Lebanon County Family Court Records - Search Online or In Person
Lebanon County family court records are maintained by Prothonotary Lisa M. Arnold at the 52nd Judicial District Court of Common Pleas in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. Lebanon County provides free online access to family court records with docket coverage back to 1985, with documents available directly in the system. The courthouse is located at 400 S. 8th Street, Lebanon, PA 17042. You can search Lebanon County family court records online through the statewide UJS Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us, or visit the Prothonotary's office for in-person access and certified copies of divorce, custody, support, and Protection from Abuse filings.
Lebanon County Quick Facts
Lebanon County Family Court System
The Lebanon County Court of Common Pleas operates within Pennsylvania's Unified Judicial System under 42 Pa.C.S. § 301. Lebanon County is located in south-central Pennsylvania between Dauphin and Berks counties. The 52nd Judicial District hears all family law matters for Lebanon County residents including divorce, child custody, child and spousal support, Protection from Abuse orders, adoption, guardianship, name changes, and paternity actions filed in the Lebanon area.
Lebanon County family law proceedings are governed by Title 23 Pa.C.S. Domestic Relations. Custody determinations in Lebanon County are based on the best interests of the child standard, with the court considering sixteen specific factors defined in the statute. Support orders follow the Pennsylvania Support Guidelines calculated from the parties' combined net monthly income. Lebanon County applies Pennsylvania's uniform rules for protective orders, no-fault divorce, and equitable property distribution in all family court matters.
Lebanon County applies specific record retention rules that differ from general civil case retention policies. Domestic relations cases are retained for 25 years after final disposition. Orphans' Court records for wills, estates, and adoptions are kept permanently. Protection from Abuse orders are retained for 5 years after expiration. These extended retention periods mean Lebanon County family court records are preserved well beyond the life of most individual cases, making them accessible for many years after the matter was concluded.
Prothonotary Lisa M. Arnold manages all civil and family court records for the 52nd Judicial District. The Prothonotary's office at 400 S. 8th Street receives all family court filings, maintains docket entries, stores case files, and provides certified copies of court orders and decrees. The Lebanon County government website provides current contact information and services for all county departments.
Note: Lebanon County's 25-year retention rule for domestic relations cases means that even resolved family court matters remain accessible through the Prothonotary's office for an extended period after the final order was entered.
Lebanon County Family Court Records Access
Lebanon County provides free online access to family court records. Coverage extends back to 1985, with some earlier dockets also available, and documents are linked at no cost through the online system. This makes Lebanon County one of the more accessible Pennsylvania counties for remote family court record research, with both docket information and actual documents available without charge from the county's online platform.
Under 204 Pa. Code § 213.81, the Pennsylvania Public Access Policy authorizes remote access to dockets, court orders, and published opinions. Lebanon County's free online system implements this policy and goes further by providing linked documents at no cost where available. For certified copies with official court seals, contact the Prothonotary at 400 S. 8th Street, Lebanon, PA 17042, in person or by mail. Certified copies are required for legal proceedings and carry a per-page fee plus a certification charge.
The statewide UJS Case Search at ujsportal.pacourts.us/CaseSearch is also available for searching Lebanon County cases at no cost. It provides docket-level information including case numbers, party names, and filing dates. For deeper document access, Lebanon County's own online system is preferable since it links actual documents from the electronic record. The Lebanon County government website provides direction to the Prothonotary's online records system.
The Lebanon County records resource shown below provides additional search tools for locating Lebanon County court records online.
The Lebanon County records resource at lebanonrecords.us provides an index of court records and is useful for identifying Lebanon County family court cases before using the county's own free online system.
Types of Family Court Records in Lebanon County
Lebanon County family court records cover the full range of domestic relations proceedings at the 52nd Judicial District Court of Common Pleas. The Prothonotary maintains all civil family case files including divorce, custody, support, and PFA records. Lebanon County's specific retention rules mean these records are kept for substantially longer periods than standard civil court filings, with domestic relations cases retained 25 years after final disposition.
