How Divorce Procedures Work in Allegheny County

Allegheny County divorce proceedings have specific local procedures on top of the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure — particularly when economic claims like equitable distribution and alimony are involved. This guide explains how the process works here, what the court expects, and what you need to do at each stage.

Filing and Basics

Divorce complaints and all related pleadings are filed at the Allegheny County Department of Court Records — not the Family Division office. The filing address is 414 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. The assigned docket number applies to all related claims raised in the same action.

If there is a prior action between the parties, the case is docketed under the original case number. All new pleadings in an existing case — answers, counterclaims, petitions — must be filed under that same number with the appropriate three-digit judge suffix.

Certified copies of a divorce decree can be obtained at the Department of Court Records. Visit dcr.alleghenycounty.us for hours, fees, and instructions.

Grounds for Divorce: §3301(c) and §3301(d)

Most Allegheny County divorces proceed under either Section 3301(c) — mutual consent — or Section 3301(d) — irretrievable breakdown after two years of separation. The procedure to obtain a final decree differs depending on which ground applies and whether the other party responds.

Obtaining an Order Approving Grounds

This applies only to divorces filed under §3301(c) or §3301(d):

1. File a completed Praecipe for Order Approving Grounds for Divorce with the Department of Court Records.
2. Deliver a time-stamped copy of the praecipe, a proposed Order Approving Grounds, and contact information for all counsel or unrepresented parties to the assigned Family Division judge's office.
3. The judge reviews whether grounds are properly established by the pleadings on file. If so, the order is granted and filed. If not, the order is denied.
4. If no judge has yet been assigned to the case, email the Docket Clerk at to request an assignment.

Economic Claims: Equitable Distribution and Alimony

When a divorce involves contested claims for equitable distribution of marital property or alimony, Allegheny County's procedures add several required steps before the case can proceed to resolution.

Prerequisites to Scheduling a Conciliation

Before an equitable distribution or alimony claim can be scheduled for conciliation, both of the following must be true:

• The parties have been living separate and apart for one year; and
• Both parties have complied with Pa.R.C.P. 1920.31(a) and 1920.33(a) — meaning both parties have filed their Inventory and Appraisement and Income and Expense Statements.

If One Party Has Not Filed Required Documents

If the other party has failed to file their Inventory and Appraisement or Income and Expense Statement, the compliant party may file a praecipe requesting that a rule be entered directing compliance within 30 days. File this praecipe with the Administrative Office of Family Division, 5th Floor, Family Court Facility, 440 Ross Street. (Note: initial divorce complaints and custody filings go to the Department of Court Records at 414 Grant Street; administrative praecipes and motions go to the Family Division office at 440 Ross Street.) You are responsible for serving a copy of the rule on the opposing party.

If the court must later issue an order compelling compliance, that order will typically include a provision for payment of your counsel fees and costs.

Divorce Hearing Officers (DHO): Conciliations

Economic claims in Allegheny County are often addressed in conciliation before a Divorce Hearing Officer — either by referral from the assigned judge or, where both parties consent, directly by praecipe. The DHO conciliation process is one of the most important procedural steps in contested divorce cases involving property or alimony.

Scheduling a DHO Conciliation

If a judge refers your case to a Divorce Hearing Officer, both parties must:

1. Mail or drop off a copy of the referral order — along with email contact information for all counsel and unrepresented parties — to:
   Family Law Center, Attn: Docket Clerk, 440 Ross Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
2. Pay the DHO fee by check made payable to "Divorce Hearing Officer." If the full fee accompanies the order, the Docket Clerk will contact you to schedule the date. If only a partial payment is made, scheduling is delayed until the fee is paid in full.

Consenting to a DHO Conciliation Without a Referral

Parties may, by consent, skip waiting for a judicial referral and praecipe directly for a DHO conciliation. Both parties and their counsel must sign the Consent Praecipe for a Divorce Hearing Officer's Conciliation and file it with the Docket Clerk. This can be an efficient option when both sides are ready to attempt resolution and the prerequisites are met.

What the DHO Conciliation Involves

DHO conciliations are scheduled as three-hour sessions and are conducted remotely via teleconference or Microsoft Teams. Before the conciliation, each attorney or party must submit a Marital Asset and Liability Summary (MALS) — or an updated MALS — to the assigned Divorce Hearing Officer and provide copies to the opposing party no later than five days before the conciliation date.

The MALS must include a brief narrative covering the following background information:

• Date of marriage and date of separation
• Ages and dates of birth of both parties
• Educational background of both parties
• Number and ages of children (minor and emancipated)
• Employment and general income information
• Prior marriages of either party
• Existence of any prenuptial or postnuptial agreements
• Budget information, if relevant
• Date of filing and service of the divorce complaint
• Date of filing of any answer, counterclaim, or petition raising claims
• List of all counts raised and pending
• Dates and amounts of any support orders
• Dates and terms of any custody orders
• Identification of any claims consolidated with equitable distribution

Filing Exceptions to a DHO Report and Recommendation

After a DHO hearing, the DHO files a Report and Recommendation with the Department of Court Records. If you disagree with the recommendation, you have 20 days from the date it is filed to file exceptions. The following procedure applies to exceptions that do not contain a support component — if your exceptions address child support or spousal support/APL, different support exception procedures apply.

Praecipe for Rule to File Inventory and Appraisement

If you have filed your Inventory and Appraisement but the other party has not, you may file a praecipe under Allegheny County Rule 1920.33 directing the non-compliant party to file within 30 days. Mail or email this praecipe to:

• Mail: Family Law Center, Attn: Docket Clerk, 440 Ross Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
• Email:

Motions in Family Division

Family Division motions may be presented to the motions judge at 1:30 p.m. on each court day, unless notice of a different time is published in the Pittsburgh Legal Journal. Seven days' written notice of presentation is required, absent emergency or opposing counsel's consent to a shorter notice period. The party presenting a motion must obtain any required hearing or conciliation date from the Family Division Docket Clerk on the same day the motion is presented.