Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Filing Timing and Cure Windows

CRITICALCivil cases

A Final Report must also be filed upon receipt of a provisional order from another state's court accepting transfer of the guardianship.

A Final Report shall also be filed upon receipt of the provisional order from another state's court accepting transfer of a guardianship. Pa. O.C. Rule 14.8(a)(4) & (5).

CRITICALCivil cases

In civil cases, application for less than full transcript must be made within 2 days after the order for transcript is filed.

Pa.R.A.P. 1922 requires that an application for an order providing for less than the entire proceeding shall be made in civil cases within two days after the order for transcript is filed

CRITICALCivil cases

The appropriate praecipe must be filed within 20 days after settlement, payment of an award/verdict/judgment, or agreement to terminate, or sanctions may be imposed.

When a settlement has been consummated, an award, verdict or judgment has been paid, or the parties have otherwise agreed to terminate a case, the appropriate praecipe or praecipes shall be filed within twenty (20) days thereafter, in default of which sanctions may be imposed.

CRITICAL

A claimant may require defendants who intended to present a defense to notify claimant of the same in writing at least five (5) days before trial by including with a copy of the complaint, a “Notice of Defense” and an envelope bearing first class postage pre-addressed to claimant or claimant’s attorney.

A claimant may require defendants who intended to present a defense to notify claimant of the same in writing at least five (5) days before trial by including with a copy of the complaint, a “Notice of Defense” and an envelope bearing first class postage pre-addressed to claimant or claimant’s attorney.

CRITICALCivil cases

Counsel must electronically file an Affidavit of Compliance within 60 days after entry of a final order or distribution.

Within sixty (60) days of the entry of a final Order or Distribution, counsel shall electronically file an Affidavit of Compliance with the Court maintaining the docket of the matter, either with the Office of Judicial Records or with the Clerk of the Orphans' Court Division.

CRITICALCivil cases

An appellant who was the plaintiff must file a complaint within 20 days of filing the appeal; failure to do so (or to serve a rule to file a complaint or file a required motion) results in the appeal being stricken from the record upon praecipe of the appellee, subject to reinstatement for good cause.

Upon failure of the appellant who was the plaintiff in the Municipal Court action to file a complaint within twenty (20) days of the filing of the appeal as required by section (f)(1)(i), or upon the failure of the appellant who was the defendant in the Municipal Court action to serve upon the appellee (who was the plaintiff in the Municipal Court action) of a rule to file a complaint, or upon the failure of an appellant to file a motion as required by section (f)(2), the Office of Judicial Records shall, upon praecipe of the appellee, mark the appeal stricken from the record. The Court of Common Pleas may reinstate the appeal upon good cause shown.

CRITICALCivil cases

Guardian of the Estate must file an Inventory within 90 days of the date of the Decree.

The Guardian of the Estate is directed to file an Inventory within ninety (90) days of the date of this Decree in accordance with the provisions of 20 Pa.C.S. § 5521(b) and § 5142. Pa. O.C. Rule 14.8(a)(1).

CRITICALCivil cases

Arbitration cases will be terminated under Pa.R.J.A. 1901 unless an Active Status Certificate is filed with the Arbitration Center within 30 days of publication in The Legal Intelligencer.

notice that these cases will be marked "Terminated under Pa.R.J.A. 1901" unless within 30 days from the date of publication in The Legal Intelligencer either party or counsel files an Active Status Certificate, substantially in the Form attached hereto, with the Arbitration Center certifying that the case is active.

CRITICALCivil cases

Any party may file written exceptions to the Master's Report within 20 days of the report date.

Within twenty (20) days after the date of the Report by the Permanent Master, any party may file written exceptions thereto.

CRITICALCivil cases

A party may file an Answer to a Motion for Divorce Hearing on Fault Grounds or Annulment within 10 days of service.

Within ten (10) days following service of a Motion for Divorce Hearing on Fault Grounds or for Annulment, a party may file an Answer thereto for purposes of objecting to the proposed assignment of the case to a Master.

