Allegheny County Family Court — What You Need to Know
Family law cases in Allegheny County follow structured procedures that differ in important ways from what people expect based on television or general impressions of court. This guide covers the practical reality of Allegheny County family court — where to go, how to prepare, and what happens at each stage of the process.
This is our job. While these proceedings may be unfamiliar and intimidating to you, handling motions, conferences, conciliations, hearings, and trials in Allegheny County family court is what the firm does every day. The goal is to make sure you are never unprepared heading into any court proceeding.
Where Family Court Happens in Allegheny County
Allegheny County family law matters happen across several downtown buildings. Most cases — PFA, custody, support hearings, motions, and trials — happen at the Family Law Center, 440 Ross Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. The building has hearing rooms and courtrooms on the third and fourth floors; family-law-resident judges have chambers on the fifth floor. Some judges hold motions and trials at the City-County Building across Grant Street rather than at the Family Court.
Filings happen at different locations depending on case type:
- Custody and divorce filings: Department of Court Records, located at the City-County Building, or online.
- PFA filings: directly at the PFA Department, third floor of the Family Court, 440 Ross Street, Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM.
- Support filings: separate infrastructure entirely — see locations below.
- Divorce Hearing Officer (DHO) conciliations and hearings: Suite 700½ at the City-County Building, with accessible accommodations available on request.
Support filing locations:
- Main support office: Manor Building, 564 Forbes Avenue, Fifth Floor (with the support prothonotary, including interstate and intrastate matters)
- Mt. Lebanon Regional Office: 250 Mt. Lebanon Boulevard (South Hills)
- Penn Hills Regional Office: 12000 Frankstown Road, Pittsburgh (East Suburbs)
- Online: PA Child Support website
Filing for child support is free and can also be done online. Filing for a PFA is free; there are no costs assessed to plaintiffs in PFA actions. In-person support hearings are heard only at 440 Ross Street — filings can be made elsewhere, but hearings happen at the Family Law Center.
What Happens at a Support Conference and Hearing
The Support Conference
In Allegheny County, support cases begin with a telephone conference — all parties and a domestic relations officer on the call. The officer uses income and expense information submitted by both parties to calculate the guideline support amount. A consent order can be entered at this stage, ending the matter. The conference is typically reserved for up to one hour.
Prior to January 4, 2022, the conference and hearing were scheduled on the same day in Allegheny County. Since January 2022, they have been on separate dates — aligning with the surrounding counties. This means two court appearances may be required if the parties cannot agree at the conference level.
The Support Hearing
If no agreement is reached at the conference, an in-person support hearing is scheduled before a hearing officer. The hearing procedure uses summary testimony when both parties are represented by counsel, with time for cross-examination. A standard hearing is scheduled for 30 minutes; matters that require more time are designated complex from the outset.
Complex Support
Cases involving business owners, high-income parties, seasonal employees, or situations requiring expert witnesses should be designated as complex from the outset. A complex hearing is allotted up to two hours at no additional charge to the parties; a hearing scheduled for three hours is treated as a half-day hearing and requires advance payment of the hearing officer's time. Complex designation also permits formal discovery, not otherwise available in regular support matters.
Showing up unprepared to a support conference is one of the most common and costly mistakes. The numbers entered at the conference level are difficult to change without a formal hearing. Whether or not you have counsel at the conference, preparation matters.
What Happens in an Allegheny County Custody Case
The Generations Program
All parties in a custody case must complete the Generations Program. Step 1 is "Able to Adjust" — an online co-parenting education seminar (approximately four hours, required once per parent). Step 2 is mediation, conducted remotely via Microsoft Teams. Mediation is closed and confidential under Local Rule 1915.4-3 — attorneys do not attend, and what is said in mediation cannot be used in subsequent proceedings. A domestic violence waiver can be requested to skip mediation in appropriate circumstances (typically requiring documented abuse within the prior 24 months).
