Domestic Relations

Theresa Knight, Supervisor
1501 Arch Street - 8th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Customer Service Call Center Telephone: (215) 686-7466
IVR: (215) 686-7466
Fax: (215) 686-9191

The Customer Service Center is located on the 8th floor of the Family Court Building at 1501 Arch Street. The Customer Service Center provides specialized front line service to the public, and coordinates interoffice communication.

No appointment is necessary to see a Customer Service Representative; personal interviews to resolve general and specific questions are conducted Monday through Friday, from 8:00AM until 4:45PM.

Information regarding Customer Service Center location, hours, and general Domestic Relations case processing may be obtained from the Customer Service Center voice response system by telephoning (215) 686-7466. You can also obtain unit information and telephone numbers from the voice response line.  If you do not obtain the answer to your question via the voice response line, the system will enable you to connect to a Customer Service Representative Monday through Friday, between 8:00AM and 4:45PM.

CORRESPONDENCE to the Customer Service Center should be addressed to:

Family Court Customer Service Center
1501 Arch Street - 8th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Fax: (215) 686-9191

E-mail: PhilaCSC@PACSES.com

Honorable Margaret T. Murphy
Administrative Judge, Family Division
1501 Arch Street - 14th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Fax: (215) 686-9158

Honorable Walter J. Olszewski
Supervising Judge
1501 Arch street - 14thFloor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Fax: (215) 686-4157

Mary Lou Baker
Deputy Court Administrator
Domestic Relations Division
1501 Arch Street - 14th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Fax: (215) 686-8858

Joseph C. Kamnik, Jr.
Director, Financial Services and Title IV-D Compliance
1501 Arch Street- 15th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Customer Service and Case Inquiries Telephone: (215) 686-7466
Fax: (215) 686-8953

Roy C. Chambers, III
Director
1501 Arch Street- 12th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102

Joseph P. McGill, Esq.
Director
1501 Arch Street - 14th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Fax: (215) 686-8858

Fred Keller
Director, Case Management
1501 Arch Street - 8th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Fax: (215) 686-9162

Edward V. Lehmann, Jr.
Director, Data Management and Case Processing
1501 Arch Street - 12th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Fax: (215) 686-4298

Support and Custody

Irene Yocum, Supervisor
1501 Arch Street - 8th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Telephone: (215) 686-9106

This unit provides intake services on behalf of pro se clients in the following areas:

• Support
• Custody

Pro se complaints for support; petitions to modify an existing support order and pro se complaints for custody; petitions to modify an existing custody order and petitions for enforcement of a custody order are filed at:

Note:  All attorney prepared complaints and petitions MUST be filed with the Clerk of the Family Court at the following address:

Clerk of the Family Court
Domestic Relations Division
1501 Arch Street - 11th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Telephone: (215)686-3805
Fax: (215) 686-9308

Richard Mattia, Supervisor
Domestic Violence Unit
1501 Arch Street - 8th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Telephone: (215) 686-3514/15
Fax: (215) 686-7931

The Domestic Violence Unit is a pro se filing unit for un-represented victims of domestic violence. Duties include filing pro se petitions for Protection from Abuse, compiling Court lists, and recording all Protection from Abuse petitions and dispositions filed in Philadelphia.

All attorney-prepared petitions must be filed with the Domestic violence Unit. A Court, Term and Number will be assigned and the petition presented to the Court for consideration.

NOTE: Due to the overwhelming volume of pro se clients, attorneys representing domestic violence victims are required to prepare all associated petitions and forms on behalf of their clients as mandated by Court Rule.

Forms are NOT available in this unit.

Franco Modaferri, Supervisor
Tactical Enforcement Unit
1501 Arch Street - 12th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Telephone: (215) 686-9312

Marc Fumo, Supervisor
Tactical Enforcement Unit
1501 Arch Street - 12th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Telephone: (215) 686-9345

(215) 686-4017 (Bank Account Seizure only)
Fax: (215) 686-7759
E-Mail: philatacticalenf@pacses.com (IRS, Driver License, Credit Bureau)
fidm@phillychildsupport.com (Bank Account Seizure ONLY)

The enforcement of support orders is accomplished by various methods under the law including the issuance of wage attachments, employer compliance, Tax Refund Offset Program (TROP) cases, preparation of support contempt petitions, credit bureau reporting, and judgments by operation of law.

