Access Venango County Common Pleas

Venango County Common Pleas Overview

Pennsylvania uses the Court of Common Pleas as the county-level trial court of general jurisdiction. In Venango County, that court is the 28th Judicial District. It handles major civil cases, criminal cases beyond summary jurisdiction, family matters, juvenile matters, appeals from Magisterial District Courts, and Orphans' Court matters. Appeals from Venango County Common Pleas usually move to the Superior Court for most criminal and private civil matters, to Commonwealth Court for many government or agency matters, and ultimately to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.

The UJS Venango County court profile lists the courthouse address as 1168 Liberty Street, 2nd Floor, Franklin, PA 16323, phone 814-432-9610, with hours Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Court Administration is also listed at that courthouse address. The county staff directory names District Court Administrator Lynn J. Erickson and Criminal Court Administrator Jamie L. Kirkwood among court staff.

Venango County Courts and Judges

Venango County does not have multiple numbered Common Pleas courts in the way some states divide trial courts. The local Common Pleas court sits as the 28th Judicial District, with judges assigned through UJS. The county also has three Magisterial District Courts that feed lower-level and preliminary matters into the broader court system. For practical use, the trial-court table should include both the Common Pleas court and the lower courts that create many first public docket entries.

UJS identifies Hon. Matthew T. Kirtland as President Judge at the Venango County Courthouse, 1168 Liberty Street, P.O. Box 831, Franklin, PA 16323, phone 814-432-9610. UJS also lists Hon. Justin S. Fleeger as a Venango County Common Pleas judge at the courthouse, phone 814-432-9610. Jury Administration is on the courthouse 2nd Floor, phone 814-432-9660, with a juror call-in number of 800-835-7504.

Common Pleas vs Magisterial Courts

The key Venango County split is not Common Pleas versus a county court. Pennsylvania uses Magisterial District Courts as the lower courts and the Court of Common Pleas as the county trial court. That structure controls where a case starts, where the docket appears, and which office keeps the complete file. Traffic and summary matters often begin and sometimes end at an MDJ court. Felonies and more serious misdemeanors begin at the district justice level, then move toward Common Pleas after preliminary proceedings.

Venango County Case Flow

Case flow depends on the type of matter. A civil complaint, custody filing, divorce, or protection-from-abuse matter is filed through the Prothonotary side of the courthouse office. A felony or serious misdemeanor may start with a police complaint, preliminary arraignment, and preliminary hearing before an MDJ, then proceed to Common Pleas if held for court. Traffic citations and summary matters often remain at the MDJ level unless appealed.

Criminal flow: Complaint or arrest › preliminary arraignment › preliminary hearing in Magisterial District Court › information filed in Common Pleas › formal arraignment › pretrial motions or plea talks › plea or trial › disposition and sentencing › appeal if filed.

Civil flow: Complaint or petition filed › service and answer › motions or conferences › arbitration, hearing, or trial path › order or judgment › post-trial action or appeal if filed.

Traffic and summary flow: Citation or complaint › MDJ plea or hearing › disposition, costs, or sentence › payment through the court or PAePay when eligible › summary appeal to Common Pleas if filed.

Venango County Common Pleas Divisions

The Court of Common Pleas handles several record streams through different offices. Civil, divorce, custody, PFA, judgment, lien, writ, appeal, and arbitration records are Prothonotary records. The Prothonotary is the chief clerk and record keeper for civil proceedings and is custodian for divorce costs, arbitration funds, Common Pleas Court funds, divorce testimony, court exhibits, and the Common Pleas Court seal. That office also records and files legal papers and signs or authorizes writs and court process.

Criminal records are handled by the Clerk of Courts. The Clerk of Courts is the chief clerk and record keeper for criminal proceedings. Duties include administering oaths and affirmations, certifying juror payments, collecting and transmitting fines and forfeited bonds, holding bail bond money, maintaining ARD records, maintaining exhibits, keeping hearing and trial minutes, and safeguarding juvenile records. Orphans' Court matters use the Register and Recorder / Clerk of Orphans' Court for wills, estates, guardianships, adoptions, marriage licenses, inventories, inheritance tax documents, and related petitions.

These office lines affect users more than courtroom labels. A person requesting a certified divorce decree contacts the Prothonotary. A person checking sentence, bail, or ARD information contacts the Clerk of Courts. A person opening an estate or requesting a marriage-license duplicate contacts the Register and Recorder / Clerk of Orphans' Court.

Venango County Judicial District

Venango County is the 28th Judicial District. Court Administration is on the courthouse 2nd Floor at 1168 Liberty Street, Franklin, phone 814-432-9610. Court Supervision Services is at the Courthouse Annex, 1174 Elk Street, 3rd Floor, Franklin, phone 814-432-9620, with emergency phone 814-676-4545. Domestic Relations is at the Annex, 2nd Floor, phone 814-432-9575, with the State Collection and Distribution Unit at 877-727-7238 and a bench-warrant coordinator listed at 814-432-9540.

The courthouse is also a local record hub. Venango County was established in 1800. The official county overview states that the historic courthouse was built in 1868 by Samuel Sloan and Addison Hutton of Philadelphia and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Common Pleas Court, the Prothonotary/Clerk of Courts, the Register/Recorder/Clerk of Orphans' Court, the Sheriff, the District Attorney, and the Public Defender all operate from the courthouse address. The Annex and county prison sit nearby on Elk Street.

Venango County Lower Courts

The Venango County District Judges page states that the county has three magisterial districts and three district justices. District 28-3-01 is Judge Andrew F. Fish at 1052 Grandview Road, 911 Center, Oil City, phone 814-670-0339, with hours Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., closed noon to 1:00 p.m. for lunch. District 28-3-03 is Judge Kevin Saragian at 217 Thirteenth Street, Franklin, phone 814-432-3621, with hours Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. District 28-3-04 is Judge Patrick Lowrey at 3512 State Route 257, Suite 106, Seneca, phone 814-676-5421, with the same 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekday hours.

Magisterial District Courts are limited-jurisdiction courts. The county page says all summary misdemeanor and felony criminal cases originate at the district justice level. A district judge may accept pleas or conduct full hearings and sentence in summary matters, including game, fish, and traffic violations. Pleas and sentencing may also occur at the district justice level for misdemeanors of the third degree and first-offense, second-degree misdemeanor DUI charges. For docket access, this means an MDJ search may be the correct first step even when a later Common Pleas case is possible.