The Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia, began
in the time of William Penn. It is one of the oldest , continuously
held legal offices in the Western Hemisphere. The Prothonotary is
defined as the officer who officiates as principal Clerk of the
Courts; and the Clerk is defined as an officer of the Court who keeps
its records, keeps the great seal, issues processes, enters judgment
and orders and certifies records. The office is responsible for
processing the millions of documents that directly and materially
affect the legal relationships and legal commerce of the citizens of
Philadelphia.
In a society as litigious as ours, where the issues brought before our
Civil Courts range from action in divorce to a personal injury for
serious bodily harm, the need for accurate, efficient record keeping
is paramount; for in the law, if it is not proper and timely filed, it
doesn't exist. It is the goal of the Prothonotary to improve through
innovation and technology the art of record keeping.