Listed below are the actions available to the Tactical Enforcement Unit:

• Tax Refund Offset Program (TROP)
• State Refund Offset Program (STROP)
• Credit Bureau Reporting
• Driver's License Suspension
• Professional License Suspension
• Recreational License Suspension (Fishing and Hunting)
• Passport Denial
• Asset Seizure
• Thrift Savings Plan (Seizure)
• Lottery Intercept
• Bankruptcy
• Judgment and Liens

NOTE: Defendants responding to any of the Tactical Enforcement actions listed above should send a letter to:

Tactical Enforcement
1501 Arch Street - 12th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102

*FOR GENERAL INFORMATION REGARDING TAX REFUND OFFSET PROGRAM (TROP), CLIENTS ARE DIRECTED TO CALL (215) 686-4024, 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK.

Click Here To download the package of forms to request an administrative review of the submission of your case to TROP. (Adobe PDF Format).

Keturah Williams, Supervisor
1501 Arch Steet - 9th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Telephone: (215) 686-8954

The Department of Human Services (formerly The Department of Public Welfare) refers cases in which the plaintiff is receiving public assistance benefits to Family Court. These cases are referred electronically through the statewide child support computer system, PACSES. The automation of these referrals, which were previously accomplished by a "643" paper form and required appearance by the plaintiff, relieves the congestion at the courthouse. The TANF Filing Unit is charged with reviewing and processing these referrals and filing Complaints for Support.

Conference Officers under Pa. R.C.P. 1910.12, et seq., conduct pre-trial conferences in support and paternity cases if no agreement for support is reached at the conference, or if the defendant fails to appear, the Conference Officer enters an interim support Order based on the Support Guidelines as allowed by Pa. R.C.P. 1910-12 (b)(1), (2).

Child and Spousal support cases have three components: 1) establishment of paternity; 2) determination of the support obligation; and 3) enforcement

Paternity: For children born out of wedlock, establishment of paternity is the first step toward determining the child support obligation. Paternity can be established in one of four ways: 1) voluntary acknowledgement of paternity; 2) genetic testing; 3) default paternity establishment; and 4) in-hospital voluntary paternity establishment.

Obligation: In determining support obligations the amount of support - child support, spousal support, or alimony pendente lite (suspended by the lawsuit or in effect until the outcome of the case is determined) - is awarded pursuant to procedures under the Rules of Civil Procedure and determined in accordance with support guidelines.

Enforcement: Support orders are monitored through the Pennsylvania Automated Child Support Enforcement System (PACSES) for payments. Efforts are taken to encourage compliance as soon as the order is entered. If necessary, progressive enforcement remedies are taken. When accounts become delinquent, payors may be scheduled for Enforcement Conferences, Contempt Conferences, or Judicial Contempt Hearings, depending on the circumstances or the severity of the delinquency. The underlying objective of the enforcement process is to compel payment, and encourage ongoing compliance.

NOTE: Pursuant to Administrative Regulation 94-2 and Federal Mandate, as contained in the Child Support Amendments of 1984, all Orders for income attachment in child or spousal support cases may be administratively increased by 35% of the current support order as payment toward arrears.

Click here for Administrative Regulation #02-02, setting forth the continuance policy of the Domestic Relations Division.

CORRESPONDENCE to the Order Establishment and Enforcement Unit should be addressed to:

Philadelphia Family Court
Order Establishment and Enforcement
1501 Arch Street – 12th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Telephone: (215) 686-9330, 9331
Fax: (215) 686-9198

Supervisors: All OEE staff is located on the 12th Floor 1501 Arch St. Phila. PA 19102

Atiba Askew, Supervisor Telephone: (215) 686-7268	Jennifer Muller, Supervisor Telephone: (215) 686-9323
Stephen Baker, Supervisor Telephone: (215) 686-8384	Tabitha Dorchery, Supervisor Telephone: (215) 686-9391
Michelle Montano, Supervisor Telephone: (215) 686-7742	Andrea Rosengarten, Supervisor Telephone: (215) 686-9351
Kathleen Visco, Supervisor Telephone; (215) 686-7270	Teresa Wines, Supervisor Telephone: (215) 686-3825

Katherine Arias, Supervisor
1501 Arch Street - 9th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Telephone: (215) 686-7751
Fax: (215) 686-9191

Utilizing the Buccal Swab Specimen Collection, Diagnostic DNA Center provides genetic testing services to the Family Court. All samples are collected at 1501 Arch Street - 9th Floor. The cost of this genetic study test is $30.00 per person. Usually, payment for genetic test costs is not determined until the Court hearing. If the putative Father is excluded, payment may not be required. If he is found to be the father, payment for the test is assessed at disposition.

