Access Clarion County Prothonotary Records

Clarion County Prothonotary Office

The county presents the Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts together on its official office page, but Pennsylvania uses a split record structure. The Prothonotary side is the civil chief clerk for the Court of Common Pleas. Pennsylvania UJS separately lists Jeffery A. Himes as Clarion County Prothonotary, and the county staff listing includes Jeffrey Himes at extension 2402 and jhimes@clarioncounty.gov. Civil Division staff are also listed on the local page.

The Clarion County Prothonotary / Clerk of Courts page lists the office at the courthouse, first floor Suite 25, with telephone 814-226-4000, fax 814-297-7904, and direct line 814-226-1119. Because the courthouse renovation notice moved offices to 160 Amsler Avenue in Shippenville before the posted July 6, 2026 reopening, call before visiting if the filing date falls during the transition.

Clarion County Prothonotary Sources

The official Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts page describes local civil and criminal clerk duties, staff, contacts, and payment instructions.

The shared office page is important because civil and criminal clerk functions are paired locally even though this page focuses on the Prothonotary's civil records.

The Clarion County Prothonotary fee schedule provides filing and copy fees used for civil court record requests.

Fee schedules should be checked before filing because the county states no instrument is accepted without the proper fee.

When the requested material is a county agency record instead of a court case file, use the Clarion County Open Records process.

Court case records should start with the court custodian, while agency records may use the county Right-to-Know office.

What the Clarion County Prothonotary Does

The Prothonotary records and files civil legal papers, signs and authorizes writs and other court processes, handles actions on contracts and accidental death or injury, processes name-change petitions, maintains tax liens and judgments, and manages passport applications as listed by the county. The office also handles divorce-related funds and testimony, arbitration funds, Common Pleas funds, certification and transmittal of appeals to higher courts, and appointment of divorce masters and arbitrators.

Civil litigants use the Prothonotary for filings in Common Pleas cases where the matter is not a criminal prosecution. Divorce complaints are filed here. Civil judgments, writs of execution, garnishment material, appeals, and many copy requests also route here. Criminal dockets, ARD, summary appeals, and criminal expungements are better covered by the Clarion County Clerk of Courts.

Prothonotary

The civil clerk of the Court of Common Pleas.

Writ

A formal court command issued through the clerk's office.

Judgment

A final civil decision or debt entered in the court record.

Certified copy

An official copy bearing clerk certification for legal use.

Request Clarion County Civil Copies

For a civil copy request, include enough information for staff to identify the file: party names, docket number if known, case type, approximate filing date, the document needed, the requested copy type, and a return address. If payment is mailed, make it payable as directed by the office and include a self-addressed stamped envelope when a receipt or mailed return is needed. The county fee page says filings are not accepted by fax or email.

1. Search UJS first if the record is a public criminal or magisterial docket, or gather civil case details from existing papers.
2. Confirm that the Prothonotary is the correct custodian for the civil, divorce, judgment, lien, writ, appeal, or name-change record.
3. Contact the office for the current copy cost, certification need, and mailing instructions.
4. Send or bring the request with docket details, payment, and any required envelope.
5. Check the returned document for certification if it will be filed with another court, agency, school, or passport office.

Clarion County Prothonotary Fees

The official fee schedule lists many civil filing and copy charges. Use it before filing because the schedule states that no instrument is accepted without the proper fee. The research also notes a county fee change effective November 17, 2025, tied to a Criminal Justice Enhancement Account adjustment and Judicial Computer System surcharge.

Clarion County Prothonotary Request Details

Clarion County's Right-to-Know request path is a fallback for county agency records, not the first stop for court case files. The county's form-field inventory includes requester name, company or agency, mailing address, city, state, ZIP code, telephone, email, records requested, inspection or copy preference, paper, electronic, or certified-copy preference when available, date, and signature. Submission methods include the county form link, email or contact to Open Records, mail, in-person delivery, or fax to the Open Records office.