Indiana County Court of Common Pleas

Forms & Documents

FAQs

Additional Links

Transcript Request Form

PA Courts: Custody Proceedings

PA Courts: Divorce Proceedings

Contact Court Administration

Phone: (724) 465-3955
Fax:  (724)463-2532

Court Administrator
Katrina McCombie

Assistant Court Administrator
Patricia L. Bracken

 

The Judges of the Court

President Judge
The Honorable Thomas M. Bianco
Phone: (724)465-3958

Judge
The Honorable Michael T.  Clark
Phone: (724) 465-1017

Judge
The Honorable Gina R. Force
Phone: (724) 465-3961 

 

Court Program Manager
Mathew G. Simon, Esquire
Child Custody Mediator and Divorce Hearing Officer
Phone: 724-465-3962
Fax: 724-463-2532

 

FAQs

Marriage Licenses are obtained in the Register & Recorders Office located on the first floor of the Indiana County Courthouse. For additional information, call 724-465-3860.

In addition to clergy, a Magisterial District Judge may perform a marriage ceremony. There are four MDJ offices in Indiana County: Judge Haberl - PHONE: 724-463-8781; Judge Welch - PHONE: 724-254-4348; Judge Steffee - PHONE: 724-479-8082; Judge Rega - PHONE: 724-459-7203

Information on the custody procedure is located at the following website: www.pacourts.us

Child support may be established through the Domestic Relations Office located in the Atrium Building at 665 Philadelphia Street in Indiana Borough. The office phone number is 724-465-3940

Information on the divorce procedure is located at the following website: www.pacourts.us

Legal advice should be obtained from a Pennsylvania Licensed Attorney. The Court does not provide legal counsel for civil cases, which includes child custody and divorce cases. The Court Administrator's Office may provide you with a list of attorneys currently working in Indiana County, please call 724-465-3955. Criminal case defendants may apply for an attorney through the Public Defender's Office.

If you are unable to attend a scheduled court date concerning a civil case, you must file a 'Motion for Continuance' in the Prothonotary's Office located on the first floor of the Indiana County Courthouse.  The Judge will decide if a continuance is appropriate by either granting or denying the continuance.

*Please note if you are unable to attend a scheduled court date involving yourself as a defendant in a criminal case you must file a 'Motion for Continuance' prior to the scheduled court date. If you do not appear for a scheduled court date an arrest warrant may be issued.

Formal clothing is not required; however, shorts are not permitted inside the courtrooms.

Under the Code of Judicial Conduct, judges are not allowed to permit or consider ex parte communication. Ex parte communication occurs when a party to a case, or someone on the party's behalf talks to or writes to the judge concerning the issues of the case. This rule eliminating one-sided conversations ensures the judge will make a judgment based on information obtained during scheduled hearings when all parties exchange information.

A variety of cases may be handled by a Magisterial District Judge; they may include: Landlord-Tenant Eviction, Small Claims for $8,000 or less, Summary Offense Trials (examples include: underage drinking, speeding, or a local ordinance violation).

You may file an appeal to the Court of Common Pleas within thirty (30) days from the conviction date.

The Prothonotary / Clerk of Courts can provide you with an IFP (In Forma Pauperis) Application which requests information concerning your income/assets and your expenses. This IFP Form is also located on the website. If the judge grants the IFP status you will not be responsible to pay any filing fees.

Building Permit questions should be addressed to the Planning Office for Indiana County PHONE: 724-465-3870. You may also check with the township or borough office for further restrictions and guidelines

Jury Duty FAQs

Yes, there are situations that require a trial to be canceled. Every attempt is made to contact potential jurors who have received a summons requiring their attendance.

However, if a person's phone number has been changed or disconnected since the Juror Questionnaire was completed, we may not have your current phone number. You may contact the Court Administrator's Office (724-465-3955) up to the last business day prior to your appearance date to confirm trial status.

