Family cases in Allegheny County are handled by the Family Division of the Court of Common Pleas at the Family Law Center, 440 Ross Street, Pittsburgh. Custody papers are filed with the Department of Court Records, and every custody filing triggers the Generations program. Agreed divorces are granted administratively once the paperwork is complete.
Collaborative and mediating families often need only the final paperwork from the court, but it helps to know how the building and its offices work, especially if a case is already filed. This page gathers the Family Division's own published procedures. For the bigger local picture, see our Pittsburgh and Allegheny County page and our collaborative family law page.
How a family case moves through Allegheny County, step by step
- Filing. Custody complaints and related forms are taken to the Department of Court Records (DCR), City-County Building, first floor, 414 Grant Street, Pittsburgh. Divorce filings also go through the DCR.
- Confidential information. Filings must follow Pennsylvania's Public Access Policy: Social Security numbers, financial account numbers and children's birth dates should not appear directly in court filings.
- Custody education and mediation. Each custody complaint or petition triggers the Generations program: the four-hour online Able to Adjust co-parenting course, then a remote mediation session by Microsoft Teams.
- Conciliation if needed. After Generations, a party may file a praecipe, with the Certificate of Completion of Mediation attached, to schedule a conciliation before a Custody Hearing Officer, within 120 days of the mediation date; after 120 days without a praecipe, the complaint or petition may be dismissed.
- Divorce economic claims. The assigned judge may address them first; conciliations follow the judge's standard operating procedures, and by consent the parties may request a conciliation before a Divorce Hearing Officer.
- Support. Support complaints can be filed at the Family Law Center; conferences and hearings follow the Family Division's published procedure.
- Final orders. Agreed custody orders, support orders and the divorce decree are entered.
| Office | Location | What happens there |
|---|---|---|
| Family Law Center | 440 Ross Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 | Family Division offices; support filings; Client Services Center on the first floor |
| Custody Department | Mailing address 440 Ross Street, Suite 121 | Generations program contact; custody scheduling |
| Docket Clerk | Family Law Center, Room 400 (Divorce Hearing Officer orders); Room 309 (judicial scheduling requests in relocation matters) | Scheduling conciliations and hearings |
| Department of Court Records | City-County Building, first floor, 414 Grant Street | Filing custody and divorce documents; fee schedule |
| Client Services Center | Family Law Center, first floor; 412-350-5600; walk-in Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 11:00 a.m. | Procedural help for self-represented litigants (no legal advice) |
Custody: Generations, conciliation and consent orders
The Family Division describes Generations as a two-part process required each time a custody complaint or petition is filed. Parents complete Able to Adjust online, then attend a confidential mediation session by Teams. Parents must email the Custody Department so the invitation reaches them, join from a quiet place, present themselves as they would for court, and may not record the session or have children or third parties present. See court-ordered custody mediation.
If the parents reach agreement before a scheduled conciliation, the Family Division says the consent order must be signed by the assigned judge and a copy delivered to the Custody Department; a consent reached on the day of the conciliation may be presented to the Custody Hearing Officer, who reviews and, if acceptable, processes it. Under Kayden's Law, the Family Division requires a Custody Consent Verification Form before entering a custody consent order, along with a Criminal Record and Abuse History Verification Form. See turning a custody agreement into an order.
If agreement is not reached, a Custody Hearing Officer may schedule a hearing (with a pretrial statement due 10 days before) or a judicial conciliation, consistent with the statewide rule that custody cases move promptly (Pa.R.C.P. 1915.4).
Divorce: administrative grants and hearing officers
The Family Division says the court continues to grant divorces administratively when all required documents are filed with the Department of Court Records. That is how most collaborative and mediated divorces finish: affidavits of consent, waivers and a praecipe to transmit the record (Pa.R.C.P. 1920.42). See how to finalize a collaborative divorce.
Where economic claims are contested, the assigned judge may handle them first, and by consent the parties may praecipe for a conciliation before a Divorce Hearing Officer, attaching a Family Court Coversheet and Certificate of Compliance. Divorce Hearing Officer referrals carry a fee paid by check to "Divorce Hearing Officer"; the Docket Clerk in Room 400 schedules the date once the fee is paid in full, and failure to pay within the time allowed (or 30 days from the referral order, whichever is later) requires a new referral. Spouses who move a filed case into collaborative practice can pause these steps; see switching to collaborative after filing.
