Mortgage Foreclosure Diversionary Court

The Washington County Court of Common Pleas Mortgage Foreclosure Court began in May 2009 with the assistance of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Legal Services, Inc. The program requires plaintiffs in mortgage foreclosure cases to notify defendants of owner-occupied residences of the possibility of participation in this program. If a defendant attends a Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling session, the defendant may seek a 90-day stay in the mortgage foreclosure proceedings to try to work out a mutually acceptable agreement with the plaintiff to settle the case.

Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling sessions are held every Wednesday in the Judges Library, located on the second floor of the Washington County Courthouse. As of December 31, 2010, over 350 defendants have participated in this program, and 55% of the participants have been able to reach a settlement to avoid foreclosure.

Questions concerning this program may be addressed to the Southwestern Pennsylvania Legal Services, Inc., at 724-225-6170.