Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas Document Format Requirements

A private criminal complaint filed with the Office of the District Attorney must use a court-approved form.

The Plaintiff may file with the Office of District Attorney a private criminal complaint on a form approved by the Court.

A private criminal complaint filed with the Magisterial District Judge must use a court-approved form.

The Plaintiff may file with the Magisterial District Judge in the district where the violation occurred a private criminal complaint on a form approved by the court.

Documents filed with the Prothonotary must be on 8½-inch by 11-inch paper.

All documents filed in the Office of Prothonotary shall be on 8½ inch by 11-inch paper and shall comply with the following requirements:

Documents filed with the Office of Clerk of Courts must be on 8½-by-11-inch paper.

All documents filed in the Office of Clerk of Courts shall be on 8½ inch by 11 inch paper and shall comply with the following requirements:

The first sheet of every filing must leave a 3-inch space at the top for court stampings and filing notices.

The first sheet shall contain a 3-inch space from the top of the paper for all court stampings, filing notices, etc.

Filings must use double spacing, except that quotations longer than two lines may be indented and single spaced.

The text must be double spaced, but quotations more than two lines long may be indented and single spaced.

Margins

top 1 in, bottom 1 in, left 1 in, right 1 in

Except for the special first-sheet top space, all four margins must be at least one inch.

Except as provided in subsection b, margins must be at least one inch on all four sides.

Filing text must be clear and legible and may not be smaller than 12-point Arial.

The lettering shall be clear, legible and no smaller than Arial 12 point.

A filing may contain lettering on only one side of each page.

The lettering shall be on only one side of a page.

All exhibit tabs must appear at the bottom of the pleading.

All exhibit tabs shall appear at the bottom of the pleading.

Backers may not be used on originals or copies of pleadings or legal papers filed with the Prothonotary.

No backers shall be used on the original or any copies of pleadings or other legal papers filed with the Prothonotary.

Exhibits or attachments smaller than 8½ by 11 inches must be attached with adhesive tape to regular-size paper.

Exhibits or attachments smaller than 8½ inches by 11 inches shall be attached to a regular size paper by using adhesive tape.

Pages must be consecutively numbered starting with page 2, with each number at the bottom center of the pleading.

Pages shall be consecutively numbered beginning with page 2 and said number shall appear on the bottom center of the pleading.

Petitions and motions, except motions made during the actual trial, must be in writing and the original must be filed with the Clerk before presentation to the Court.

Petitions and motions, other than those made during the actual trial of a case, shall be: (a) made in writing, and the original thereof filed with the Clerk of Court before presentation to the Court;

The size and physical characteristics of every filed paper or document must conform to the standards established by the Pennsylvania Rules of Appellate Procedure.

The size and other physical characteristics of all papers or other documents filed shall conform to standards set and established by the Pennsylvania Rules of Appellate Procedure for papers or other documents filed in an appellate court.

The first sheet must leave a three-inch space at the top for court stampings and filing notices.

The first sheet shall contain a 3-inch space from the top of the paper for all court stampings, filing notices, etc.

Text must be double-spaced, although quotations longer than two lines may be indented and single-spaced.

The text must be double spaced, but quotations more than two lines long may be indented and single spaced.

Margins

top 1 in, bottom 1 in, left 1 in, right 1 in

Except as otherwise provided, all four margins must be at least one inch.

Except as provided in subsection b, margins must be at least one inch on all four sides.

Lettering must be clear, legible, and in Arial 12-point type or larger.

The lettering shall be clear, legible and no smaller than Arial 12 point.

Lettering may appear on only one side of each page.

The lettering shall be on only one side of a page.

All exhibit tabs must be positioned at the bottom of the pleading.

All exhibit tabs shall appear at the bottom of the pleading.

Backers may not be used on originals or copies of pleadings or legal papers filed with the clerk.

No backers shall be used on the original or any copies of pleadings or other legal papers filed with the Clerk of Courts.

Exhibits or attachments smaller than 8½-by-11 inches must be attached to regular-size paper with adhesive tape.

Exhibits or attachments smaller than 8½ inches by 11 inches shall be attached to a regular size paper by using adhesive tape.

