Carbon County Court news

Prothonotary's report

A total of 251 cases were started in January in the office of Carbon County Prothonotary Joann M. Behrens, according to a monthly statistical report released by the officeholder. A breakdown of the cases is as follows:

Civil actions, 26; custody complaints, 24; district justice appeals, 11; divorce complaints, 22; ejectment complaints, 1; license appeals, 4; mortgage foreclosure complaints, 27; protection from abuse petitions, 29; court appointments, 7; judgments, 98; and stipulation/waiver of liens, 2. The office staff also received and processed 104 applications for U.S. Passports.

Behrens' financial report shows $28,048.01 was generated as follows: prothonotary's fees, $23,087.95 interest income, $4.76; PFA Surcharge, courts, $50, PFA Surcharge, Sheriff, $50; custody fees, $500; and data processing fees, $4,355.30.

The prothonotary also remitted $3,467.45 to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Revenue, representing state fees collected locally, and $66.00 to the Administrative Offices of the Pennsylvania Courts, this being surcharges on new custody cases in accordance with Act 119 of 1996. Another $1,015 was deposited in the Prothonotary's Automation Fund for future use in automating the office.

Revenue from deeds

Carbon County Recorder of Deeds Emmett P. McCall reported his office recorded 77 deeds, 104 mortgages and 196 other writs during the month of January.

As a result of those transactions, McCall turned over to the Carbon County General Fund the sum of $27,041.87. A breakdown of that revenue includes: transfer fees, $21,976; data processing fees, $2,308.25; notaries, $30; commission on transfers and writs, $1,794.92; and Affordable Housing administrative fee, $932.70.

McCall remitted $377 in state writ taxes to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, while Carbon County municipalities and school districts shared realty transfer tax disbursements totaling $87,696.33, the same amount that was forwarded to the state in realty transfer taxes.

McCall deposited $2,271 in the Recorder of Deeds Record Improvement Fund and $1,514 in the Carbon County Records Improvement Fund, these being fees assessed by state law on each transaction for records management needs. An additional $16,661.50 was collected and remitted to the state for its Judicial Computer System program.

Also, $5,285.30 was collected last month for the Affordable Housing Program in Carbon County.

In all, funds collected in the Recorder's office last month amounted to $228,543.33.