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Prothonotary: Joann M. Behrens
First Deputy: Kelly S. Solt
Second Deputy: Debra Hoherchak
Department Clerk II / PFAD Coordinator: LehAnn Light
Automation Clerks: Alice Kane, Debbie Tout
Phone: (570) 325-2481
Fax: (570) 325-8047
Joann M. Behrens has been Prothonotary
of Carbon County since 2004. she is responsible for and
maintains the filings and records of most civil actions on the first floor of
the Courthouse. Click here to see the Civil Filing Fee
Schedule.
Since 1984, the Office of the Prothonotary
has been fully computerized, and civil docket information is available by remote computer access. Through the use of several
tailor-made computer programs, all civil filings, including security
agreements, are entered and docket entries are created through the use of codes.
Docket information can be accessed on the terminal screen or printed on
pre-designed forms such as case dockets. Cases can be looked-up by Case I.D. or
by the names of either the plaintiff or defendant. Entries in the Judgement index are recorded simultaneously with the entry
of the information in the docketing system. Every civil case and judgement filed since January 1, 1984, and every active
case filed before that date, has been entered into the computer.
Civil
Case Filings
|
|
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
|
Civil Action |
269 |
243 |
236 |
239 |
|
Equity |
23 |
16 |
13 |
15 |
|
Eminent Domain |
8 |
3 |
5 |
15 |
|
Divorce |
197 |
207 |
238 |
206 |
|
Custody |
176 |
203 |
218 |
212 |
|
Mortgage |
159 |
178 |
208 |
211 |
|
Mental Health |
123 |
110 |
113 |
110 |
|
Protection From Abuse |
256 |
224 |
293 |
274 |
|
Quiet title |
12 |
15 |
11 |
13 |
|
Miscellaneous |
146 |
250 |
191 |
307 |
|
TOTALS |
1369 |
1449 |
1526 |
1602 |
Includes the following case
types: Assault, Class Action, Contract, Discrimination, Fraud, Defamation,
Motor Vehicle, Malpractice, Partition, Personal Injury, Product Liability,
School Code, Title to Real Property, Torts to Land, and Toxic Waste.
Fees Collected
|
|
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
|
Commonwealth |
$36,979 |
$35,005 |
$25,012 |
$13,414 |
|
County |
$173,485 |
$190,443 |
$218,595 |
$236,845 |
|
Total Revenue |
$210,464 |
$225,448 |
$243,607 |
$250,259 |
|
Total Expenses |
$125,468 |
$130,707 |
$133,887 |
$147,750 |
|
Costs to taxpayers |
$0 |
$0 |
$0 |
$0 |
ELECTRONIC FILING
The Supreme Court's amendments to the
Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure, which allowed for electronic filing of
documents in civil actions, and the availability of funds through the Prothonotary's Automation Fund, cleared the way for the
office to begin the final phase of Court computerization.
In the Fall of 1999,
plans were begun to add Electronic Filing to the state-of-the-art computerized
docket system. Planning for the new program has been ongoing under the guidance
of Senior Judge John P. Lavelle, who planned and installed the Court's first
computer system back in 1984. The new Electronic Filing system is being
developed by David Fink of TriData Corporation, Ann
M. Schlough, Court Computer Systems Director, and Prothonotary Joann M. Behrens.
In the early part of
January, 2000, the Prothonotary's Office began the
electronic imaging and numbering of all documents filed and then storing them
in a retrievable database. Check this Website for new developments of this work
in progress.