CRITICALCivil cases

Beneficiaries have 30 days to file objections or a response to the settlement petition unless all beneficiaries or interested parties waive the response period.

Unless waived by all beneficiaries or interested parties, the response period shall be thirty (30) days.

CRITICALCriminal cases

The District Attorney must file a motion for destruction of controlled substances within 20 days after receiving the report of analysis in felony or misdemeanor cases.

Subject to the exception in subdivision B, and the limitations in paragraph (2) of subdivision C hereof, the District Attorney shall, within twenty (20) days after receipt of the report of analysis, move in a Court of Common Pleas for an order of destruction of any drug which appears in the Schedules of Controlled Substances of the Uniform Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act in felony or misdemeanor cases involving the possession or sale of such drugs.

CRITICALCivil cases

Interested parties have 20 days from receiving notice of the report's filing to file written objections with the auditor.

Within twenty (20) days of receiving notice of the filing of the report, any interested party may file with the auditor written objections to the report.

CRITICALCivil cases

Attorneys of record and unrepresented parties must receive 30 days advance notice of the hearing.

Thirty (30) days advance notice of the hearing shall be given to the attorneys of record and any unrepresented parties.

CRITICALCivil cases

The hearing must be concluded and the final order issued no later than March 31, 2026.

The hearing must be concluded and a final order issued no later than March 31, 2026.

CRITICALCivil cases

Motions will not be accepted where an arbitration hearing is scheduled within 45 days.

Motions shall not be accepted by the Motion Clerk in cases where an arbitration hearing is scheduled to be held within forty-five (45) days.

CRITICALCivil cases

Persons deemed parties opposed to an appeal must file a praecipe to opt out within 60 days of service of the Notice of Appeal.

The following persons shall be deemed parties opposed to the appeal unless they opt out by filing a praecipe with the Office of Judicial Records within 60 days of service of the Notice of Appeal:

CRITICALCriminal cases

Once the motion to present to the Indicting Grand Jury is granted, the IGJ must act on the case within 21 days of the signed order.

If the motion is granted, the IGJ must act on the case within 21 days of the date the order granting the motion was signed by an IGJ Supervising Judge.

CRITICALCivil cases

A notice of appeal of a Municipal Court money judgment must be filed within 30 days.

Money Judgment Only (30 days)

CRITICALCivil cases

To obtain or renew corporate fiduciary approval, the institution must file its petition on or before December 15 of the year preceding the year in which it wishes to act.

In order for approval to be granted or renewed in a timely fashion, an institution must file this petition on or before December 15 in the year preceding the year in which the institution wishes to act as a corporate fiduciary.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Indicting Grand Jury material is disclosed sixty days prior to trial unless the Indicting Grand Jury Supervising Judge orders otherwise.

All Indicting Grand Jury material will be disclosed sixty (60) days prior to trial unless otherwise ordered by an Indicting Grand Jury Supervising Judge.

CRITICALCivil cases

Exceptions to the Master's Report must be filed within 20 days.

If no exceptions are filed to the Report or Proposed Order within twenty days, then the Report or Proposed Order shall forthwith be presented to a Judge for approval and entry of an Order dismissing the Counter-affidavit.

CRITICALCivil cases

A notice of appeal of a landlord-tenant residential lease money judgment only must be filed within 30 days.

Landlord-Tenant, residential lease, money judgment only (30 days)

CRITICALCivil cases

The Guardian of the Person must file a Final Report within 60 days of the death of the incapacitated person, an adjudication of capacity, a change of guardian, or the expiration of a limited-duration order.

A Final Report shall be filed by the Guardian of the Person within sixty (60) days of the death of the incapacitated person, an adjudication of capacity, a change of guardian or the expiration of an order of limited duration pursuant to 20 Pa.C.S. § 5521(c)(2).

CRITICAL

Defendant may appeal to the Superior Court within 30 days of the imposition of sentence.

Defendant has the right to appeal to the Superior Court within 30 days of the imposition of sentence.

CRITICALCivil cases

Objections and Petition for Record Hearing must be filed within 5 days of service of Summary and Recommendations.

