1804, divorce records have been kept directly in the court of the county where the decision was made. Therefore, you need to contact the Northampton County Prothonotary office.
Where to contact depending on your needs:
| What You Need | Where to Contact |
|---|---|
| Full court decree, settlement agreement, custody orders | Northampton County Prothonotary |
| View docket sheet online | UJS Public Records Portal |
| Archived divorce records (historical cases) | Northampton County Archives |
| General reference on state vital records | State Library of Pennsylvania — Vital Records Guide |
Northampton County Court of Common Pleas
The court's page on the Unified Judicial System portal contains additional information on filing documents in divorce and custody cases.
Divorce Record Search Fees, Copy Costs, and Processing Times in Northampton
| Service | Fee | Typical Processing Time |
|---|---|---|
| Divorce record search (Prothonotary) | Check with the Prothonotary office at 610-829-6500 | Depends on the complexity of the request |
| Regular copy of a document from a case | $0.25 per page (standard PA Courts rate) | Usually on the day of the visit in person |
| Certified copy | Check with the Prothonotary office | 1–5 business days |
| View docket sheet online (UJS Portal) | Free | Instantly |
| Request by mail | Check; may require prepayment by check or money order | 7–14 business days |