Court of Common Pleas of Chester County, Pennsylvania Document Format Requirements

CRITICAL

After the prescribed motion, required cover sheet, and required fee are filed or posted, the Prothonotary’s Office must forward the motion to the Hearing Officer’s Unit to schedule a preliminary conference.

Upon filing of the motion for the appointment of a Hearing Officer, in the form prescribed by Pa.R.Civ.P. 1920.74, the required cover sheet and the posting of the required fee, the Office of the Prothonotary shall forward the motion to the Hearing Officer’s Unit for the scheduling of a preliminary conference.

CRITICAL

Petitions for special relief must use the forms prescribed by the cited rules.

All petitions for special relief shall be in the form prescribed by C.C.R.C.P. 206.2 and 1930.1.A.(c).

CRITICAL

Applies to

Complaint for indirect criminal contempt

The Complaint for Indirect Criminal Contempt required by C.C.R.C.P. 1901.5.A.(a) must substantially follow the form in Forms Index #4.

(c) The form required by C.C.R.C.P. 1901.5.A.(a) Complaint for Indirect Criminal Contempt shall be substantially in the following form: SEE FORMS INDEX (#4)

CRITICAL

A Rule to Show Cause in Family Matters must substantially follow the form in Forms Index #23.

The form of Rule to Show Cause as required by Pa.R.Civ.P. 206.6, in Family Matters shall be substantially in the following form: SEE FORMS INDEX (#23)

CRITICAL

Criminal continuance requests must use the standard motion/order form.

In criminal cases, the standard continuance motion/order form must be used.

CRITICAL

The motion and order must use the forms prescribed by Pa.R.Civ.P. 1920.74(a) and (b).

The motion and order shall be in the form prescribed by Pa.R.Civ.P. 1920.74(a) and (b).

CRITICAL

Certifications of Trial Readiness must be filed on blue paper with the Office of the Prothonotary.

All certifications of trial readiness shall be filed on blue paper with the Office of the Prothonotary.

CRITICAL

Continuance requests for matters listed before the specified judicial officers must substantially follow the form in Forms Index #22.

The form of request for continuance of all matters listed before a Judge, Custody Conciliator, Support Hearing Officer or Hearing Officer in Divorce as required by C.C.R.C.P. 1920.72.A.(a) shall be substantially in the following form: SEE FORMS INDEX (#22)

CRITICALCivil cases

Pleadings and other legal papers must be typewritten in at least 12-point type, double-spaced, and securely fastened.

All pleadings and other legal papers shall be typewritten (not less than 12 point type), double-spaced and securely fastened.

CRITICAL

The certificate of trial readiness must substantially follow the form in Forms Index #21.

The certificate of trial readiness shall be substantially in the following form: SEE FORMS INDEX (#21)

CRITICAL

The Custody Certificate of Trial Readiness is required and must be printed on blue paper.

12. Certificate of Trial Readiness (Custody) C.C.R.C.P. 1915.4.A.II. (c) [to be printed on blue paper] Req’d by C.C.R.C.P. 1915.4.II (c)

CRITICAL

Applies to

Request for de novo hearing

A timely request for a de novo hearing must be filed in writing with the Prothonotary.

Timely requests for a de novo hearing shall be filed in writing with the Office of the Prothonotary.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Notice of hearing to plaintiff

The Notice of Hearing to Plaintiff required by C.C.R.C.P. 1901.5.A.(e) must substantially follow the form in Forms Index #6.

(e) The form required by C.C.R.C.P. 1901.5.A.(e) Notice of Hearing to Plaintiff shall be substantially in the following form: SEE FORMS INDEX (#6)

CRITICAL

A renunciation executed outside the Register’s office must be executed in the presence of a Notary Public.

Any renunciation executed outside the Register’s office must be executed in the presence of a Notary Public.

CRITICALCivil cases

A Praecipe for Determination must substantially follow Form E.

The Praecipe for Determination shall be in substantially the following form: See Form E on Page 68

CRITICAL

Applies to

Probable cause affidavit

The Probable Cause Affidavit required by C.C.R.C.P. 1901.5.A.(a) must substantially follow the form in Forms Index #3.

(b) The form required by C.C.R.C.P. 1901.5.A.(a) Probable Cause Affidavit shall be substantially in the following form: SEE FORMS INDEX (#3)

CRITICAL

Applies to

Continuance request

A request for a continuance must substantially follow the form in Forms Index #7.

(f) The format for requesting a continuance shall be substantially in the following form: SEE FORMS INDEX (#7)

CRITICAL

Applies to

Notice of hearing to defendant

The Notice of Hearing to Defendant required by C.C.R.C.P. 1901.5.A.(e) must substantially follow the form in Forms Index #5.

(d) The form required by C.C.R.C.P. 1901.5.A.(e) Notice of Hearing to Defendant shall be substantially in the following form: SEE FORMS INDEX (#5)

CRITICAL

Media shown to juries must be edited to remove inadmissible testimony and unnecessary questions or statements by counsel.

Such media shown to juries must be edited to delete inadmissible testimony and unnecessary questions or statements by counsel.

CRITICAL

The Certificate of Trial Readiness must be substantially in the form of Form 12.

The form Certificate of Trial Readiness as required by C.C.R.C.P. 1915.4.A.(III)(c) shall be substantially in the form found at Form 12.