Format

PDF

Electronically filed legal papers must be submitted in PDF format.

Legal papers shall be presented for filing in a portable document format (PDF).

An Emergency Petition for Custody must be filed as a document separate from the Custody Complaint.

The Emergency Petition for Custody must be a separate document apart from the Custody Complaint.

In an existing case seeking modification or contempt, the Emergency Petition for Custody must be filed as a separate document with the related petition.

An original and one copy of the Emergency Petition for Custody shall be filed with the Prothonotary simultaneously with the Petition for Modification or Petition for Contempt. The Emergency Petition for Custody must be a separate document apart from the Petition for Modification or Petition for Contempt.

The judge-appointment application must be submitted as an original and a copy.

After service of the complaint, any party may file with the Prothonotary an original and copy of an Application for Appointment of a Judge for All Pretrial Matters and Trial.

A motion requiring expedited disposition must be designated as an Emergency Motion in the title on its first page.

Motions that genuinely require an expedited disposition shall be designated as Emergency Motions by the filing party and clearly indicated as such in the title of the motion contained on the first page thereof.

The Administrative Application for Status Conference must use paragraph form and include the case's complete factual and procedural history and the reasons the conference is necessary.

The Administrative Application for Status Conference shall be in paragraph form and shall set forth the complete factual and procedural history of the case and the reasons necessitating the conference.

The Request for Assignment must use the latest available format.

When the issuance of a citation is requested, or when any petition, account, objection, preliminary objection, exception to an auditor’s or master’s report, or motion is ready to be scheduled for a hearing, argument, or disposition by the Court, or when a conference with the Court is requested, a party must file a “Request for Assignment” using the latest format, together with a proposed citation, rule, or order which contain a distribution legend.

For oversized documentary exhibits, the Court Crier must receive an 8-1/2 x 11-inch copy, while the larger item may be used for illustration during the proceeding.

If a document is larger than 8-1/2 x 11 inches, the Court Crier shall be provided with a copy of the same sized 8-1/2 x 11 inches. Items larger than 8-1/2 x 11 may be used for illustration during the court proceeding.

Applies to

Digital media exhibit

A digital-format exhibit entered into the record must be provided to the Court Crier on a portable external hard drive.

The proponent shall ensure that an exhibit in digital format entered into the record is provided to the Court Crier using a portable external hard drive such as a thumb drive.

Filings must be prepared on good-quality white paper, while the use of recycled paper is encouraged.

The document shall be prepared on white paper of good quality and the use of recycled paper is encouraged.

Applies to

Forms

All forms must be printed clearly and legibly so the court can read them.

For all forms: 1. Print clearly. 2. Make sure the court will be able to read what you write.

The document must be prepared on good-quality white paper, and the use of recycled paper is encouraged.

The document shall be prepared on white paper of good quality and the use of recycled paper is encouraged.

The Clerk of Courts Office must convert paper-format legal papers to PDF or PDF-A, except for papers listed in Rule 576.1(B); the converted version is the original and a hard copy is not required.

G. The Clerk of Courts Office shall convert legal papers in paper format to an electronic PDF or PDF-A version except for those listed in Rule 576.1 (B). Once converted to PDF or PDF-A, the PDF or PDF-A version shall be deemed to be the original legal paper and 10-4-21 ===== PAGE 2 ===== shall be used as such for all purposes. The Clerk of Courts or the Court is not required to maintain a hard copy of any legal paper filed electronically.

The original pleading or legal paper should be stapled in the upper-left corner.

The original of pleadings or other legal papers should be stapled in the top left corner.

A document exceeding one-half inch in thickness should be secured with a binder clip.

If the document is over one-half inch thick, it should be secured with a binder clip.

The prohibition on backers does not apply to copies provided to the court, opposing parties, or clients.

Backers may be used for copies provided to the court, opposing parties or clients.

The original should be paper-clipped in the upper-left corner and, if more than one-half inch thick, secured with a binder clip.

The original of pleadings or other legal papers should be paper clipped in the top left corner. If the document is over one-half inch thick, it should be secured with a binder clip.

Copies furnished to the court, opposing parties, or clients may use backers.

Backers may be used for copies provided to the court, opposing parties or clients.