Forms & Documents
Forms marked with a blue pencil
allow you to type information into the entry blanks before printing. These forms can be saved to your computer with the data entered.
Forms marked with a red pencil
allow you to type information into the entry blanks before printing. These forms cannot be saved to your computer with the data entered.
Adoption and Guardianship Packets may take several minutes to download. For best results, save the file to your computer before you open or print the document.
Public Access Information
Rule 3.5(a) Mode of proceeding on petition: Citation Practice [to obtain personal jurisdiction]
Rule 3.5(b) Notice Practice [Requiring service with Notice prior to or contemporaneous with filing of petition. The petition must have appended to it a certificate of service]
Failure to comply with this Rule precludes scheduling of a hearing.
Orphans' Court Local Rules
Adoption Termination and Report of Intent
Effective immediately, on all Adoption, Termination and Report of Intent filings, the Case Caption must show ONLY THE INITIALS of the adoptee/child NEVER the full name. The full name may be in the content of the filing. The Adoption Packet has been revised to reflect this change. The filings will be accepted, but Orphans’ Court Administration will request that all pages with an incorrect caption be corrected and re-submitted.
An Act 101 Notice must be provided in accordance with 23 Pa.C.S.A §2733(c) at the time of the filing of the petition for involuntary termination, at the time of service of the notice of the involuntary termination hearing or upon the filing of the petitions for confirmation of consent and adoption. It is required that an affidavit of service (personal, or certified mail, restricted delivery, return receipt requested) or an acknowledgement of receipt of notice signed by the birth parent(s) and/or others to whom notice must be provided be filed of record. The adoption hearing will not be scheduled until notice and proof of acknowledgement thereof has been provided to the court.
Excerpt from the Order Amending Rule 15.8 and Adopting Rule 15.9
*Forms provided by the AOPC

Forms marked with a red pencil
Adoption and Guardianship Packets may take several minutes to download. For best results, save the file to your computer before you open or print the document.
Public Access Information
By Order dated April 23, 2018, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania amended Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1, relating to attorney competence, and 1.6, relating to confidentiality. These amendments require an attorney to be familiar with the policies and rules of courts in which the lawyer practices, which include the Case Records Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania. These amendments went into effect on July 1, 2018.
General Orphans' Court
All Petitions must comply with Pa. O.C. Rule 3.5
Rule 3.5(a) Mode of proceeding on petition: Citation Practice [to obtain personal jurisdiction]
Rule 3.5(b) Notice Practice [Requiring service with Notice prior to or contemporaneous with filing of petition. The petition must have appended to it a certificate of service]
Failure to comply with this Rule precludes scheduling of a hearing.
Orphans' Court Local Rules
The following Decrees are not for use with Adoptions or Guardianships of IncapacitatedAffidavit of Deposit
Entry of Appearance for Attorneys
Entry of Appearance for Self Representing Parties
Motion with Order for Continuance
Checklist for Guardian of a Minor
Preliminary Decree
Preliminary Decree for Citation
Adoptions
Adoption Termination and Report of Intent
New Case Caption Alert
Effective immediately, on all Adoption, Termination and Report of Intent filings, the Case Caption must show ONLY THE INITIALS of the adoptee/child NEVER the full name. The full name may be in the content of the filing. The Adoption Packet has been revised to reflect this change. The filings will be accepted, but Orphans’ Court Administration will request that all pages with an incorrect caption be corrected and re-submitted.
ACT 101 Notice
An Act 101 Notice must be provided in accordance with 23 Pa.C.S.A §2733(c) at the time of the filing of the petition for involuntary termination, at the time of service of the notice of the involuntary termination hearing or upon the filing of the petitions for confirmation of consent and adoption. It is required that an affidavit of service (personal, or certified mail, restricted delivery, return receipt requested) or an acknowledgement of receipt of notice signed by the birth parent(s) and/or others to whom notice must be provided be filed of record. The adoption hearing will not be scheduled until notice and proof of acknowledgement thereof has been provided to the court.