CRITICALCivil cases

The pre-arbitration memorandum must be filed in triplicate and in the provided form.

At least seven (7) days before the date of the arbitration hearing, all parties shall file with the Prothonotary, in triplicate, a memorandum in the form provided

CRITICAL

Every petition, motion, answer, reply, and other pleading or filing must be typewritten or printed.

Be typewritten or printed;

CRITICAL

A praecipe to transmit seeking approval of grounds for divorce must be filed on green paper.

Any Praecipe to Transmit seeking an order approving grounds for divorce shall: (1) Include a proposed order for the Court’s signature; (2) be filed on green paper.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Discovery order objection

Objections to a discovery order must be in writing and filed within ten business days of the recommendation.

All Objections to the discovery order shall be in writing and filed within ten (10) business days of the recommendation.

CRITICAL

Continuance requests for proceedings under these rules must use the form prescribed by C.C.R.C.P. 1920.30.1.A.

All requests for continuance for any proceeding under these rules shall be in the form prescribed by C.C.R.C.P. 1920.30.1.A.

CRITICAL

The notice of hearing must use the required Form 5.

Form 5 See CCRCP 1905.A.(d): form req’d by CCRCP 1901.5.A.(e)

CRITICAL

Applies to

Form required by C.C.R.C.P. 1901.4.A

The form required by C.C.R.C.P. 1901.4.A. must substantially follow the form in Forms Index #2.

(a) The form required by C.C.R.C.P. 1901.4.A. shall be substantially in the following form: SEE FORMS INDEX (#2)

CRITICAL

The divorce order is required and must be printed on green paper.

20. Order (Divorce) C.C.R.C.P. 1920.73.A(a) (grounds for divorce) Req’d by C.C.R.C.P. 1920.42(d)(1) [to be printed on green paper]

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Order

The order must be submitted on green paper.

MUST BE SUBMITTED ON GREEN PAPER

WARNING

Pleadings and papers filed with the Register or Clerk must be legible; the Register or Clerk may refuse illegible submissions or require a legible copy if they cannot be mechanically reproduced.

All pleadings and papers filed with either the Register or the Clerk shall be legible. Should any such pleading or paper not be sufficiently legible for mechanical reproduction, the Register or the Clerk may refuse to receive such pleading or paper or may require that a legible copy thereof be submitted.

WARNING

The Support Certificate of Trial Readiness must be printed on blue paper.

9. Certificate of Trial Readiness (Support) C.C.R.C.P. 1910.12.A(i)(iv)(d) [to be printed on blue paper]

WARNINGCivil cases

Format

PDF

Legal papers presented for electronic filing must be in PDF, but the Prothonotary converts papers submitted in another format, including hard copy, to PDF.

All legal papers shall be presented for electronic filing in portable document format (“pdf”). As authorized by Pa.R.C.P. No. 205.4(b)(1), in the event any legal paper is submitted to the Prothonotary for filing in other than portable document format, including being presented in a hard-copy format, the Prothonotary shall convert such legal paper to portable document format and maintain the legal paper in portable document format.

WARNING

Cite individual rules as “Ches.Co.O.C.Rule _____.”

These Rules shall be known as Chester County Orphans’ Court Rules and shall be referred to individually and cited as “Ches.Co.O.C.Rule _____.”

WARNING

Discovery requests must comply with C.C.R.C.P. 208 et seq., but no brief is required.

Requests for discovery shall be in accordance with C.C.R.C.P. 208, et seq. except that no brief shall be required.

WARNING

Applies to

Long day listing request

A request for a long day listing must use the form in Forms Index (#8).

The request for a long day listing shall be in the following form: SEE FORMS INDEX (#8)

WARNING

The copy provided for an oversized documentary exhibit must be reduced to 8½ x 11 inches or smaller.

Whenever a proponent offers into evidence an exhibit such as a letter, report, drawing, map, photograph, or other document that is larger in size than 8½ x 11 inches, the proponent shall contemporaneously provide to the appropriate records office a copy of the document (said copy approved by the parties or the court) reduced to 8½ x 11 inches (or smaller).

WARNING

The verification of surety must use the form required by the Clerk of Courts.

When realty is offered for bail, the owner(s) shall, in the presence of a member of the issuing authority’s staff or Clerk of Courts’ staff, file a verification of surety in the form required by the Clerk of Courts, and a verified statement that the realty posted is not subject to any outstanding lien, encumbrance, or agreement not shown in the search required by C.C.R.Crim.P. 528(D).1(iv).

WARNING

Applies to

Certification of trial readiness

Certifications of trial readiness must be filed on blue paper with the Domestic Relations Office.

All certifications of trial readiness shall be filed on blue paper with the Domestic Relations Office.

WARNING

The certification of trial readiness form must be printed on blue paper.

Form to be printed on blue paper

WARNING

The form must be printed on blue paper.

Form to be printed on blue paper

WARNING

Form 20 must be printed on green paper.

Form to be printed on green paper

WARNING

The copy provided for an oversized photograph exhibit must be reduced to 8½ x 11 inches or smaller.

Whenever a proponent offers into evidence a photograph that is larger in size than 8½ x 11 inches, the proponent shall contemporaneously provide to the records office a copy of the photograph (said copy approved by the parties or the court) reduced to 8½ x 11 inches (or smaller).