What should I expect in Delaware County family court for divorce, custody or support?

Last updated October 4, 2026.

Every Delaware County divorce, custody, support and protection from abuse case is handled in Media, at the Courthouse complex at 201 West Front Street. Most cases start with a hearing officer, a custody conciliator or a support conference officer rather than a judge, and a judge hears the case only if one side asks for a new hearing. Knowing which office runs each step saves trips and missed deadlines.

Our office is across the street from the complex. For an overview of the family matters we handle, see our family law page.

How does a Delaware County family case work, step by step?

The county's own handbook for self-represented parties (March 2024) lays out the path for each kind of case. The pattern is the same for most of them: you file in one office, meet first with a court officer who tries to settle the case and makes a recommendation, and then either accept that recommendation or ask for a hearing before a judge, which the county calls a de novo hearing or trial.

1. Filing. Divorce and custody papers and PFA petitions are filed with the Office of Judicial Support on the first floor of the Government Center. Child and spousal support petitions are filed instead with Domestic Relations in the Curran Building, which also helps unrepresented parties complete them, or online through the state support website.
2. First meeting. Custody cases go to a Custody Conciliator, support cases to a conference officer, and divorce cases to a hearing officer for preliminary matters. PFA petitioners meet with a judge, who decides whether to grant a temporary order.
3. Recommendation. If there is no agreement, the officer writes a recommendation, which a judge signs as a temporary or interim order.
4. Request for a judge. Either side can ask for a de novo hearing before a judge within the time the rules allow, for example 20 days in a support case.
5. Final order. The judge hears the case fresh and enters a final order, which can be appealed to the Superior Court.

Where is each type of hearing held?

The handbook lists a set location, and for several hearings a set weekday. Courtrooms and days can change, so always read the notice you receive.

Domestic Relations, the county's child support enforcement agency, is in the Curran Building at Second and Orange Streets and keeps longer hours than the rest of the complex, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays. The county is clear that Domestic Relations does not handle custody, protection from abuse or divorce; those run through the Office of Judicial Support and Court Administration in the main buildings. What to bring and how the day runs is covered in what happens at a support conference in Delaware County.

How do custody cases run in Delaware County?

Delaware County Local Rule 1915.4-1 requires every custody case to be listed for a conference before a Custody Conciliator before it is assigned to a judge, and both parties, and their lawyers if they have them, must attend. The person who files must serve the notice of the conciliation conference and the complaint on every other party; the handbook warns that without proof of service the conference may be rescheduled or the complaint dismissed. Statewide, the first in-person contact with the court, which in Delaware County is conciliation, must be scheduled within 45 days of filing (Pa.R.C.P. 1915.4(a)).

If the parents agree, the conciliator puts the agreement in writing and a judge signs it. If not, the conciliator holds a hearing, which is informal and may not be recorded, and recommends a temporary order. Either parent can then ask for a custody trial before a judge, where testimony is recorded. If the case is not resolved at the first conference, the court may order both parents to attend an educational seminar for separated and divorced parents under Local Rule 1915.19, and skipping it can lead to contempt. For the questions the court actually decides, see our page on child custody and child support. Every deadline from filing to the judge's decision is listed in the steps in a Delaware County custody case.

How do support cases run in Delaware County?

Domestic Relations schedules a support conference several weeks after the petition is filed, and both parties must attend, though the county says some may join by phone or video. Pennsylvania's rule lists what to bring: your latest tax return with schedules, W-2s and 1099s, six months of pay stubs, child care costs, any other support orders, proof of medical coverage and an income statement on the court's form (Pa.R.C.P. 1910.11(c)). The conference officer calculates a guideline amount and tries to reach agreement; the formula is explained in how child support is calculated in Pennsylvania.