BUCCAL SWAB SPECIMEN COLLECTION
This collection procedure is non-invasive, i.e., the body is not pierced by any instrument. The instrument used to collect a buccal swab is a cotton or Dacron^TM. The procedure involves gently stroking the lining of the inner cheek (buccal mucos) with the applicator. The tissues collected on the swab arebuccal epithelial cells that are continually shed as a normal physiological process and are normally present in saliva. These cells contain the DNA required to perform parentage testing. Typically we collect four swabs from each individual in a case, two are used for initial testing which is usually adequate to finish a case, and the remaining two are stored indefinitely.

• There are no age restrictions on individuals from whom specimens are to be drawn. Currently, buccal swabs are used on one-day-old infants as part of in-hospital acknowledgement programs.
• Because some reciprocal jurisdictions may not currently utilize Buccal Specimen Collection, it may be necessary to collect blood specimens in reciprocal cases.

Michael Pandolfi, Esq., Supervisor
1501 Arch Street - 13th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Telephone: (215) 686-8865
Fax: (215) 686-8868

Terri Lynn Sicura, Clerical Supervisor
1501 Arch Street - 13th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Telephone: (215) 686-8865
Fax: (215) 686-8868

If a support complaint or petition is not resolved at the pre-trial conference, either or both parties may request that it be listed for a hearing before a Support Master. Under certain circumstances a case can also be "remanded" to the Master by a judge after a court hearing on exceptions (see below).

All Support Masters are licensed attorneys who conduct record hearings (by audio-recording) at which the parties are sworn in and present to the Master evidence, testimony and documentation to support their positions regarding the support order. At the conclusion of the hearing the Master prepares a "proposed order," which is the Master's recommendation to the court as to what the final order should be.

Issuance of the proposed order starts a twenty day period during which either or both sides may file "exceptions" to the proposed order. Exceptions is a document in which a party specifies the mistakes of law, fact or procedure that the party believes were made by the Master in the report and proposed order and/or during the hearing.

Ordering Notes of Testimony

Please note that an outside vendor prepares the Notes of Testimony from Custody and Support Master hearings conducted in Family Court. The following form MUST be used to order Notes of Testimony from those proceedings.

• Custody and Support Master Hearing Notes of Testimony Order form

DURATION OF HEARINGS: NORMAL, SEMI-PROTRACTED, AND PROTRACTED LISTINGS

Depending upon the facts of the case a Support Master hearing may be scheduled for a "normal" listing of forty-five (45) minutes or a "semi-protracted" listing of ninety (90) minutes.

Pursuant to Pa.R.C.P.1910.12 (c)(1), a "protracted" listing longer than ninety minutes may be requested by filing an appropriate motion with the Clerk of the Family Court, 1133 Chestnut Street, First Floor.

PROCEDURES TO FOLLOW TO REQUEST A CONTINUANCE OF A SUPPORT MASTER HEARING

Family Court Administrative Regulation #02-02 sets forth the continuance policy of the Domestic Relations Division and the procedures to request any changes in the time or date of a Support Master hearing.

Paul W. Bennett, Coordinator
Networking for Jobs
1501 Arch Street - 12th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Telephone: (215) 686-8374
Fax: (215) 686-9145

The Networking for Jobs Program helps unemployed parents who are required to pay child support find and keep full time employment. The Networking For Jobs Program improves work opportunities by connecting unemployed parents with private and public provider agencies. The provider agencies assistance includes career counseling, job readiness classes, peer support, job placement, on-going contact with career counselor, and additional training.

1501 Arch Street - 15th Floor
Christopher Smith, Accounting Manager
Telephone: (215) 686-9179
Fax: (215) 686-8950

Access to information regarding payments should be directed to (215) 686-4766 or www.childsupport.state.pa.us

CASHIERS UNIT

The Cashiers Unit is on the 8th Floor at 1501 Arch Street. Child Support and payments are accepted in this unit, except if otherwise ordered by the court.

ACCOUNTING UNIT

Prepares monthly statement of expenditures for the Child Support Enforcement (IV-D) Grant, financial reports and statistical analysis. Completes case audits. Resolves undistributed payments.

