Custody
Sara Shaffer
Deputy Court Administrator – Civil, Family, and Orphans’ Court
Dauphin County Courthouse
101 Market Street, 3rd Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17101
(717) 780-6646
Shinay Smith
Administrative Clerk III – Custody
Dauphin County Courthouse
101 Market Street
Harrisburg, PA 17101
(717) 780-6621
Custody Conferences
Custody Complaints, Petitions for Modification of an Existing Custody Order, Petitions for Contempt of an Existing Custody Order, and Petitions for Emergency Custody or Petitions for Special Relief are filed in the Prothonotary’s Office and sent to the Civil, Family, and Orphans’ Court Administrator for assignment.
All Custody Complaints, Petitions for Modification of an Existing Custody Order, and Petitions for Contempt of an Existing Custody Order are assigned to a Custody Conference Officer. An in-person custody conference will be scheduled. Video Conference access may be granted on a case-by-case basis.
A scheduling order will be sent to attorneys and self-represented parties. The scheduling order contains important information regarding requirements prior to the custody conference.
The custody conference is a formal proceeding whereby the parties, their attorneys, and the Custody Conference Officer work together to reach a parenting agreement as to the best interests of the child(ren). If an agreement is reached at the custody conference, the Custody Conference Officer prepares a Custody Order and submits it to the Judge for signature. If the parties do not reach an agreement, the case will be assigned to a Family Court Judge for trial. The Custody Conference Officer will provide the Court with a Conference Summary Report outlining the parties’ positions and the Conference Officer’s observations, including the parties’ good faith efforts OR lack of such efforts.
Co-Parenting Video
After receiving your scheduling order, you must watch the co-parenting video linked below. At the conclusion of the video, you will be presented with a completion form to submit electronically. You must complete the video requirement PRIOR to the date of your conference.
After receiving your conference scheduling order, you should accept service. Please click the button below to submit acceptance of service electronically. In the alternative, complete the form included with your scheduling order and file it with the Prothonotary. Acceptance of service must be completed PRIOR to the date of your conference.
Self-Help Center
The Self-Help Center is in the Law Library on the 4th Floor of the Courthouse and has forms and instructions for the various custody filings mentioned above. These forms and instructions may also be accessed at the Self-Help Center.
Dauphin County’s Approved List of Parenting Coordinators
After a custody order has been entered, a judge may appoint a parenting coordinator to resolve parenting issues. A parenting coordinator will not be appointed in every case.
Sandra L. Meilton, Esquire
Lori K. Serratelli, Esquire
Tabetha A. Tanner, Esquire
Timothy J. Colgan, Esquire