Delaware County adds a middle step. If the parties cannot agree, the conference officer may prepare a recommended temporary order for a judge to sign, and if either party is dissatisfied, the case goes to a hearing before a Domestic Relations hearing officer, who applies the state guidelines and recommends a temporary order. A party who disagrees with that order has 20 days after the notice is mailed to ask in writing, at Domestic Relations, for a de novo hearing before a judge; otherwise the temporary order becomes final. Pennsylvania's rule sets the same 20-day window and says a demand for a hearing does not pause the order already entered (Pa.R.C.P. 1910.11(f) to (h)), so payments are due while you wait. In Delaware County the appeal is heard on Tuesdays in Courtroom 15 of the Fronefield Building. Support contempt starts with a conference in the Curran Building, and the county stresses that Domestic Relations will not provide a lawyer and the judge will not appoint one, even though jail is a possible sanction.

How do divorce cases run in Delaware County?

A divorce starts with a complaint filed at the Office of Judicial Support. Every Delaware County divorce is first assigned to a hearing officer who handles preliminary matters, then holds an equitable distribution hearing that decides how assets and debts are divided and addresses alimony, legal fees and costs. The county says that hearing is informal and testimony is not recorded. The hearing officer's written report becomes a final order if nobody appeals; a party who disagrees can ask for a de novo trial before a judge within the time stated in the report. The factors the hearing officer weighs are covered in how property is divided in a Pennsylvania divorce. Which assets are divided at all is covered in what counts as marital property.

The grounds come from state law. A mutual consent divorce can be granted once 90 days have passed since the action began and both spouses file consent affidavits; a no-fault divorce without consent requires living separate and apart for at least one year (23 Pa.C.S. 3301(c) and (d)). Our divorce page explains the types of divorce in more detail. Couples in a same-sex marriage can read our page on same-sex divorce in Pennsylvania. To start a case, see how to file for divorce in Delaware County. The minimum timelines are compared in how long a divorce takes.

How do protection from abuse cases run in Delaware County?

Under Delaware County Local Rule 1901.3(e), adopted November 7, 2025, a PFA petition goes first to the Office of Judicial Support to be docketed and time-stamped, then straight to the Court Administrator, who brings it to a judge. A temporary order lasts until the hearing, and the sheriff or another agency serves the papers; the hearing cannot go forward without proof of service or a waiver. Court Administration must schedule the final hearing within 10 business days, and the plaintiff must prove abuse by a preponderance of the evidence. After hours, an emergency order usually comes from a district judge and lasts until the next business day, as our guide to Delaware County's district courts explains.

A person served with a petition has the right to a lawyer, to present evidence and to call witnesses, and is warned about firearm relinquishment (23 Pa.C.S. 6107(a)). PFA cases are civil, so no lawyer is appointed for the hearing itself. If you have been served, read what happens at the final PFA hearing in Delaware County. Gun owners should also read whether a PFA means giving up your firearms. If you need protection, our protection from abuse page covers the petitioner's side. Parents should also read how a PFA affects custody.

What changes the answer?

• Whether the parties agree. An agreement at conciliation or a support conference ends that stage the same day with an order a judge signs; disagreement adds a hearing and possibly a de novo trial.
• Whether a deadline to ask for a judge is met. In support, the 20-day window in Rule 1910.11(f) is strict; in divorce, the deadline is the one stated in the hearing officer's report.
• Whether service is proved. A custody conference can be rescheduled or the complaint dismissed without proof of service (county handbook), and a PFA hearing cannot proceed without a docketed affidavit of service or a waiver (Local Rule 1901.3(e)).
• Whether the case is a contempt. A PFA violation charged by the District Attorney as indirect criminal contempt is a criminal matter where the defendant must have a lawyer; see PFA violation and contempt.
• Whether you can pay the filing fees. The county allows a petition to proceed in forma pauperis with financial records; if granted, the filing fee is waived for that filing.
• Whether you need an interpreter. The court provides non-English and sign language interpreters at no cost if you ask in advance.