A party objecting to the Recommendations must file with the Clerk of Family Court an original and copy of their Objections and a Petition for a Record Hearing before the Court within five days of service of the Summary and Recommendations together with a Proof of Service upon all parties and the Parenting Coordinator.

CRITICAL

Failure to enter a plea within 10 days results in arrest warrant, license suspension, and late fee.

As required by Pa.R.Crim.P. 430, a warrant for the arrest of a defendant shall be issued if a defendant fails to enter a plea within ten days after the issuance of a citation. Moreover, the defendant’s operating privileges may be suspended pursuant to 75 Pa.C.S. § 1533, and a late fee will be assessed if the defendant fails to file a plea within ten days after issuance of the citation.

CRITICALCivil cases

Service must comply with Administrative Order No. 1 of 2026, Section 7, and an Affidavit of Service must be filed by the hearing date.

Service shall be accomplished as provided in Section 7 of President Judge Administrative Order No. 1 of 2026, and an Affidavit of Service must be filed on or before the hearing date.

CRITICALCivil cases

Objections may be sent to the records service and all parties within fifteen days of receipt; the service must stop all contrary action until a court order or further notice.

An objection to this procedure may be sent to the records reproduction service and all parties within fifteen days of receipt of the notice. An objection noted on the counsel return card, that must be sent by the record reproduction service, or a letter objection is sufficient and no formal protective motion need be filed. Upon receipt of an objection, the record reproduction service shall refrain from any action contrary to the objection until receipt of a Court Order or further notice by the objecting party

CRITICALCivil cases

The Affidavit of Compliance must be filed within sixty days of entry of a final Order of Distribution.

Within sixty (60) days of the entry of a final Order of Distribution, counsel shall electronically file an Affidavit of Compliance with the Court maintaining the docket of the matter, either with Office of Judicial Records or with the Clerk of the Orphans' Court Division.

CRITICAL

Defendant must enter a plea within 10 days of citation issuance.

A defendant must enter a plea within ten days after issuance of the citation as required by Pa.R.Crim. P. 407 regardless of whether the citation issued to the defendant contains a summary trial hearing date.

CRITICALCriminal cases

A Motion to Quash the Bills of Information must be filed within 10 days after all Indicting Grand Jury material is disclosed.

you have ten (10) days from the date when all Indicting Grand Jury material is disclosed to file a Motion to Quash the Bills of Information for your case before the trial judge.

CRITICALCivil cases

Guardian of the Estate must file an Annual Report one year after appointment and annually thereafter.

The Guardian of the Estate shall file an Annual Report one year after appointment and annually thereafter in accordance with the provisions of 20 Pa.C.S. § 5521(c)(1)(i).

CRITICALCivil cases

A Guardian of the Estate must file a Guardian's Inventory within 90 days of appointment.

I must file a Guardian's Inventory within ninety (90) days of my appointment as Guardian of the Estate;

CRITICALCivil cases

A bill of costs may be filed with the Office of Judicial Records no later than ten (10) days after final judgment.

A bill of costs may be filed with the Office of Judicial Records no later than ten (10) days after final judgment.

CRITICALCivil cases

Non-moving parties must respond within 20 days of service of the motion for judgment on the pleadings.

The non-moving parties shall file a response within twenty (20) days of the service of the motion, may attach any document, pleading or item not attached by the moving party, and shall include a brief or memorandum of law;

CRITICALCriminal cases

Execution of a prison sentence must be stayed for 30 days after a guilty judgment so the defendant may file a de novo appeal.

In Municipal Court cases, where the defendant has been adjudged guilty and a prison sentence is imposed, the execution of such sentence must be stayed for thirty (30) days in order that the defendant may file a de novo appeal.

CRITICALCivil cases

The landlord must wait ten days after termination of the supersedeas before obtaining a writ of possession from the Municipal Court.

The landlord may obtain a writ of possession from the Municipal Court ten (10) days after the supersedeas is terminated by the Office of Judicial Records.

CRITICALCivil cases

Motions have a 20-day response period, except Summary Judgment Motions which have a 30-day response period.

