FamilySearch Wiki:WikiProject Pennsylvania/Tasks-Court 6

WikiProject Pennsylvania Progress Chart  Wiki Project Pennsylvania Tasks - Court Records: 6

Description
The purpose of this task is to add the other repository court information for your selected county.

Instructions
1. Before you open your county page for editing, go to the new FHLC on FamilySearch.org, determine if your county has any records under the county's "court records" topic.

2. If your county does have court records in the FHLC, follow steps 3–8. If yours DOES NOT have court records in the FHLC, begin your task at step 9.

3. On your county page, open Court Records at the main heading to edit the entire section.

4. Copy the following template and paste it in wiki text under the last information for court records:



5. In the template, replace the county Berks with the name of the county you are working on.

6. In the template, change the numbers listed with the number you obtain from doing the following:


 * While in the new FHLC on FamilySearch.org, select any record under the county's "court records" topic.
 * a. Put your county into the search "For" field, i.e. Berks, Pennsylvania.
 * b. Click on the county name as it appears beneath what you are typing.
 * c. Select the court records topic from the list.
 * d. Select any record listed in the court records topic.
 * e. In the court record, under the "Subjects" heading select the link called "Pennsylvania, (your county)– court records".
 * f. Click on this blue subject link (i.e. Pennsylvania, Berks - court Records).
 * g. In the upper left corner you will find a heading titled "Search" containing the term Subject Number. Under that is the heading "For" with a number. Copy the number in the "For" field.
 * h.Paste the number in template listed in #1 above replacing the number field in the template.

NOTE: The template links to the FHLC and will show any additional records which are added to the FHLC in the future.

7. Add your task description and save your page.

8. Your task is complete.

9. Do the following only if your county does not have court records in the FHLC.

10. On your county page, open Court Records at the main heading to edit the entire section.

11. Copy the following template and paste it in wiki text under the last information for court records:



12. In the template, replace the county Berks with the name of the county you are working on.

13. Add your task description and save your page.

14. Your task is complete.

Example without a FHLC Subject Link
Additional court records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Green County, Pennsylvania Court Records in online catalogs like:


 * Historical Society of Pennsylvania
 * WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
 * Do a Green County, Pennsylvania Place-name search for these and other records in the Family History Library Catalog (For instructions see FHL Catalog Place-name Search).

Example with a FHLC Subject Link
Finding Court Records at Other Repositories

Additional court records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Luzerne Court Records in online catalogs like:


 * Historical Society of Pennsylvania
 * WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
 * (For instructions see FHL Catalog Place-name Search).

Court of Common Pleas
Green County, Pennsylvania court records are housed at the Green County, Pennsylvania Courthouse. For many counties copies of court records may be found at the Pennsylvania State Archives and in the FamilySearch collection. Note that within these collections some films may contain the same records, but have different titles. Other titles are not duplicates. See Finding Court Records at other repositories within this section for links to the online catalogs for these two collections. Films at the Pennsylvania State Archives are not available for inter-library loan. If court records are available FamilySearch films may be ordered at a local Family History Center.

Clerk of the Court
The Clerk of Court prepares and maintains the records for the Criminal Division of the Court of Common Pleas. The Clerk signs and affixes the Seal of the Courts to all writs and processes, administers oaths and affirmations, and assumes custody of the seal and records of the Court. The Clerk certifies and distributes orders of the Court. The Clerk also certifies and prepares bills of costs for the defendants and utilizes the computerized financial management system to disburse fines, costs and restitution. For the Green County, Pennsylvania Clerk of Court address see the Courthouse section on this page.

The Clerk of Court's Office encompasses the criminal, juvenile and orphans’ divisions of the Court of Common Pleas.

Prothonotary
The office of the Prothontary is the custodian of all civil matters in the county. This includes naturalization, immigration, equity actions, judgements, federal and local tax leins, city liens, family court, arbitrations, license suspension appeals, appeals to higher court, commercial code filings, applications for passports and divorce proceedings. See the Courthouse section on this page for the Green County, Pennsylvania County Prothonotary office information.

The Prothonotary is the keeper/clerk of the records of the Court of Common Pleas civil division.

Orphans' Court
See Vital Records The Orphans' Court is responsible for a wide range of matters. The name of the Court is derived from the more general definition of "orphan," that being a person or thing that is without protective affiliation or sponsorship. This would include those not capable of handling their own affairs, minors, incapacitated persons, decedents estates, nonprofit corporations and trusts. It is the role of the Court to ensure that the best interests of the person or entity are not compromised.

It is believed the name of this court was borrowed from the Court of Orphans of the city of London, England which had the care and guardianship of children of deceased citizens, in their minority.

For Green County, Pennsylvania Orphans' Court contact information see the Courthouse section on this page. Finding Court Records at Other Repositories

Additional court records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Green County, Pennsylvania Court Records in online catalogs like:


 * Historical Society of Pennsylvania
 * WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
 * Do a Green County, Pennsylvania Place-name search for these and other records in the Family History Library Catalog. (For instructions see FHL Catalog Place-name Search).

Court of Common Pleas
Luzerne County, Pennsylvania court records are housed at the Luzerne County, Pennsylvania Courthouse. For many counties copies of court records may be found at the Pennsylvania State Archives and in the FamilySearch collection. Note that within these collections some films may contain the same records, but have different titles. Other titles are not duplicates. See Finding Court Records at other repositories within this section for links to the online catalogs for these two collections. Films at the Pennsylvania State Archives are not available for inter-library loan. If court records are available FamilySearch films may be ordered at a local Family History Center.

Clerk of the Court
The Clerk of Court prepares and maintains the records for the Criminal Division of the Court of Common Pleas. The Clerk signs and affixes the Seal of the Courts to all writs and processes, administers oaths and affirmations, and assumes custody of the seal and records of the Court. The Clerk certifies and distributes orders of the Court. The Clerk also certifies and prepares bills of costs for the defendants and utilizes the computerized financial management system to disburse fines, costs and restitution. For the Luzerne County, Pennsylvania Clerk of Court address see the Courthouse section on this page.

The Clerk of Court's Office encompasses the criminal, juvenile and orphans’ divisions of the Court of Common Pleas.

Prothonotary
The office of the Prothontary is the custodian of all civil matters in the county. This includes naturalization, immigration, equity actions, judgements, federal and local tax leins, city liens, family court, arbitrations, license suspension appeals, appeals to higher court, commercial code filings, applications for passports and divorce proceedings. See the Courthouse section on this page for the Luzerne County, Pennsylvania County Prothonotary office information.

The Prothonotary is the keeper/clerk of the records of the Court of Common Pleas civil division.

Orphans' Court
See Vital Records The Orphans' Court is responsible for a wide range of matters. The name of the Court is derived from the more general definition of "orphan," that being a person or thing that is without protective affiliation or sponsorship. This would include those not capable of handling their own affairs, minors, incapacitated persons, decedents estates, nonprofit corporations and trusts. It is the role of the Court to ensure that the best interests of the person or entity are not compromised.

It is believed the name of this court was borrowed from the Court of Orphans of the city of London, England which had the care and guardianship of children of deceased citizens, in their minority.

For Luzerne County, Pennsylvania Orphans' Court contact information see the Courthouse section on this page.


 * 1787–1866 Orphans Court Dockets (Index 1787–1874)

Finding Court Records at Other Repositories

Additional court records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Luzerne Court Records in online catalogs like:


 * Historical Society of Pennsylvania
 * WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
 * (For instructions see FHL Catalog Place-name Search).