Frisk Law's office is at 329 Fourth Street in Ellwood City, in the Lawrence County part of the borough. Families here can settle a divorce, custody or support matter through collaborative practice or mediation and then file the agreed papers with the Lawrence County courts in New Castle, or in Beaver County if that is where the case belongs.
Ellwood City sits on a county line, which makes the "where do we file?" question more interesting than in most towns. This page explains how the borough's location affects a family case, what the Lawrence County offices do, and how a cooperative case is finished locally. For the approach itself, see our collaborative family law and mediation pages.
How a cooperative family case runs here, step by step
- Choose the process. Collaborative divorce or mediation; see whether collaborative divorce is right for you and how family mediation works.
- Confirm the county. Ellwood City lies in both Lawrence and Beaver counties; your address, and where the children have lived, guide where papers are filed.
- Negotiate privately. Meetings or mediation sessions can take place at the office or by video; see how a collaborative divorce works, step by step.
- File the papers. In Lawrence County, divorce and custody papers go to the Prothonotary at the Government Center, 430 Court Street, New Castle.
- Enter the orders. A custody consent order, a support order through Domestic Relations, and the divorce decree. See how to finalize a collaborative divorce.
| Local fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| A borough on a county line | Ellwood City borough has parts in Lawrence County and in Beaver County | U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb |
| The office | 329 Fourth Street, Ellwood City, PA 16117, which the Census geocoder places in Lawrence County | Frisk Law site; Census geocoder |
| Lawrence County seat for family filings | Government Center, 430 Court Street, New Castle, PA 16101-3503; weekdays 8:00 am to 4:00 pm | Lawrence County |
| Filing office | Prothonotary, first floor, (724) 656-2126 | Lawrence County Prothonotary and divorce packet |
| Support office | Domestic Relations Section, across Court Street, upper floor of the white building with the pillars | Lawrence County Domestic Relations |
| Court | Court of Common Pleas with four courtrooms and judges | Lawrence County Court of Common Pleas |
| Custody filing cost | $196.70 for a complaint (directions revised July 22, 2025) | Lawrence County custody directions |
| Beaver County seat | Courthouse, 810 Third Street, Beaver, PA 15009, with its own Domestic Relations office and a Positive Transition educational custody seminar requirement | Beaver County |
Which county: Lawrence or Beaver?
Because Ellwood City spans two counties, two neighbors on the same street can belong to different courthouses. For custody, the general rule is that a case is filed where the child has lived for the past six months. For divorce, at least one spouse must have lived in Pennsylvania for six months before filing (23 Pa.C.S. § 3104(b)), and the county is usually connected to where the spouses live. Families in the Beaver County portion of the borough may file in Beaver, where the courthouse is at 810 Third Street in Beaver and the courts publish their own custody seminar requirements. Your lawyer will confirm the right county before anything is filed. Residency rules are explained in residency and separation rules.
The Lawrence County offices
The Prothonotary is the legal custodian of civil documents filed with the Lawrence County Court of Common Pleas, and family filings are made there. The county's divorce packet lists the documents for an agreed, no-fault divorce and its filing fees, and its custody directions list the forms and service rules for a custody complaint. Domestic Relations, part of the Family Court division, enters, modifies and enforces child support, spousal support and alimony pendente lite orders. The full detail, including what to bring, is in our guide to the Lawrence County Courthouse for family cases.
Parenting plans and support locally
Parents who agree on a plan submit it as a consent custody order with the required abuse history verification forms. The plan itself follows the topics in 23 Pa.C.S. § 5331; see building a parenting plan. If a court refers parents to mediation, the statewide rules apply, including the exclusion where there has been abuse; see court-ordered custody mediation. Child support follows the statewide guidelines and is usually entered through Domestic Relations; see child support when parents settle.
Money matters
Property, alimony and retirement accounts are negotiated privately under the statewide rules, the same in Lawrence County as anywhere in Pennsylvania. See dividing property by agreement, spousal support and alimony by agreement and dividing retirement accounts.
