Orphans' Court Division

The Case Records Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System of PA has been amended effective January 1, 2022. The Policy can be found here.

Questions concerning the Policy and how documents must be filed via the Electronic Filing System should be directed to the Clerk of Orphans' Court.
Phone: (215)686-2230
Email: ocsupport@courts.phila.govv

Relevant Forms and Helpful Links:

• Policy – Effective 1-1-22
• Confidential Information / Confidential Documents – Here’s How Poster
• Confidential Information – Info Sheet
• Confidential Information Form
• Confidential Document Form
• Public Records Videos
• FAQs about Policy

Philadelphians can take pride in the fact that Orphans' Courts have been held in this City since 1683. They can further take pride in the able and distinguished jurists who have sat as Judges of those Courts. The current Judges of this Division continue a long and illustrious tradition.

King Charles II granted the province of Pennsylvania to William Penn by Royal Charter dated March 4, 1681. William Penn came to Pennsylvania in October of 1682 and called a General Assembly. See Section 1, pages 11-12 of The Pennsylvania Manual, Volume 112 (December, 1995) Sitting at Chester, on December 7, 1682, the first General Assembly of the Province of Pennsylvania enacted the 77th Law which provided that the justices of each County Court should sit, "....to inspect and take care of the estates, usage, and employment of Orphans' , which shall be called the Orphans' Court * * * That care may be taken for those, that are not able to take care for themselves." See Opinion by Trimble, P.J., in Harton's Estate (No. 2), 86 P.L.J. 18, at page 21 (1938). "It is probable, that both the name and jurisdiction of this court were borrowed from the Court of Orphans' of the city of London, which had the care and guardianship of children of deceased citizens of London, in their minority, and could compel executors to file inventories, and give security for their estates." See Opinion by Justice Sergeant in the matter of Wimmer's Appeal, 1 Wh. 95, 101 (1835).

The Orphans' Court of Philadelphia County was organized as a separate court of record under the Constitution of 1874, on January 4, 1875, and consisted of three judges. Three more judges were added, one each, in 1887, 1907 and 1927. Judge Allen M. Stearne and Judge Grover C. Ladner rose to become Justices of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Judge Charles Klein was appointed to the Court on December 24, 1934, and, became President Judge on January 14, 1952. Judge Klein served as the last President Judge of the Orphans' Court of Philadelphia County, and, the first Administrative Judge of the Orphans' Court Division of the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County. By constitutional amendment, effective January 1, 1969, the separate Orphans' Court of Philadelphia County was abolished and became the Orphans' Court Division of the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County.

From January 4, 1875 to January 1, 1969, the following Judges sat on the Orphans' Court of Philadelphia County:

William B. Hanna	Dennis W. O'Brien	T. Bradford Dwight
William N. Ashman	Clement B. Penrose	Joseph C. Ferguson
Morris Dallett	Joseph F. Lamorelle	Edward A. Anderson
Charles Francis Gummey	John Marshall Gest	George Henderson
Henry C. Thompson, Jr.	Lewis H. Van Dusen	Allen M. Stearne
Charles Sinkler	Charles Klein	Curtis Bok
Robert V. Bolger	Grover C. Ladner	David G. Hunter
John P. Boland	Mark E. Lefever	Harold D. Saylor
Kendall H. Shoyer	Joseph D. Burke

On January 1, 1969, the Orphans' Court of Philadelphia became a division of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. Since the merger, the following Judges have sat in the Orphans' Court Division of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas:

Charles Klein	Robert V. Bolger	Mark E. Lefever
Harold D. Saylor	Kendall H. Shoyer	Joseph D. Burke
Edmund S. Pawelec	Paul Silverstein	Theodore S. Gutowicz
Joseph C. Bruno	Judith Jamison	Alex Bonavitacola
Theodore A. McKee	Kathryn S. Lewis	Frank X. O'Brien
Levan Gordon	Petrese B. Tucker	Anne E. Lazarus
Joseph D. O'Keefe	Lynn B. Hamlin	John W. Herron
Matthew D. Carrafiello	George W. Overton	Sheila Woods-Skipper
Stella M. Tsai	Ramy I Djerassi

The history of the position of Administrative Judge of the Orphans' Court Division is as follows:

Judge Edmund S. Pawelec January 5, 1976 - July 1, 1992

Judge Kathryn S. Lewis July 1, 1992 - April 1, 1996

Judge Petrese B. Tucker April 1, 1996 - July 14, 2000

Judge Alex Bonavitacola* July 14, 2000 - December 22, 2000

Judge Joseph D. O'Keefe December 22, 2000 - December 31, 2014

Judge Matthew D. Carrafiello January 5, 2015 - November 1, 2020

Judge Sheila Woods-Skipper November 2, 2020 - Present

*Judge Bonavitacola, as President Judge of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, assumed a "Supervisory" role over the Orphans' Court until Judge O'Keefe was named as successor to Judge Tucker.

The Register of Wills of Philadelphia County is the ex officio Clerk of the Orphans' Court which maintains and certifies Orphans' Court records, issues citations, marriage licenses and other process.

CONTACT INFORMATION, LOCATION, PHONE NUMBERS

• Marriage License Information
• Search Marriage Records
• Clerk of Orphans' Court Filing Fees

The Supreme Court forms available below replace former Philadelphia County forms and can be filled in on-line and saved by the user if Acrobat Adobe Professional or similar software is utilized.

Audit and Administration Forms Decedent's Estate Proceeding General Orphans' Court Forms Guardianship and Incapacitated Person’s Proceedings Minor's Proceedings Minor's and Incapacitated Persons Compromises Model Forms of Account Power of Attorney Proceeding Trust Proceeding Wrongful Death and Survival Proceeding Register of Wills Forms

• Protocols and Guidelines for Conducting In-Person and Hybrid Judicial Proceedings In City Hall
• Orphans' Court Virtual Hearings using Zoom
• Electronic Filing System’s User Manual - NOTE
• Corporate Fiduciaries List
• 2024 Audit List Calendar
• 2024 Judicial Schedule
• Manual for Guardians of Incapacitated Persons
• PA. Supreme Court Orphans' Court Rules
• PA. Supreme Court Expert Report
• Philadelphia Orphans' Court Division Local Rules

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