Divorce records in Lebanon County include the complaint in divorce, proof of service, any affidavit of consent or separation, marital settlement agreements, and the final divorce decree. The decree is the primary document for legal purposes following a divorce. Child custody records contain the original custody complaint, temporary and emergency custody orders, any Guardian ad Litem report, and the final custody arrangement addressing both legal and physical custody of the children. These records are retained for 25 years from the date of the final order in Lebanon County.
Support records document income submissions, the support order, and all modifications over the life of the case. PFA records are retained for 5 years after the expiration of the protective order. Orphans' Court records in Lebanon County, including wills, estate distributions, and adoptions, are retained permanently and represent one of the most significant long-term preservation commitments of any Lebanon County record type. Name change petitions, guardianship records, and paternity actions are also maintained by the Prothonotary with retention periods consistent with domestic relations case rules.
A third-party search resource for Lebanon County court records is shown below and can help identify cases in the county's court system.
This Pennsylvania court records index provides additional search tools for finding Lebanon County family court filings as a complement to the county's own free online access system.
- Divorce records (free online from 1985)
- Child custody and visitation orders (retained 25 years)
- Child support and spousal support cases (retained 25 years)
- Protection from Abuse orders (retained 5 years after expiration)
- Orphans' Court records including estates and adoptions (permanent)
- Name change petitions and paternity actions
Lebanon County Prothonotary Office
Prothonotary Lisa M. Arnold leads the Lebanon County Prothonotary's office at 400 S. 8th Street in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. As the civil clerk of the 52nd Judicial District Court of Common Pleas, the Prothonotary receives all civil and family case filings, maintains the official docket, preserves case files in accordance with Lebanon County's retention rules, and provides certified copies of court orders and decrees to authorized requestors.
The Lebanon County Prothonotary's office can be contacted in person at 400 S. 8th Street, Lebanon, PA 17042. Staff can search by party name, docket number, or filing date range. The office maintains free online access to records from 1985 forward, making many requests resolvable without an in-person visit. For certified copies with official court stamps, visit the office in person or submit a written mail request including party names, approximate filing year, docket number if known, and payment for estimated copy fees. The Lebanon County government website provides current office hours and any procedural updates.
The Lebanon County government website shown below is the primary official resource for residents seeking to contact the Prothonotary and other county offices in Lebanon.
The Lebanon County government website at lebanoncountypa.gov provides contact information for the Prothonotary, courthouse hours, and links to online records access for family court matters in Lebanon.
| Court |
Lebanon County Court of Common Pleas 52nd Judicial District Prothonotary: Lisa M. Arnold 400 S. 8th Street Lebanon, PA 17042 |
|---|---|
| Records Access | Free online from 1985; documents linked at no cost; in-person for certified copies |
| Retention Rules | Domestic relations: 25 years; PFA: 5 years after expiration; Orphans' Court: permanent |
| Website | lebanoncountypa.gov |
Legal Help for Lebanon County Family Court Cases
Lebanon County residents involved in family court proceedings have access to legal assistance resources through Pennsylvania statewide programs. Free and reduced-cost services are available to qualifying individuals, and self-help materials are accessible to all Lebanon County residents regardless of income.
Pennsylvania Legal Aid serves Lebanon County through regional offices in central Pennsylvania. Visit palegalaid.net to find the appropriate office and apply for free legal services. Legal aid handles custody disputes, PFA applications, support modifications, and divorce matters for income-qualifying individuals. The Temple Law Pennsylvania Family Court Research Guide provides a comprehensive online reference for Pennsylvania family court procedures, statutes, and record access policies applicable in Lebanon County's 52nd Judicial District.
Downloadable court forms for custody, support, PFA, and divorce matters are available at pacourts.us/forms and are accepted by the Lebanon County Court of Common Pleas. The Pennsylvania Bar Association lawyer referral service at (800) 692-7375 can connect Lebanon County residents with family law attorneys practicing in the Lebanon area. Under 65 P.S. § 67.101, Lebanon County residents may also invoke the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law to request access to public court records.
Note: Lebanon County's online records system provides both docket information and linked documents at no cost from 1985 forward, making it one of the most convenient self-help records resources available to family court parties in south-central Pennsylvania.
Nearby Counties
Lebanon County is located in south-central Pennsylvania and borders four other counties. Family court jurisdiction is based on residence at the time of filing, so verify the correct county before requesting records or initiating new proceedings.