To serve as a juror, an individual must:

  • Be at least 18 years of age or older
  • Be a U.S. citizen and a permanent resident of Indiana County
  • Be able to read, write and understand English
  • Be mentally and physically capable of jury service
  • Not have been convicted of a felony

The Jury Commission may create a list of potential jurors by reviewing telephone directories, tax rolls or other sources in order to create a jury pool representing a cross-section of the eligible population of Indiana County. All qualified citizens are to have the opportunity to be considered for jury service and those who are qualified have an obligation to serve as jurors when summoned.

If you are not selected as a juror, your length of service will be one (1) day which would culminate with the jury selection process removing you as a juror.

If you are selected to serve as a juror, your jury service will be for the length of that trial. Most trials take between one to two days to complete. Because of this, please do not make any appointments or commitments that would interfere with you serving on a trial that may take up to five (5) days to complete.

Once all prospective jurors have checked in, you will be escorted to the courtroom by courthouse staff.  After some preliminary questions from the judge, the attorneys will work towards eliminating potential jurors until there are 12 primary jurors and two alternate jurors remaining.

According to Pennsylvania law, jurors are paid $9.00 per day for the first three days of jury service and $25.00 per day for every day thereafter. Pennsylvania law also sets the mileage rate of 20 cents per mile, round trip from your home.

Jurors must park in the Indiana Borough Parking Garage located at 650 Water Street, Indiana, PA. The parking garage is located approximately 1 ½ blocks from the courthouse. Upon your arrival to Floor 4M in the courthouse, you will be given a parking ID stub. Upon completion of Jury Duty, you are to return the parking stub to the parking cashier located on level one next to the elevator of the garage prior to returning to your vehicle. Your parking stub will be validated by the parking garage staff and you will need to insert the stub at the exit box upon exiting the garage with your vehicle. You will not have to pay for parking if you follow this procedure.

You will be asked how many miles you drove one way to arrive at the parking garage. This will be needed in order to compensate you for your mileage expense. There may be a waiting period during the first day of service, please feel free to bring reading material, cross word puzzle books, word search puzzle books, needlepoint, etc… Please refrain from bringing electronic equipment (laptop; cell phones, etc.) Prior to jury staff escorting you from Floor 4M to the courtroom if you have a cell phone with you, you will need to leave your cell phone with courthouse staff.

Lunch will be provided if the judge directs jurors to remain at the courthouse during the lunch hour. Otherwise, the judge may permit jurors to leave for lunch but return at a set time. Please return five minutes prior to the time the judge has asked you to return, this will enable courthouse staff to confirm all jurors are present. This will eliminate delays in the trial process resuming.

Pennsylvania law does not require an employer to pay an employee for jury service.  Check with your employer for their policy.

Pennsylvania law provides that such conduct is contempt of court punishable by a fine and/or imprisonment.

This question will be answered by the judge at the beginning of the jury selection process.

If requesting an excusal, send a letter outlining the reasons for the requested excusal to the Court Administrator's Office, ATIN: Patricia Bracken, Assistant Court Administrator, Indiana County Courthouse, 825 Philadelphia Street, Indiana, PA 15701. This letter should be sent as soon as possible. It is your responsibility to call the Court Administrator's Office (724-465-3955) prior to your scheduled date to appear in order to confirm your letter was received and that you had been excused.

Casual attire should be worn as long as it is in keeping with the dignity of court proceedings. Ties are not required. Shorts are not permitted.

Cell phones are not permitted in the courtrooms. Courthouse staff will label phones according to juror numbers and return phones to jurors during scheduled breaks during the day and upon jurors leaving the building. Cameras and/or other photographic devices are not permitted in the courtroom. Local newspapers are also not permitted.

Please call the Court Administrator’s Office at 724-465-3955.

You are asked to arrive for the juror check-in process between 7:45 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. We appreciate your promptness and patience. Please do not report to the courthouse prior to 7:45 a.m.

Please take the elevator or steps to Floor 4M, upon exiting the elevator there will be courthouse staff to assist you.