United States/Domestic Born Children
- Adoption Packet Not for use for Adoptions of Foreign Born Children
- Easy Guide to Adoption Filing Fees
Act 101 Forms
Checklists
- Adoption by Unmarried Couple
- Adult Adoption with Name Change
- Adult Adoption Without Name Change
- Alternative Relinquishment of Putative Father
- Change Birth Record - Gestational Carrier
- Confirm Consent
- Full Adoption of Foreign Born Child
- Involuntary Termination of Parental Rights
- Petition for Adoption
- Registration of Foreign Decree
- Report of Intention to Adopt
- Report of Intermediary
- Voluntarily Relinquishing Parental Rights to Agency
- Voluntarily Relinquishing Parental Rights to Individual
Foreign Born Children
Excerpt from the Order Amending Rule 15.8 and Adopting Rule 15.9
Registration of Foreign Adoptions
Petition to Register Foreign Adoption Decree
Final Decree Granted *Must be included with Petition
Final Decree Denied*Must be included with Petition
Verification of Translator*
Filing Instructions*
HD01275F - Statement of Citizenship and Residency
HD01273F - Certificate of Adoption of a Foreign-Born Child
Checklist for Registration of Foreign Decree
Full Adoption of a Foreign Born Child
*Forms provided by the AOPCPetition for Adoption of a Foreign Born Child*
Preliminary Decree*
Final Decree*
Report of Intermediary*
Verification of Translator*
HD01275F - Statement of Citizenship and Residency
HD01273F - Certificate of Adoption of a Foreign-Born Child
Checklist for Full Adoption of Foreign Born Child
Guardian of Incapacitated
Guardianship Packet - Does not include Revised AOPC forms
The Final Order Appointing Guardian and Doctor's Deposition in the above packet have been updated. The separate forms are also available below. Please use these updated forms when filing.
NOTE: If you are filing an Emergency Guardianship Petition please read the Procedure. When filing an Emergency Guardianship Petition a separate petition needs to be filed for the Emergency Guardianship in addition to the Petition for Adjudication of Incapacity.
Doctor's Deposition
Citation with Notice
Preliminary Decree for Guardianship
Preliminary Decree for Emergency Guardianship
Final Order Appointing Guardian
Notice of Right to Appeal
Duties of the Guardian of the Person
Duties of the Guardian of the Estate
Guardianship Checklist
Order Extending Appointment of Emergency Guardian
Notification of Mental Health Commitment SP4-131* must be filed with the Petition
The Guardian Inventory and Annual Guardian Reports of the Estate and Person may no longer be submitted by paper; they must be submitted electronically. Please go to the following site to submit the Guardian Inventory and Annual Guardian Reports: https://ujsportal.pacourts.us.*Forms provided by the AOPC
Account Audit Administration
Audit Calendar for 2018
Audit Calendar for 2019
Entry of Appearance
Checklists
Account for Decedent Estate
Account for Incapacitated/Minor
Account for Trusts/Power of Attorney
Schedule of Distribution
Notice of Charitable Gift*
Certificate of Award of Real Estate - Sample only - not to be used for filing
Model Forms of Account
Petitions for Account Adjudication
Decedent Estate*
Trust*
Guardian of Estate of Incapacitated Person*
Guardian of Estate of Minor*
Principal's Estate (Under Power of Attorney)*
*Forms provided by the AOPC
Decedent Estates
Frequently Asked Questions** Form must be signed in the Office of the Register of Wills
As of September 1, 2016 many of the forms are provided directly by the AOPC.
Petition for Probate and Grant of Letters**
Estate Information Form
Oath of Subscribing Witness
Unavailable Witness Affidavit**
Oath of Non-Subscribing Witness**
Renunciation
Inventory
Certification of Notice
Status Report
Short Certificate Request form - only for estates on file in this office
Exemplification of Probate Record Request Form - only for estates on file in this office
Notice of Claim
Small Estate Petition and Decree
Small Estate Affidavit - For insurance purposes only
Informal Caveat
Affidavit and Release of Bond
Affidavit of Death
Estate Settlement Information Packet
Notice of Estate Administration
§3101 Payments to Family and Funeral Directors - Section (b) Deposit Accounts
Safe Deposit Box Inventories and Notice
Marriage Licenses
Frequently Asked Questions
Marriage License Waiver Request Form
Certified Marriage Record Request Form
Exemplification of Marriage Record Request Form
- Requirements and Fees
- Marriage License Policy Statements
- Apostille Information
- Court of Common Pleas Judges
- Honorable David F. Bortner - 610-344-4441
- Honorable Allison Bell Royer -610-344-4086
- Honorable Robert J. Shenkin - 610-344-6180
- Honorable Mark L Tunnell - 610-344-4230