Support: filing and hearings
Support complaints can be filed at the Family Law Center. For a child support hearing before a Hearing Officer, the Family Division asks parties to bring the last six months of earnings, child care and children's activity expenses, and medical cards. Support amounts follow the statewide guidelines, which are presumed correct (23 Pa.C.S. ยง 4322(b)). See child support when parents settle.
Relocation
A parent who receives a notice of proposed relocation and opposes it has 30 days to object. The Family Division's instructions list a complaint for custody or petition for modification, the counter-affidavit, a request for a hearing or judicial conciliation scheduled through the Docket Clerk in Room 309 of the Family Law Center (or by email to the adult judicial scheduling address), and a criminal history and abuse verification form. See moving after a custody agreement.
Visiting the Family Law Center
Most collaborative and mediating clients never need to appear in person; their lawyers file the papers and the court acts on them. If you do need to visit, a few practical points help. Bring photo identification and copies of any papers you received, with the case number. Arrive early, because building security and finding the right room take time. If you are representing yourself, the Client Services Center on the first floor gives procedural information, though not legal advice, and in-person help is available on weekday mornings. Keep children at home unless the court has specifically asked for them; Generations mediation, for example, does not allow children to attend. And if you have safety concerns about meeting the other party, tell your lawyer or the court staff in advance so arrangements can be made.
For a Pittsburgh perspective on why many local families choose a cooperative path, read Divorcing with Dignity in Pittsburgh.
What changes the answer
- Agreement. Families who settle through collaborative practice or mediation usually file only the final papers.
- Safety. Protection from abuse matters are handled separately; court-ordered mediation is not appropriate where the abuse exclusion applies. See when mediation is not safe.
- Fees. Custody filing fees are non-refundable; fee waivers are possible, with assessment appointments at 412-350-5600.
- Venue. Custody venue generally rests where the children have lived for the past six months.
- A failed process. If a collaborative case ends, the court steps above resume; see what happens if it breaks down.
A worked example
For example, imagine hypothetical parents in Pittsburgh's East End who reach a full parenting plan through private mediation. One parent files a custody complaint at the DCR on Grant Street to open a case. Both complete Able to Adjust and the Teams mediation session, where they confirm their plan. They complete the Kayden's Law verification forms, their lawyers submit the proposed consent order for the assigned judge's signature, and a copy goes to the Custody Department. Their divorce, filed separately, is granted administratively once the affidavits and praecipe are filed. This is an illustration only.
Common mistakes
- Filing at the wrong building. Custody documents go to the DCR in the City-County Building; the Family Division is at 440 Ross Street.
- Missing the 120-day window. After Generations mediation, a conciliation request must be filed within 120 days or the case may be dismissed.
- Putting private numbers in filings. Follow the Public Access Policy.
- Forgetting the verification forms. Consent orders are not entered without them.
- Underpaying the Divorce Hearing Officer fee. Scheduling waits until it is paid in full.
What to do this week
- Confirm Allegheny County is the right venue for your case.
- If filing custody, download the complaint packet and verification forms.
- Enroll in Able to Adjust early if a custody filing is planned.
- Gather six months of earnings and child expenses if support is involved.
- Read our Pittsburgh and Allegheny County page for how collaborative cases fit locally, or compare the Lawrence County process if you live near Ellwood City.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Allegheny County Family Division?
At the Family Law Center, 440 Ross Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.
Where do I file custody papers?
The Family Division directs custody filings to the Department of Court Records, City-County Building, first floor, 414 Grant Street.
Is Generations required if we already agree?
The Family Division says participation is required each time a custody complaint or petition is filed.
Do we have to appear for an agreed divorce?
Usually not; divorces are granted administratively once all required documents are filed.
Can the Client Services Center give legal advice?
No. Its Domestic Relations Officers give procedural information only.
What do I bring to a child support hearing?
The last six months of earnings, child care and activity expenses, and medical cards.
Sources
- Allegheny County Family Division, how to start a custody case
- Allegheny County Family Division, Generations Program
- Allegheny County Family Division, scheduling a custody case
- Allegheny County Family Division, Kayden's Law
- Allegheny County Family Division, relocation
- Allegheny County Family Division, divorce general information
- Allegheny County Family Division, Divorce Hearing Officer scheduling and payment
- Allegheny County Family Division, support
- Allegheny County Family Division, support conference and hearing procedure
- Pa.R.C.P. 1915.4, prompt disposition of custody cases
