Annual report is given by Carbon prothonotary

A total of 4,565 cases were started in 2018 in the office of Carbon County Prothonotary Joann M. Behrens, according to an annual statistical report released by the officeholder.

A breakdown of the cases is as follows:

Assessment appeals, 4; civil actions, 361; custody complaints, 202; complaints to modify custody orders, 177; magisterial district justice appeals, 45; declaratory judgments, 2; divorce complaints, 209; complaints in ejectment, 28; eminent domain/declaration of taking, 1; eminent domain/petition for Board of Viewers, 1; license appeals, 29; mandamus actions, 2; mortgage foreclosure complaints, 191; name change petitions, 8; complaints in partition, 2; protection from abuse petitions, 341; quiet title actions, 24; replevin complaints, 5; tax sales, 4; zoning appeal, 1; auditor/financial reports, 3; court appointments, 9; judgments, 2,515; miscellaneous cases, 33; paternity suits, 4; protection from abuse against sexually violent person petitions, 16; stipulations/waivers of liens, 62; and writs of executions, 286. The office staff also received and processed 1,162 applications for U.S. Passports and provided assistance to the public with 427 passport renewal applications.

The staff made 60,764 dockets entries, imaged 23,431 pleadings scanned 142,121 pages, 1,795 letters and 1,919 letter pages.

Behrens’ financial report shows $447,180.47 was generated as follows:

Prothonotary’s fees, $348.544.22; PFA Surcharge, courts, $511.05; PFA Surcharge, sheriff, $500; custody fees, $26,387.60; data processing charges, $61,156.30; interest income, $42.80; stenographer fee, 10,038.50; and remote access fees, $26,300.

The report points out departmental operational expenses for the last year amounted to $317,335.92, meaning the prothonotary’s office generated a profit of $129,844.55 for the county in 2018.

The prothonotary also remitted $53,978.24 to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Revenue, representing state fees collected locally, and $716.80 to the Administrative Offices of the Pennsylvania Courts, this being surcharges on new custody cases in accordance with Act 119 of 1996. Another $18,067.32 was deposited in the Prothonotary’s Automation Fund for use in automating the office.