Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas Electronic Filing Rules

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Legal paper

Electronically filed legal papers must be submitted through the Prothonotary’s Electronic Filing System, and counsel and unrepresented parties must apply for login credentials to access it.

All legal papers that are filed electronically shall be filed through the Prothonotary’s Electronic Filing System (“Electronic Filing System”) which shall be accessible through the Montgomery County Prothonotary’s website, www.montcopa.org/prothy. To obtain access to the Electronic Filing System, counsel and any unrepresented party must apply to the Prothonotary’s Office for a User Name and Password.

CRITICAL

Counsel and unrepresented parties must register, provide a valid email address, and expressly consent to receive official notices, orders, and decrees by email to obtain system access.

To obtain access to the Electronic Filing System, counsel and any unrepresented party must register with a User Name and Password and must provide a valid e-mail address to which official notices will be sent, and must expressly consent to the receipt of official notices, orders and decrees from the Clerk of the Orphans’ Court at the e-mail address or addresses provided.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Legal paper

Legal papers required to be filed electronically must be filed through the Clerk of the Orphans’ Court Electronic Filing System at the designated website.

All legal papers to be filed electronically shall be filed through the Clerk of the Orphans’ Court Electronic Filing System which shall be accessible through the website of Montgomery County Courts, https://www.courtsapp.montcopa.org/ROWEfiling or at such other website as may be designated from time to time.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Applies to

Transcript and associated documents

The transcript and associated documents must be scanned electronically and transmitted to the Clerk of Courts in digital format instead of sending the physical documents.

The transcript and any associated documents shall be electronically scanned and transmitted to the Clerk of Courts in digital format in lieu of transmitting the physical paper transcript and associated documents.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Applies to

Third party filing

Amicus briefs and other third-party filings may not be filed electronically.

Third party filing of amicus briefs or other third party filings shall not be permitted to be filed electronically.

CRITICALCriminal cases

The Clerk must accept and retain paper filings, convert them to PDF, and add them to the system unless the filings are excluded from electronic filing.

Any legal paper submitted for filing to the Clerk of Courts in a paper (or ‘hard-copy’) format shall be accepted by the Clerk of Courts in that format and shall be retained by the Clerk of Courts as may be required by applicable rules of Court and record retention policies. The Clerk of Courts shall convert such hard-copy legal paper to pdf and add it to the system, except those legal papers excluded from electronic filing pursuant to Pa.R.Crim.P. 576.1(C) and this rule.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Electronic filing is permitted in Montgomery County through PACFile, the exclusive electronic filing system.

electronic filing of legal papers through the PACFile electronic filing system is permissive in Montgomery County, the 38th Judicial District, as of January 1, 2017.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Applies to

Transcript and associated documents

Transcripts and associated documents must be scanned electronically and transmitted to the Clerk of Courts in digital format instead of sending the physical documents.

The transcript and any associated documents shall be electronically scanned and transmitted to the Clerk of Courts in digital format in lieu of transmitting the physical paper transcript and associated documents.

WARNINGCivil cases

Applies to

Legal paper

The Prothonotary converts hard-copy legal papers to PDF, maintains them in that format, and returns the paper copy for retention under the cited rule.

As authorized by Pa.R.C.P. No. 205.4(b)(1), in the event any legal paper is submitted to the Prothonotary in a hard-copy format, the Prothonotary shall convert such legal paper to pdf and maintain it in that format. The Prothonotary shall return the hard-copy legal paper to the filing party for retention as required by Pa.R.C.P. No. 205.4(b)(4).

WARNING

The Clerk of the Orphans’ Court must provide electronic filing access at all times.

As required by the Supreme Court Orphans’ Court Rule 4.7(d)(2), the Clerk of the Orphans’ Court shall provide electronic filing access at all times.

INFOCivil cases

Electronic filing and electronic service of legal papers are permitted subject to the Local Rule.

The Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas hereby permits the electronic filing of legal papers and the electronic service of such papers, under the terms described in this Local Rule.

INFO

Applies to

Exhibits

Exhibits may be e-filed with the record office if e-filing is available and the custodian receives them electronically.

Exhibits may be e-filed with the record office, if available, and if provided to the custodian in electronic format.

INFO

The Clerk must accept legal papers and exhibits either on paper or electronically through the county Orphans’ Court Electronic Filing System.

Effective January 6, 2014, the Clerk of the Orphans' Court of Montgomery County shall accept all legal papers and exhibits either by paper filing or by electronic filing through the Clerk of the Orphans' Court of Montgomery County Electronic Filing System ("Electronic Filing System").