CHARGE UNIT

Michelle Stover, Supervisor
1501 Arch Street - 15th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102

Responsible for processing all financial updates to the computer system as a result of a court order entered by a judge, support master or conference officer.

Joseph Steward, Esq., Supervisor
1501 Arch Street - 13th Floor
Philadelphia, Pa 19102
Telephone: (215) 686-9208
Fax: (215) 686-9286

Lisa Dacri, Clerical Supervisor
1501 Arch Street - 13th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Telephone: (215) 686-9208
Fax: (215) 686-9286

All petitions seeking to establish a custody order or to modify an existing order are referred to the Master's Unit by the Clerk of Family Court and the Intake Unit, which will mail a notice for a date for a conference before a Master to all parties and attorneys of record in a case. If no agreement is reached at this conference, even for a temporary order, the Master may, in some cases take the parties to a Judge for the entry of a temporary order. Where no final agreement is reached at the conference, the matter will be listed for a full hearing before a Domestic Relations Judge in all matters filed to establish primary custody. Partial custody cases will be scheduled for a record hearing before a Custody Master

Ordering Notes of Testimony

Please note that an outside vendor prepares the Notes of Testimony from Custody and Support Master hearings conducted in Family Court. The following form MUST be used to order Notes of Testimony from those proceedings.

• Custody and Support Master Hearing Notes of Testimony Order form

Home Investigations:

Custody Probation Officers conduct Home Investigations (ordered by the Court) upon the Court's own motion or motion of parties or counsel. There is a $200.00 fee for each Home Investigation, unless waived by the Court through the In Forma Pauperis process. (Fees are waived for clients verified to be receiving public assistance). Home Investigations are not conducted until the fee is paid or waived.

Shawn McCormac
1501 Arch Street - 13th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Telephone: (215) 686-9287 or 9288
Fax: (215) 686-9286

James Tobin
1501 Arch Street - 13th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Telephone: (215) 686-9287 or 9288
Fax: (215) 686-9286

Mental Health Assessments:
Mental Health Assessments (MHA's) in custody cases for one or both parties and for the children may be ordered by the Court upon the Court's own motion or upon motion of the parties or counsel.

Mental health assessments are conducted by Family Court Psychologists at 1501 Arch Street, 13th Floor. For scheduling or further information, contact (215) 686-9208. There is a $200.00 per person fee for all Mental Health Assessments, unless waived by the Court via the In Forma Pauperis process. (There is no fee for the evaluation of children). Mental health assessments will not be conducted unless the fee is paid or waived by the Court.

NOTE: All fees for Home Investigations and Mental Health Assessments are to be paid by certified check or money order, drawn to the order of the "Prothonotary," and are to be paid with the Cashier, located on the 11th Floor at 1501 Arch Street. Personal checks are NOT accepted; attorney checks are accepted.

Custody Stipulations
Custody stipulations must be filed (original and 5 copies, plus however many copies you want/need returned) with the Clerk of the Family court, at 1501 Arch Street, 11th Floor.

A Praecipe to Transmit Custody Stipulation form referencing the Domestic Relations Number must accompany the stipulation, along with a completed Domestic Relations Information Sheet, and pre-addressed, stamped envelopes for each party and attorney of record..

Each page of the stipulation must be numbered consecutively (e.g., 1 of 3) and each party must date the stipulation when he/she signs it.

The accompanying Order must refer to the date(s) when the stipulation was signed.

Click Here for Administrative Regulation 97-2: setting forth procedures for Custody.

DIVORCE

When a case is certified to the Permanent Divorce Master for disposition, the case is randomly assigned to an individual Divorce Master on a rotating basis. Once assigned to an individual Master, the same Master normally continues to handle the case until disposition.

Continuance Requests

Click here for Administrative Regulation #02-02, setting forth the continuance policy in the Domestic Relations Division.

Shawn Hagerty, Manager
1501 Arch Street - 2nd Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Telephone: (215) 686-2978
TIP LINE: 215-686-2977
Fax: (215) 686-7580

Antoinette Herring, Supervisor
1501 Arch Street - 2nd Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Telephone: (215) 686-2927
TIP LINE: 215-686-2977
Fax: (215) 686-7580

The Bench Warrant Unit clears bench warrants issued by the Philadelphia Domestic Relations Division and assigns cleared bench warrants to Pre Trial Services for execution.