Mediation and Its Outcomes
If mediation produces an agreement, the parties' Memorandum of Understanding is incorporated into a Custody Consent Order and signed by the assigned judge — and the case is essentially over. If mediation does not produce an agreement, the matter is automatically routed differently depending on the type of custody being sought and whether a current custody order exists.
If Mediation Fails — The Procedural Sequence
For cases without a current custody order, after failed mediation:
- Partial custody filings are scheduled for an Interim Relief Hearing with the Custody Hearing Officer.
- Shared or primary custody filings are scheduled for a combined Interim Relief Hearing and Custody Conciliation with the Custody Hearing Officer.
For cases with a current custody order, the parties have 120 days from mediation to praecipe for a conciliation; otherwise the case may be dismissed.
If conciliation does not resolve the matter, the next steps depend on the case type — psychological evaluation and home study, judicial conciliation before the assigned judge, partial custody/contempt hearing before the Custody Hearing Officer, or ultimately a custody trial before the assigned judge.
Criminal Record / Abuse History Verification
Any new custody complaint or modification requires submission of the Criminal Record/Abuse History Verification form at the time of filing. This form must be current as of the past 30 days and is often resubmitted each time the parties appear at court.
What Happens at a PFA Hearing
The Temporary PFA
A temporary PFA is issued ex parte — meaning only the plaintiff appears before the judge. The defendant is not present and cannot defend at this stage. Once served, the defendant is evicted from the plaintiff's residence (which may also be their home) and barred from any contact until the final hearing.
The Final Hearing
The final hearing is scheduled within ten business days of the temporary PFA filing. It takes place at the Family Law Center, 440 Ross Street, third floor. Appear at 9:00 AM. If the defendant does not appear by 10:00 AM, a default three-year PFA may be entered.
Before heading before the judge, attorneys for the parties attempt to negotiate. Options include: a three-year final PFA by consent (no admission); a PFA for less than three years; a civil no-contact order; a continuance with rescheduled hearing; or dismissal. If no agreement is reached, the hearing proceeds before the judge — with testimony, cross-examination, and a ruling based on a preponderance of the evidence standard.
All plaintiffs are offered the option of a free attorney through the court. Defendants are not provided with free counsel — a PFA is a civil proceeding, and there is no public defender for civil matters. Defendants who want representation must retain private counsel.
What Happens in a Contested Divorce
Contested divorce and equitable distribution in Allegheny County proceed through specific steps. The Divorce Hearing Officer (DHO), formerly called the Master prior to January 1, 2022, handles the contested economic issues — property division, alimony — after both parties have filed their Inventory and Appraisement documents and Marital Asset and Liability Summaries (MALS). DHO conciliations and hearings take place at Suite 700½ of the City-County Building, with accessible accommodations available on request.
The process typically involves one or more conciliations before the DHO, followed — if no settlement is reached — by a full equitable distribution hearing (the "equitable distribution trial"). The DHO's recommendation is then submitted to the assigned judge, who may adopt or modify it.
Most Allegheny County divorce matters with economic disputes settle before or at the conciliation stage. A well-prepared case with a realistic analysis of the likely hearing outcome is the most effective tool for achieving a favorable negotiated resolution without a hearing.
Practical Advice for Any Allegheny County Family Court Appearance
- Dress professionally and conservatively. The way you present yourself at court matters. Courts take notice.
- Arrive early. Parking, security, and finding the right courtroom or hearing room all take time.
- Bring required documents. Know in advance what documentation your attorney needs you to have. Missing documents at a conference or hearing can result in a disadvantageous outcome.
- Do not speak to the other party. All communication should go through counsel. An offhand comment in the hallway can become an issue in the hearing room.
- Follow your attorney's guidance. Your attorney knows the procedures, the hearing officers, and how to present your case effectively. Trust the strategy that was prepared in advance.
- Respond promptly to your attorney's requests. Delays in providing documents or information from the client side are one of the most common and preventable causes of increased legal costs and missed deadlines.