Working with the office from nearby towns
The office in Ellwood City is convenient for families across northern Beaver County and southern Lawrence County, and collaborative meetings and mediation sessions can also be held by video. Many families combine the two: an in-person first meeting to sign the participation agreement or agreement to mediate, then video sessions that avoid long drives and child-care problems. Documents are exchanged through a secure shared folder rather than in person. The only times most families need to travel to a courthouse are rare, and in an agreed case often not at all, because the lawyers file the papers. For Pittsburgh families, see our Pittsburgh and Allegheny County page.
Common first questions from Lawrence County families
Families from Ellwood City, New Castle and the surrounding communities tend to ask the same practical questions at the start. Will everyone at the courthouse know our business? In an agreed case, the negotiation stays private and the court file holds only the finished documents; the details of how you reached them stay out of it. Do we both need lawyers? For collaborative practice, yes, one each; for mediation, it is strongly recommended that each of you have a lawyer review the agreement before signing, as explained in whether you need a lawyer in mediation. Can we keep the children in their school? That is one of the most common goals of a parenting plan, and stability in education and community life is one of the factors Pennsylvania courts consider. Who keeps the house? That depends on the whole financial picture, and it is usually decided alongside retirement accounts and support rather than on its own. And how do we start? Usually with separate consultations, then a decision together about which process to use.
Another frequent question is whether the firm can help if one spouse has already moved away. It can: the private negotiation works by video, and only the court filings depend on the county where the case belongs. Whatever the question, the answer starts from the same place: what matters most to your family, and which process gives you the best chance of reaching an agreement you can both live with for years.
Breonna Frisk's post Divorcing with Dignity in Pittsburgh describes the regional interest in respectful, collaborative divorce.
What changes the answer
- Which side of the county line you live on. It can decide the courthouse.
- Where the children have lived. Custody venue follows the children's residence.
- Safety. If there has been abuse, court protections come first; see when mediation is not safe.
- A filed case. A case already in court can still move into a cooperative process; see switching to collaborative after filing.
- Cost and timing. See what drives the cost and how long it takes.
A worked example
For example, imagine a hypothetical couple who live on the Lawrence County side of Ellwood City with one child. They choose mediation, meet first at the office on Fourth Street, then hold three video sessions. They agree on a parenting plan and child support. Their lawyers file a mutual consent complaint and a custody complaint with the Prothonotary in New Castle, submit a consent order with the verification forms, enter support through Domestic Relations, and after the 90-day period file affidavits of consent and the praecipe. A friend of theirs on the Beaver County side of the borough would follow the Beaver County process instead. This is an illustration only.
Common mistakes
- Assuming Ellwood City means one county. Check which side of the line applies.
- Filing custody where the parents live, not where the child lived. Venue follows the child.
- Leaving support informal. An order through Domestic Relations is easier to track and change.
- Driving to New Castle unnecessarily. In an agreed case, lawyers usually file for you.
- Waiting to start. The divorce clock runs from service; filing early can save time.
What to do this week
- Confirm which county your home is in, and where the children have lived for six months.
- Gather financial records and the children's routines.
- Decide between collaborative practice and mediation.
- Read the courthouse guide for office details.
- Call Breonna Frisk at (412) 760-9188 or use our contact page.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Frisk Law's office?
At 329 Fourth Street, Ellwood City, PA 16117.
Is Ellwood City in Lawrence or Beaver County?
Both. The borough has parts in each county; the office address is in Lawrence County.
Where are family cases filed in Lawrence County?
With the Prothonotary at the Government Center, 430 Court Street, New Castle.
Do I have to go to New Castle?
In an agreed case, usually not; your lawyer files the papers.
Can sessions be held by video?
Yes. Collaborative meetings and mediation sessions can be held by video when that suits the family.
What if I live on the Beaver County side?
Your case may belong in Beaver County, whose courthouse is at 810 Third Street, Beaver.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, Ellwood City borough county parts
- U.S. Census Bureau geocoder, 329 Fourth Street county
- Lawrence County Government Center, directions and hours
- Lawrence County Prothonotary
- Lawrence County Domestic Relations Section
- Lawrence County Court of Common Pleas
- Lawrence County complaint for custody directions
- Beaver County courts, Positive Transition educational custody seminar
- 23 Pa.C.S. § 3104, residency
