Welcome to the Domestic Relations Office

Welcome to the Domestic Relations Office

Mission Statement

Our mission is to serve the public by providing child support services as authorized by law. We will establish, modify and enforce orders of support and provide support collection services for children and families in an effective and efficient manner, making prudent use of public resources. We will perform our duties with honor and professionalism, and treat our clients and colleagues with dignity and respect.

General Department Information

About Us

The Domestic Relations Section is a part of the Family Court. The Family Court is a division of the Berks County Court of Common Pleas. The Family Court is a part of the Court system which helps resolve problems such as divorce, child and spousal support, temporary and permanent alimony, division of marital property, custody of children, and protection from abuse. The Domestic Relations Section is mainly responsible for working with families to establish and collect support for children and spouses.

The Domestic Relations Section is made up of Judges, Managers, Hearing Officers, Establishment and Compliance Officers, an Attorney, and various technical and clerical staff. The staff of the Domestic Relations Section is assisted by a large computer system which is used to track cases, keep financial records, and help in the enforcement of support orders. The staff in the Domestic Relations Section is trained to help people make the best decisions possible about support and related issues.

When the parties involved in a case are unable to agree on a support order, the Domestic Relations Section staff will recommend the amount of support to be paid and other provisions such as medical insurance coverage to the parties and to the Court. These recommendations are based on state and federal laws and the experience of the Domestic Relations Section staff.

Announcements

Parties/Counsel Unable to Appear?
Need to complete a Telephone Conference Form
Telephone Request Form
Payment Options
Now Accepting Credit / Debit Cards at the payment kiosk located in the DRS Lobby, 6th Floor, County Services Center ​and online.
Payment Option Details
DRS Intake Unit Hours: In-Person Available 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
A client MUST be ready to be seen by 3:30PM, due to the amount of time needed to do required research, interview the client, create the case and have a Complaint for Support signed. 

Domestic Relations Units

Intake Unit

A client appearing in our office to file a Complaint for Support must first check in at the Front Desk.

Locate Unit


The locate unit at the Berks County Domestic Relations is responsible for maintaining and updating critical information for our clients. 

Establishment Unit

Each time a party files a new complaint, or a request to modify an existing support order, a support conference is held. 

Compliance Unit

The mission of the Compliance Unit is to assist families in the enforcement and collection of their support obligations in accordance with local, state, and federal laws.

Intergovernmental Unit

The Intergovernmental Unit encompasses a combination of both the Establishment and the Compliance Units.

Medical Support​

Federal and state laws require that every support case include medical support. Medical support is health insurance coverage and unreimbursed medical expenses.

Docketing/Fiscal Unit

The mission of the Docketing Division is to maintain the official court records in order to provide timely disposition of support documents to clients, law and judicial communities, and Domestic Relations Section staff.

Client Service Unit

We will establish, modify and enforce orders of support and provide support collection services for children and families in an effective and efficient manner, making prudent use of public resources and more....