Court of Common Pleas of Greene County, Pennsylvania Document Filing Requirements

CRITICAL

Applies to

Agreed motion

An agreed motion must include the consenting signatures or attached consents of all attorneys or unrepresented parties of interest.

Motions that are agreed upon shall contain the consenting signatures or attached consents of all attorneys or unrepresented parties of interest

CRITICAL

Applies to

Discontinuance praecipe

A discontinuance may be entered by a written praecipe to the Prothonotary signed by the plaintiff’s attorney or by a self-represented plaintiff.

A discontinuance may also be entered by a written direction (praecipe) to the Prothonotary if it is signed by the attorney for the plaintiff or by a self-represented plaintiff

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion

A motion must be signed by the person or attorney making it, and an attorney's signature certifies review, good grounds, and that the motion is not interposed for delay.

(iii) The motion shall be signed by the person or attorney making the motion. The signature of an attorney shall constitute a certification that the attorney has read the motion, that to the best of the attorney's knowledge, information, and belief there is good ground to support the motion, and that it is not interposed for delay.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Conciliation conference materials

At the conciliation conference, the plaintiff must be prepared to provide proof of the mortgage default and the exact amount, including costs and penalties, needed to bring the mortgage current; failing to do so precludes recovery of later interest.

The Plaintiff shall come to the Conciliation Conference prepared to provide proof of the defaulted mortgage and the exact amount, including costs and penalties, needed to bring the mortgage current as of that date. Failure to do so will preclude the recovery of any interest due on the mortgage after that date.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Discontinuance

Counsel must provide Court Administration a copy of the discontinuance at the same time the original is provided to the Prothonotary.

Counsel shall provide a copy of the discontinuance to Court Administration simultaneous with providing the original to the Prothonotary.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Written agreement for arbitration

A written agreement signed by all parties or their counsel may refer a case to arbitration, may include stipulations or take the place of pleadings, and must be filed of record.

Cases, regardless of amount or subject in controversy, may be referred to a Board of Arbitrators by written agreement signed by all parties or their counsel, and may contain stipulations with respect to facts submitted or agreed upon or defense in such cases, the written agreement may take the place of the pleadings in the case and shall be filed of record.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Notice of presentation

Notice of a motion's presentation must be in writing.

Notice of the presentation of the motion shall be in writing

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion

Any request for a hearing, argument, or both must be included in the motion.

(vii) The motion shall include any requests for hearing or argument, or both.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Continuance request

A continuance request must be signed by a party or the attorney of record.

Any continuance request shall contain the signature of a party or the attorney of record.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Adoptive parent filing

All proposed adoptive parents must undergo and file Childline and criminal clearances with the Court.

All proposed adoptive parents shall undergo and shall file with the Court Childline and criminal clearances.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Conciliation conference materials

The defendant must be prepared for the conciliation conference with proof of income, proof of expenses and debt statements, the Act 91 Notice, and other documents received concerning the foreclosure.

The Defendant shall come to the Conciliation Conference prepared to provide the following: - a. Proof of income from all sources (i.e. pay stubs, social security disability letter of determination, workers compensation letter of determination, annual income tax returns, child and spousal support orders, etc.); - b. Proof of expenses and debt statements (i.e. regular monthly mortgage payment, payments related to water/sewer, electricity, heating, telephone, cable, credit card(s), tuition and day care expenses, etc.); and - c. Act 91 Notice and any other documents received regarding this mortgage foreclosure.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Pretrial narrative

A narrative is required for the pretrial conference and must be filed ten days before the conference.

- 4. Narratives shall be required for the pretrial conference and shall be filed ten (10) days prior to the date of the conference.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion

If a motion asserts facts not already of record, it must be verified by a knowledgeable person's sworn affidavit or by a written unsworn statement subject to Pennsylvania's penalties for unsworn falsification.

(viii) If the motion sets forth facts that do not already appear of record in the case, the motion shall be verified by the sworn affidavit of a person having knowledge of the facts or by the unsworn written statement of such a person that the facts are verified subject to the penalties for unsworn falsification to authorities under the Pennsylvania Crimes Code, 18 Pa.C.S. §4904.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Pretrial narrative

The pretrial narrative must include a facts summary, intended economic damages, witness names and addresses with classifications, specified expert reports, special legal or evidentiary issues, and estimated trial length.

- 5. The narrative shall contain the following: - a. A brief summary of the facts; - b. All items of economic damages which the Plaintiff intends to prove, including medical bills, property damage bills and loss of earnings; - c. The names and addresses of all persons who may be called as witnesses, classifying them as liability and/or damage witnesses; - d. Copies of all reports of any expert who treated, examined, or was consulted in connection with the injuries complained of, and who may be called as an expert witness; - e. Copies of all reports of any expert whose opinion will be in evidence at the time of trial. Such reports shall include the findings and conclusions of the expert; - f. Any special legal or evidentiary issues; - g. The estimated length of trial;

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion

A motion must certify compliance with the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System Public Access Policy regarding confidential information and documents.

The motion also shall contain a certification that the motion complies with the provisions of the Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania: Case Records of the Appellate and Trial Courts regarding confidential information and documents.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion

Must include

caption, case number

A motion must identify the court, caption, term, and case number.

(iv) The motion shall include the court, caption, term, and number of the case in which relief is requested.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Initial pleading

An initial pleading in a civil action must be accompanied by a completed Pennsylvania Rule of Civil Procedure 205.5 Cover Sheet.

For the initial pleading in any civil action, the pleading shall be accompanied by a completed Pennsylvania Rule of Civil Procedure 205.5 Cover Sheet which can be found at http://www.pacourts.us/forms/for-the-public.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion

A motion must state its grounds with particularity, the facts supporting each ground, and the types of relief requested.

(v) The motion shall state with particularity the grounds for the motion, the facts that support each ground, and the types of relief requested.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion

Must include

proposed order

Every motion must be accompanied by a proposed order consistent with the motion and requested relief.

5. Any motion shall be accompanied by a proposed Order consistent with the motion and the relief requested.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Preliminary objections brief

The moving party must file its legal brief or memorandum regarding preliminary objections with the appropriate filing office.

The legal brief or memorandum of the moving party regarding preliminary objections shall be filed with the appropriate filing office.

WARNING

If exceptions are filed, the Court schedules argument and may direct the parties to submit proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law and a proposed order.

If exceptions are filed, the Court will schedule the matter for argument and may direct the parties to provide proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law and a proposed order.

WARNING

Applies to

Motion

Failing to state a type of relief or a ground in a motion may waive that relief or ground.

3. The failure, in any motion, to state a type of relief or a ground therefore may constitute a waiver of such relief or ground.

INFO

Applies to

Status conference narrative

Written narratives are not required to be filed for status conferences.

No written narratives need be filed for status conferences.

INFO

Applies to

Motion

A motion may request appropriate alternative relief.

4. Any motion may request such alternative relief as may be appropriate.