Welcome to the Lehigh County Online Self Help Center.
This site provides answers to some commonly asked questions concerning legal procedures in Pennsylvania. This site does not provide legal advice. This site is designed to help you find information, work better with an attorney and represent yourself in some legal matters. The forms provided here are specific to Lehigh County. If you represent yourself, you are called a "pro se" or "self-represented" litigant.
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There are complex rules of law that everyone who comes to court must follow. You must follow these rules even though you are not a lawyer because the rules exist to provide an orderly process to reach a fair conclusion. Click here
Petition for Certificate of Title to a Motor Vehicle is a judicial procedure involving the involuntary transfer of ownership of a vehicle by Court Order.
Under Pennsylvania's Clean Slate Law, a Petition for Limited Access is the process by which the criminal history record pertaining to a specific conviction is made no longer accessible to the public. The criminal histories would still be available to a limited number of entities, including law-enforcement and state licensing agencies. Only certain types of charges qualify for Limited Access.
Expungement of Record is the process by which the record of a criminal conviction is destroyed or sealed. Only certain types of charges may be expunged.
Effective January 1, 2020, except as specifically exempted by the Court, electronic filing will be mandatory in all new and pending Family Court case types. This does not include Protection from Abuse. Information regarding registration, independent filer instructions, and Family Court Guidelines are available under the Self-Help section of the Lehigh County File & Serve site at https://pennsylvania.tylertech.cloud/ofsweb. Forms for filing for child custody are available on this website. You will be given a date and time for a mediation or conciliation conference after submitting your filings through https://pennsylvania.tylertech.cloud/ofsweb. An e-filing Kiosk is available at Family Court Administration, Room 423 between 8:00 am to 3:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Staff assistance for custody will be limited between the hours of 8:00 am to 12:15 pm.
Effective January 1, 2020, electronic filing will be mandatory in all new and pending Family Court case types. Information regarding registration, independent filer instructions, and Family Court Guidelines are available under the Self-Help section of the Lehigh County File & Serve site at https://pennsylvania.tylertech.cloud/ofsweb
No Fault Divorce under § 3301 (c)(1) of the Divorce Code - Mutual Consent
Section C is used when both parties want to get a divorce and both parties are available and willing to sign legal documents stating they consent or agree to end the marriage.
No Fault Divorce under § 3301 (d) of the Divorce Code - Living Separate and Apart
Section D is used when the parties have lived separate and apart for a period of one (1) year. In this type of divorce, the defendant's consent may not be not required.
Name change in Pennsylvania is a judicial procedure which allows an individual to assume a name other than the name given at birth or adoption.
If you filed for divorce or have been granted a divorce decree you may resume a prior surname.
This section is intended to provide the most basic information concerning Landlord and Tenant actions.
This section is intended to provide the most basic information concerning simple cases when a small claims civil lawsuit is brought to recover money totaling up to $12,000.00.
The Clerk of the Orphans' Court takes marriage license applications and issues licenses, as well as certified copies thereof. On file are marriage license applications beginning in October 1885.
Appealing the denial or suspension of a Pennsylvania driver's license or motor vehicle registration is done by Petition at the Court of Common Pleas. This self-help section provides forms and instructions for filing such a Petition for Appeal in Lehigh County.
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Disclaimer
The forms and instructions that are available from this website are not a substitute for professional legal advice. Court employees cannot give you legal advice or help you fill out /complete the forms. It is your responsibility to read and complete the forms and to take required steps to file and serve the documents. If you decide to use these forms in an actual action, be prepared to spend appropriate time gathering information, completing forms and following the Rules of Court. The Court assumes no responsibility for the use of these forms and accepts no liability for actions taken by using these documents, including reliance on the instructions and/or contents. To obtain legal advice and to insure the proper use of this material, you should contact a lawyer.
If you want to obtain the service of an attorney, but do not know whom to contact, you should visit the Lehigh Bar Association's Lawyer Referral Service website.
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