Court of Common Pleas of Erie County, Pennsylvania Electronic Filing Rules

CRITICALCriminal cases

The listed warrant applications, grand jury materials subject to stated exceptions, authorized ex parte or sealed submissions, and evidentiary exhibits may not be filed electronically.

The following documents are excluded from the definition of “legal paper” and are therefore prohibited from being filed electronically: (a) applications for search warrants, (b) applications for arrest warrants, (c) any grand jury materials, except the indicting grand jury indictment or the investigating grand jury presentment, (d) submissions filed ex parte as authorized by law, (e) submissions filed or authorized to be filed under seal, (f) exhibits offered into evidence, whether or not admitted, in a court proceedings, and

CRITICAL

Electronic legal papers must be filed through the Clerk’s system, and parties may be required to register and provide identifying information before using it.

All legal papers filed electronically shall be filed through the Clerk’s electronic filing system. Parties may be required to register prior to utilizing the electronic filing system. As part of the registration process, parties may be required to provide a name, mailing address, e-mail address, phone number, and/or other identifying information as determined by the Clerk.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Attorneys and self-represented parties filing electronically must establish a PACFile account through the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania Web Portal.

Attorneys or self-represented parties who file legal papers electronically must establish a PACFile account using the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania Web Portal.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Legal paper

Legal papers filed electronically must be filed through the Prothonotary's electronic filing system; parties may be required to register and provide identifying information.

All legal papers filed electronically shall be filed through the Prothonotary's electronic filing system, which shall be accessible through the Erie County Prothonotary's website at https://eriecountypa. gov/departments/clerk-of-records/prothonotary-civil-records/. Parties may be required to register prior to utilizing the electronic filing system. As part of the registration process, parties may be required to provide a name, mailing address, e-mail address, phone number, and/or other identifying information as determined by the Prothonotary.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Applies to

Pretrial motion

Pre-trial motions must be filed with the Clerk of Courts and delivered by hand or U.S. Mail to the assigned judge, or to the Criminal Division motion-court judge if no judge is assigned.

All pre-trial motions shall filed with the clerk of courts and delivered to assigned judge either by hand delivery to the assigned judge’s chambers or by U.S. Mail. If there is no judge assigned to the case at the time a party intends to present a motion, then the motion shall be delivered in the same manner to the judge then serving as the motion court judge in the Criminal Division.

CRITICALCriminal cases

PACFile is the exclusive system for electronic filing.

“the system,” the PACFile electronic filing system, developed and administered by the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts, is the exclusive system for electronic filing.

WARNINGCivil cases

Applies to

Legal papers

Once an electronic filing system is implemented, electronic filing of legal papers is permitted in civil cases except for the listed categories.

Upon implementation of an electronic filing system, the Erie County Court of Common Pleas shall permit the electronic filing of legal papers in all civil cases, except: (A) All filings pertaining to Family Division and Domestic Relations Section matters; (B) All filings in cases brought pursuant to either the Protection From Abuse Act and the Protection of Victims of Sexual Violence or Intimidation Act; (C) A name change petition; (D) A motion for involuntary transfer of vehicle ownership; (E) An appeal from a driver's license suspension; or

INFOCriminal cases

Attorneys and self-represented parties unable or unwilling to e-file may file and serve legal papers in physical paper format.

Attorneys or self-represented parties who are unable or unwilling to participate in electronic filing of documents are permitted to file and serve the legal papers in a physical paper format.

INFO

Legal filings permitted under the Pennsylvania Orphans’ Court Rules may be filed electronically with the Clerk under the stated procedures.

Any legal filing permitted under the Pennsylvania Orphans’ Court Rules may be filed electronically with the Clerk under the procedures set forth in this Rule and consistent with the procedures set forth in Pa.R.O.C.P. 4.7.

INFO

Legal papers may be submitted in hard copy; the Clerk scans and maintains them as PDFs and may return the scanned papers to the filing party for retention.

Legal papers may be submitted to the Clerk in hard copy format. When a legal paper is submitted in hard copy format, the Clerk shall electronically scan such legal paper into pdf format and maintain it in that format. Any legal paper scanned into pdf format may be returned to the filing party for retention pursuant to Pa.R.O.C.P. 4.7(c)(3).

INFO

The Clerk’s electronic filing system is accessible through the specified Erie County Clerk of Orphans’ Court website.

The Clerk’s electronic filing system shall be accessible through the Erie County Clerk of Orphans’ Court website at https://eriecountypa.gov/departments/clerk-of-records/register-of-wills-estate-records/.

INFO

Applies to

Complaint

A complaint may be submitted by mail, email, fax, or another electronic means that can generate a paper copy.

b. The complaint may be submitted by mail, e-mail, fax, or any other electronic means by which a paper copy may be generated.

INFOCriminal cases

Electronic filing is permitted but not required in criminal dockets.

Electronic filing is permissive and not mandatory.