In an emergency situation when the Courthouse is closed or after 2:30 p.m. Monday - Friday, you must file your PFA Petition with the Magisterial District Judge (MDJ) on duty. You can do this by calling Adams County Control (717-334-8101), tell them you want to file an emergency PFA Petition, and ask them to contact the on-duty MDJ.
Courthouse Locations
Below is a list of courthouses where you can file for a protection order. (If you want to file for custody, divorce, or anything else, you may want to call the courthouse to make sure that the court we have listed is the proper courthouse.) At the courthouse, the clerk will provide you with the forms that you need to file. If you need assistance filling out the forms, the clerk may be able to give basic instructions, but the clerk usually cannot help you decide what information to write or give you any sort of advice. You will also find links to online forms at our PA Download Court Forms page. For further help, you may want to reach out to a local domestic violence program or a legal services organization. You can find links to both types of organizations on our PA Places that Help page.
Adams County
Adams County Courthouse
Allegheny County
Allegheny County Courthouse
Protection from abuse intake hours: 8:00 a.m.- 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.- 3:00 p.m.