The number of civil proceedings that were started in Carbon County in 2011 decreased by slightly more than 13 percent from the 2010 totals, according to an annual statistical report released by Prothonotary Joann M. Behrens of Penn Forest Township.

The office serves as the headquarters for the filing of civil legal documents in the Court of Common Pleas, 56th Judicial District.Behrens' report shows there were 3,854 new cases started last year, which is a decrease of 578 cases over the total of 4,432 that were initiated in the preceding 12 months.The largest decrease took place in civil suits that were initiated. The 2011 total is down 191 cases, from 759 in 2010 to 568 last year.Also decreasing significantly were mortgage foreclosure complaints. There were 421 cases started in 2010, but that number is down by 168, there having been 253 new foreclosures that took place last year. The number of judgments entered by the prothonotary totaled 1,912, which is 114 less than the 2,026 that were filed in 2010. Also decreasing were the number of petitions filed for Protection From Abuse orders. In 2011, 301 persons sought the protection of the court, which is 65 fewer petitions than were filed in 2010.Meanwhile, there appears to be a steady decline in the number of persons requesting passports to leave the country. A passport is an internationally-recognized travel document attesting to the identity and nationality of the bearer. The county prothonotary's office is the sole local agency designated by the federal government to process an application for a passport.Behrens's report shows 891 persons applied for a passport in 2011. That number is down 185 applications from the 1,076 that applied for the documents in 2010, and is 448 less than the 1,339 sought the prior year.The decrease in cases also related to a substantial decrease in revenue the office received last year. The prothonotary reported $380,548 was generated in filing fees last year. The amount is $54,336 less than the $434,884 that was received 2010.A breakdown of the 2011 cases is as follows:Assessment appeals, 35; civil actions, 568; custody complaints, 259; district justice appeals, 79; declaratory judgments, 4; divorce complaints, 203; ejectment complaints, 39; eminent domain/declaration of taking, 1; equity, 1; license appeals, 19; mandamus actions, 2; mortgage foreclosure complaints, 253; miscellaneous, 40; name change petitions, 11; partition complaints, 3; protection from abuse petitions, 301; quiet title actions, 26; replevin complaints, 2; tax sales, 11; zoning appeals, 6; auditor/financial reports, 8; court appointments, 10; court rules, 1; judgments, 1,912; paternity suits, 2; writ of execution, 7; and stipulations/waivers of liens, 51.The $380,548 that was generated included: prothonotary's fees, $311,824.90; interest income, $186.26; PFA Surcharge, courts, $1,040.80, PFA Surcharge, Sheriff, $676.70; custody fees, $8,650; data processing fees, $58,169.34.The report points out department operational expenses for the last year amounted to $233,640.95, meaning the prothonotary's office generated a profit of $146,907.05 for the county in 2011.The prothonotary also remitted $44,229.75 to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Revenue, representing state fees collected locally, and $984 to the Administrative Offices of the Pennsylvania Courts, this being surcharges on new custody cases in accordance with Act 119 of 1996. Another $15,243.50 was deposited in the Prothonotary's Automation Fund for future use in automating the office.