The Bench Warrant Unit supports the Judiciary and Trial Commissioners by obtaining and updating court records with relevant documentation from parents who surrender or are arrested by Pre Trial Services in preparation for bench warrant hearings.

The Bench Warrant Unit oversees and monitors the day to day operation of the Tip Line.

Michael Henkel, Supervisor
1501 Arch Street - 15th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Telephone: (215) 686-2966
Fax: (215) 686-9181

Writ Servers conduct investigations to locate individuals to be served before attempting personal service in the field and personally serve legal notices, subpoenas, and other legal documents upon individuals ordered to attend Domestic Relations Division proceedings seven days per week.

Writ Servers establish and maintain effective working relationships with members of the public and with employees in other agencies and associates. Writ Servers conduct field investigations when the individual to be served cannot be located at the address provided.

William Schenk, Esq., Clerk of Court

Jacqueline Mansfield, Supervisor
1501 Arch Street - 11th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Telephone: (215) 686-3805
Fax: (215) 686-9308

Joseph Kaminski, Supervisor
1501 Arch Street - 11th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Telephone: (215) 686-3805
Fax: (215) 686-9308

All complaints or petitions for support, custody, partial custody or visitation, or other petitions under the jurisdiction of the Domestic Relations Division of Family Court, including petitions to modify, petitions for contempt, emergency petitions, interstate support petitions, all stipulations, and exceptions to Master's proposed Orders, are to be filed and docketed with the docketing clerks located in the Clerk of the Family Court.

The docketing clerks also maintain a Registry of Foreign Support Orders and Foreign Custody Orders.

Claims for support and/or custody in a divorce action will be docketed and assigned a Domestic Relations (DR) (aka Case ID number), in addition to a Court, Term, and Number for the Divorce action.

Any attorney filing a petition for support or custody will be provided the Domestic Relations docket number and the unit to which the case is assigned.

It is essential that all inquiries include clear identification of case names and the Domestic Relations docket number.

An original, plus three copies, of all filings AND a pre-addressed, stamped envelope for each opposing counsel and/or unrepresented party, must be included at the time of filing.

Pursuant to Administrative Regulation 93-4, all original filings, including divorce complaints and stipulations, must include the Domestic Relations Information Sheet, with all requested information completed. Case demographics must be provided to enable staff to establish case data on the Domestic Relations automated system.

Pursuant to Administrative Regulation 93-5, all custody stipulations must be filed with the Clerk of the Family Court and must include a Praecipe to Transmit the Custody Stipulation.

Pursuant to Administrative Regulation 92-4, all attorneys must file their entries and withdrawals of appearance on all support or custody cases, including custody cases raised through counts in Divorce, with the docketing clerks.

Only attorneys, who have entered their appearance on behalf of a party, or the party to a support, divorce, or custody action, will be permitted to review a record. Clients must have an I. D. (Photo I.D., if possible).

Record reviews may be arranged by contacting (215) 686-3805.

A coin-operated copy machine is available to make copies at the cost of $.25 per page.

NOTE: Confidential reports, such as psychological studies, will not be available for copy without the approval of the Administrative Judge.

Individuals, other than parties and counsel of record, seeking to review Family Court records are referred to the following Family Court Administrative Regulation:

A certified copy of a Divorce, Support, Custody, or Protection From Abuse (Domestic Violence) Order may be obtained at the Clerk of the Family Court, 1501 Arch Street. The fee for support, divorce, or custody Orders is $30.00, payable by cash, certified check, or money order, drawn to the order of the Prothonotary. Personal checks are NOT accepted. There is no fee to certify Protection from Abuse Orders.

Effective July 1, 1996, all Motions filed in Family Court, Domestic Relations Division, must attach a completed Motion Cover Sheet. See copy attached. This shall apply to Divorce and Domestic Relations Motions. The Clerk of the Family Court will reject for filing any Motion that fails to comply with this notice.

PROTHONOTARY
Clerk of the Family Court
Family Court's Prothonotary functions are performed by the Clerk of the Family Court staff as deputized Prothonotaries, 1501 Arch Street, for purpose of receiving all initial filings in Divorce, Support, and Custody, as well as the receipt of all fees relating thereto. THE FOLLOWING FEE SCHEDULE BECAME EFFECTIVE December 2017:

Certified checks or money orders, made payable to the Office of Judicial Records (OJR), are acceptable, as are attorney checks. Personal checks are NOT accepted.

Click Here for the Prothonotary Fees (Adobe PDF Format).