For example: a separated parent who files for custody and support

Here is a hypothetical. A parent in Glen Mills separates from a spouse and wants a set schedule and child support. The parent files a custody complaint at the Office of Judicial Support and, separately, a support petition with Domestic Relations online. The custody filer serves the conciliation notice and complaint on the other parent. About a month later the parents meet the Custody Conciliator and agree on weekdays but not on holidays, so the conciliator schedules a second session and the court orders both to attend the parenting seminar.

Meanwhile, Domestic Relations mails a support conference date. The parent brings tax returns, six months of pay stubs and child care receipts, the conference officer calculates the guideline amount, and the other parent disagrees. A Domestic Relations hearing officer then recommends a temporary order, the other parent asks for a de novo hearing within 20 days, and a judge hears the support case on a Tuesday in the Fronefield Building while the temporary order stays in effect. This is an illustration only; real cases vary.

What mistakes do people make in Delaware County family court?

• Filing in the wrong office. Support goes to Domestic Relations; divorce, custody and PFA papers go to the Office of Judicial Support.
• Not serving the custody notice. The filer, not the court, must serve it and prove service.
• Asking for a continuance by email or phone. The handbook says the court accepts only a hard copy continuance application, filed in Court Administration at the main Courthouse entrance, or at Domestic Relations for support.
• Missing the 20-day support deadline. If nobody asks for a judge within 20 days, the temporary order becomes final (county handbook; Pa.R.C.P. 1910.11(h)).
• Arriving without documents or witnesses. Court staff will not subpoena or notify your witnesses, and the handbook suggests three copies of each exhibit.
• Contacting the judge directly. Judges cannot have one-sided contact about a case; anything you want the judge to know must be said in court or filed.

What should I do this week?

1. Identify the type of case and the office that runs it, using the table above.
2. Calendar every deadline on your notices, especially a 20-day support appeal deadline or a PFA hearing within 10 business days.
3. Collect income records: tax returns, W-2s, 1099s and six months of pay stubs.
4. For custody, write down the current schedule, school details and any safety concerns, and arrange proof of service.
5. If you were served with a PFA, follow the temporary order exactly and plan for the Thursday hearing in Courtroom 1.
6. Book a consultation before the first conference, when agreements are most often reached.

Frequently asked questions

Are all Delaware County family cases heard in Media?

Yes. Custody, divorce, support and PFA cases are heard at the Courthouse complex in Media, in the main Courthouse, the Fronefield Building or the Curran Building. Only emergency PFA orders outside court hours come from district judges around the county.

Will I see a judge at my first custody meeting?

Usually not. Local Rule 1915.4-1 sends every custody case to a Custody Conciliator before a judge, and an agreement there is signed by a judge without a hearing. A judge hears the case only if it does not settle and a party asks for a trial.

Is the equitable distribution hearing recorded?

The county handbook says the hearing officer's equitable distribution hearing is informal and testimony is not recorded. If a party appeals the report, the de novo trial before a judge is recorded and admitted evidence becomes part of the record.

Can I appear by phone at a support conference?

The county says a party may participate by telephone or video in some circumstances, but both parties are expected to attend. If a party does not appear, the conference can proceed and an order may be entered in that person's absence (Pa.R.C.P. 1910.11(b)).

Where do I file a support appeal to the Superior Court?

The handbook says support appeals are filed in the Court Unit on the basement level of the Domestic Relations office in the Curran Building, while custody, divorce and PFA appeals are filed with the Office of Judicial Support.

How fast does a custody case have to move?

Pennsylvania requires the first in-person court contact within 45 days of filing, a trial within 90 days after a scheduling order, and a decision within 15 days after trial unless extended for good cause (Pa.R.C.P. 1915.4(a), (c) and (d)).

Does the Courthouse complex handle criminal cases the same way?

No. Criminal and DUI cases start at a district court and reach Media only after the preliminary hearing; see what to expect at the Delaware County Courthouse for a criminal or DUI case. Our overview of cases in Delaware County connects both.

If you have a family case in Delaware County, call Giribaldi Law at (610) 891-8303 or contact us online for a free consultation. Evening and weekend appointments are available.