Westmoreland County Prothonotary Office
The Westmoreland County Prothonotary is Gina O'Barto. The office is the chief clerk of the Civil Division of the Court of Common Pleas. It records civil procedures before the court, maintains civil and family documents, and provides public access to civil records unless a record has been sealed by the court or restricted by law. The office is in the courthouse at 2 N Main Street, Suite 501, Greensburg, PA 15601.
Current filings are electronically scanned and made available through the county e-services public records search. Older filings may be stored in docket books or on microfilm while back-scanning continues. The Prothonotary also offers three public computer terminals in the office for civil-record research. A person seeking criminal fines, restitution, criminal dockets, juvenile criminal proceedings, expungement, or Clean Slate payment questions should use the separate Westmoreland County Clerk of Courts.
Westmoreland County Prothonotary
Prothonotary: Gina O'Barto
2 N Main Street, Suite 501
Greensburg, PA 15601
724-830-3502
Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
Westmoreland County Civil Clerk Duties
The Prothonotary handles civil and family records for the Westmoreland County Court of Common Pleas. That includes case-opening documents, pleadings, docket entries, judgments, liens, family court records, divorce decrees, custody filings, and protection-from-abuse matters. The office also links family court forms, family court fees, divorce decree instructions, and public record access through iJEMS. Its role is different from the Clerk of Courts, which keeps criminal and juvenile dockets.
That civil focus also affects which search portal should be used. A divorce decree, custody order, PFA filing, civil complaint, judgment, lien, or name-change matter belongs on the Prothonotary side. A criminal sentence, restitution balance, appeal from a criminal conviction, expungement filing, or Clean Slate payment issue belongs with the Clerk of Courts. Marriage licenses and estate records belong with the Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans' Court.
- Maintains civil Court of Common Pleas documents and docket information.
- Handles divorce and family civil filings such as custody and PFA matters.
- Provides public access to civil records unless sealed or legally restricted.
- Scans current filings for electronic access through county e-services.
- Maintains older civil records in docket books or microfilm when not yet scanned.
- Supports in-office public terminal research for civil and family records.
Search Westmoreland County Prothonotary Records
Civil and family records are searched through the Prothonotary's iJEMS public records portal, in person at the Prothonotary office, and through staff-assisted requests for older docket books or microfilm. iJEMS is the correct starting point for current civil records, family civil filings, divorce case entries, custody filings, PFA civil records, judgments, and liens that have been scanned or indexed for public access.
Searchers should use a docket number when possible. Party names help, but civil and family cases often involve common names, changed names, initials, or sealed information. If a case does not appear online, the record may be too old, recently filed, sealed, held in docket books, or indexed under a different party spelling. The county's case lookup page also links civil and criminal lookup options, which helps when a court user is not sure whether the file belongs to the Prothonotary or the Clerk of Courts.
The Prothonotary research states that current filings are scanned, while older documents may remain in docket books or microfilm. That means an online no-result is not the end of a Westmoreland County civil records search. For older divorce decrees, judgments, liens, or civil orders, the public terminals and office staff can help identify whether the record sits outside the current scanned image set.
| Access channel | Best for | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| iJEMS civil/family portal | Current scanned Prothonotary records | Some functions may require account access or fees. |
| Public terminals | In-office civil research | Requires visiting the Prothonotary office. |
| Docket books and microfilm | Older Westmoreland County civil records | Not all older images are online. |
| Office request | Certified copies or missing records | Staff cannot give legal advice. |
Request Certified Prothonotary Copies
A certified copy from the Prothonotary confirms that the copied civil or family document is an official copy from the Court of Common Pleas civil record. Certified divorce decrees are a common Prothonotary request. Certified civil judgments, liens, orders, and family court documents may also be needed for benefits, title work, agency proof, appeals, or another court matter. Online docket views are not the same as certified copies.
- Identify the case type, party names, and docket number if known.
- Search iJEMS or use the Prothonotary public terminals to confirm the civil record.
- Contact the Prothonotary for the document type, copy format, certification need, and current cost.
- Provide a filing year or date range if the record may be in docket books or microfilm.
- Pay the required copy or certification charge by the office method accepted for that request.
- Pick up the certified copy or follow the Prothonotary's mailing instructions.
Note: Divorce decrees come from the Prothonotary, while certified marriage records come from the Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans' Court.
Westmoreland County Civil Request Fields
The research did not identify one universal public copy-request form for every Prothonotary record, so the table below reflects the information a civil-record requester should have before contacting the office. A precise docket number usually saves time. Where a case is old, sealed, or not fully scanned, the filing year and document type matter more than a broad name search.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Civil or family docket number | Helpful when known | Best identifier for a specific Prothonotary case. |
| Party names | Yes | Use plaintiff/defendant, petitioner/respondent, or former spouse names. |
| Document type | Yes | Examples include decree, order, judgment, lien, complaint, or custody order. |
| Filing year or date range | Helpful | Important for older docket books or microfilm. |
| Certified or plain copy | Yes | Certified copies are needed for many official uses. |
| Return or pickup method | Yes | Ask the office for current mailing and payment steps. |
Westmoreland County Prothonotary Fees
The research file confirmed several local copy and certification charges from the Register and Orphans' Court schedule, but it did not extract the Prothonotary's full civil and family fee schedule line by line. Because Prothonotary fees differ from marriage and probate fees, certified civil-copy costs, family filing costs, divorce decree costs, and judgment costs should be confirmed with the Prothonotary before ordering or filing. The table separates confirmed shared record terms from Prothonotary-specific items that need office confirmation.
| Request or fee item | Amount or action |
|---|---|
| Certified divorce decree copy | Confirm current Prothonotary copy and certification fee |
| Plain civil document copy | Confirm current Prothonotary per-page fee |
| Certified civil order or judgment | Confirm current Prothonotary certification fee |
| Family court filing fee | Use the Prothonotary family court fee schedule link |
| Older docket book or microfilm request | Ask whether search, copy, or certification fees apply |
Westmoreland County Prothonotary Forms
The Prothonotary page links common civil and family court resources, including divorce decree instructions, family court forms, family court fee information, and public record search tools. Pennsylvania court users should also watch for current court administrative filing requirements surfaced by the county, including the generative artificial intelligence affidavit notice described in the research file. Forms must match the case type and division.
For criminal expungements, Clean Slate, appeals from criminal cases, bail or bondsman questions, and criminal transcript requests, use the Clerk of Courts instead. For marriage, probate, guardianship, adoption, and estate filings, use the Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans' Court. This split-clerk system is one of the most important Westmoreland County record-access facts.
The Prothonotary page also surfaces current court filing notices, including e-filing news for civil and family court documents and the administrative order requiring an affidavit regarding generative artificial intelligence for filings. Those filing rules matter when a user is submitting documents, but they do not change the public-access path for already filed civil records. For filing questions, confirm the current form packet and fee schedule directly with the Prothonotary before sending documents.
Public access still has limits. Civil and family records can contain sealed material, confidential personal identifiers, minor information, abuse-related filings, or financial details. The Prothonotary can provide access to public records unless sealed or restricted, but the office cannot override a court seal or give legal advice about whether a filing should be public.
When the request is urgent, call before visiting. Office staff can confirm whether the file is likely online, on a terminal, in microfilm, or in older docket books.