Other than as provided in Phila.Civ.R. *208.3(a) and except for Summary Judgment Motions (which have a thirty (30) day response period, all Motions have a twenty (20) day response period.

CRITICAL

A Petition For Return of Confiscated Property must be filed within 10 days of confiscation or the property summarily forfeits.

If no Petition For Return Of Confiscated Property is Filed within ten (10) days from the date of confiscation, the property shall summarily forfeit to the Philadelphia Municipal Court.

CRITICAL

Defendant may file an Appeal of this sentence for a hearing de novo in the Court of Common Pleas by filing a Notice of Appeal within THIRTY (30) days, at the Municipal Court Traffic Division, 800 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, PA.

Defendant may file an Appeal of this sentence for a hearing de novo in the Court of Common Pleas by filing a Notice of Appeal within THIRTY (30) days, at the Municipal Court Traffic Division, 800 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, PA.

CRITICALCivil cases

Payment of the certified payoff amount must be submitted within 15 days of withholding.

Payment must be submitted to Family Court within fifteen (15) days of withholding.

CRITICAL

A claimant has 30 days from denial of the petition to file an appeal with the Court of Common Pleas, or the property summarily forfeits.

A claimant shall have thirty (30) days from the date of the denial of the Petition For Return Of Confiscated Property to file an appeal with the Court of Common Pleas. If the Municipal Court Prothonotary does not receive a Notice of Appeal within thirty (30) days of the denial of said petition, the property shall summarily forfeit to the Philadelphia Municipal Court.

CRITICALCivil cases

An affidavit of service for a wrongful death notice must be filed within five days after service or promptly after the return receipt is returned.

An affidavit of service of such notice shall be filed in the Office of Judicial Records within five days after service or as soon thereafter as the registered return receipt, signed by the person to whom it is addressed, is returned to the plaintiff.

CRITICAL

Counterclaims, cross claims, and additional claims must be filed at least ten days before trial.

Counterclaims, Cross Claims, Additional Claims. a. Counterclaims, cross claims and additional claims shall be filed no less than ten (10) days prior to trial upon the complaint forms approved by the Municipal Court Administrator and provided by the Court, unless the counterclaim, cross claim or additional claim is in the amount of $2000 or

CRITICALCivil cases

A petition to vacate an order or decree must be filed within 20 days of the entry of the order or decree.

A party to whom an order or decree described hereunder is directed may, within 20 days of the entry of such an order or decree, file a petition to vacate the order or decree.

CRITICALCivil cases

Parenting Coordinators must file Summary and Recommendations within 2 days after last communication with parties.

Parenting Coordinators shall file their Summary and Recommendations with the Clerk of Family Court within two (2) days after the last communication with the parties on the issues in accordance with Pa.R.C.P. No. 1915.11-1 (f)(2).

CRITICALCivil cases

Any party objecting to a schedule of distribution must file objections within 20 days of the schedule's filing, or the Court may assume the schedule is unopposed and approve it as filed.

that any party who objects to the schedule of distribution must electronically file objections within twenty (20) days of the filing of the schedule of distribution under penalty that the Court may otherwise assume that there is no objection and may approve the schedule of distribution as filed.

CRITICALCivil cases

If the complaint is not filed or served by the scheduled arbitration hearing date, the case is assigned to an arbitration panel instructed to enter an award for the defendant unless a relisting was obtained under Phila.Civ.R. *1303(b)(5)(i).

If a complaint has not been filed or served by the date of the scheduled hearing, the case will be assigned to an arbitration panel with instructions to enter an award in favor of the defendant, unless counsel has complied with Phila.Civ.R. *1303(b)(5)(i) and obtained a relisting prior to the Arbitration Hearing date.

CRITICALCivil cases

Counsel must file proof of account establishment with the Office of Judicial Records within 60 days of the final order, by affidavit certifying compliance.

Pursuant to Phila. Civ. R. *2039 (H), counsel shall file with the Office of Judicial Records within sixty (60) days of the entry of this final Order, proof of the establishment of the accounts as required herein, by Affidavit from counsel certifying compliance with this Order.