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

CRITICAL

PACFile is the exclusive system for electronic filing.

The exclusive system for electronic filing is the PACFile System, developed and administered by the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts and located on Pennsylvania’s Unified Judicial System Web Portal.

CRITICAL

All filings must be filed at the Prothonotary’s office on the courthouse’s first floor.

All filings need to be filed at the Prothonotary’s office located on the first floor of the courthouse.

CRITICAL

Facsimile filings are generally not accepted or effective unless followed by an original; rare emergency fax filings require pre-approval and the original must be filed as soon as possible.

(g) Pleadings filed with the Prothonotary by facsimile will generally not be accepted and shall not be effective unless followed by the filing of an original pleading. There may be rare instances where a fax is acceptable due to any emergency situation; however, even in those cases, the original is to be properly filed with the Prothonotary as soon as is possible. Filing by facsimile must be pre-approved by the Court, the Prothonotary/Clerk of Courts, or a Deputy of the Prothonotary/Clerk of Courts. If this emergency procedure is followed the date the facsimile is received shall be the effective filing date.

CRITICALCriminal cases

PACFile is the exclusive system for electronic filing.

The exclusive system for electronic filing is the PACFile System, developed and administered by the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts and located on Pennsylvania’s Unified Judicial System Web Portal.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Applies to

Legal papers

The Clerk of Courts must accept and retain paper legal filings and convert them to PDF for the system, except for papers excluded from electronic filing.

Any legal paper submitted for filing to the Clerk of Courts in 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 the Court and record retention policies. The Clerk of Court 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.

WARNING

Applies to

Legal papers

Any party who declines to participate in the electronic filing system, or who is unable to electronically file or accept service of legal papers, which were filed electronically, or who is otherwise unable to access the PACFile system, shall be permitted to file legal papers in a physical paper format and shall be served legal papers in a physical paper format by the Clerk of Courts and other parties, whether electronically filed or otherwise, as required by Pa.R.Crim.P. 576.

Any party who declines to participate in the electronic filing system, or who is unable to electronically file or accept service of legal papers, which were filed electronically, or who is otherwise unable to access the PACFile system, shall be permitted to file legal papers in a physical paper format and shall be served legal papers in a physical paper format by the Clerk of Courts and other parties, whether electronically filed or otherwise, as required by Pa.R.Crim.P. 576.

WARNING

Applies to

Legal papers

Eligible electronic legal papers include motions, answers, notices, and other required or permitted documents, but exclude the listed warrant applications, most grand jury materials, authorized ex parte submissions, and sealed submissions.

“Legal papers” which may be filed electronically shall encompass all written motions, written answers and any notices or documents for which filing is required or permitted, including orders, exhibits and attachments, but excluding: (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; and (e) submissions filed or authorized to be filed under seal.

WARNING

Applies to

Legal paper

The Clerk of Courts must accept and retain paper-filed legal papers, convert them to PDF, and add them to the system unless they are excluded from electronic filing.

Any legal paper submitted for filing to the Clerk of Courts in 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 the Court and record retention policies. The Clerk of Court 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.

WARNINGCriminal cases

Establishing a PACFile account constitutes consent to participate in electronic filing.

Pursuant to Pa.R.Crim.P. 576.1(D)(2), establishment of a PACFile account constitutes consent to participate in electronic filing, including acceptance of service electronically of any document filed on the PACFile system in any judicial district that permits electronic filing.

WARNINGCriminal cases

Applies to

Legal papers

Written motions, answers, notices, and other required or permitted filings may be filed electronically, except for the listed warrant, grand-jury, ex parte, and sealed submissions.

“Legal papers” which may be filed electronically shall encompass all written motions, written answers and any notices or documents for which filing is required or permitted, including orders, exhibits and attachments, but excluding: (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; and (e) submissions filed or authorized to be filed under seal.

INFO

Applies to

Legal papers

Electronic filing of legal papers through PACFile is permitted in Potter County as of April 6, 2017.

Pursuant to Pennsylvania Rule of Criminal Procedure 576.1, Electronic Filing and Service of Legal Papers, electronic filing of legal papers through the PACFile electronic filing system is permissive in Potter County, the 55th Judicial District, as of April 6, 2017.

INFOCriminal cases

Parties who decline or are unable to use PACFile may file legal papers in paper format.

Any party who declines to participate in the electronic filing system, or who is unable to electronically file or accept service of legal papers, which were filed electronically, or who is otherwise unable to access the PACFile system, shall be permitted to file legal papers in a physical paper format and shall be served legal papers in a physical paper format by the Clerk of Courts and other parties, whether electronically filed or otherwise, as required by Pa.R.Crim.P. 576.

INFOCriminal cases

Electronic filing through PACFile is permitted in Potter County.

Pursuant to Pennsylvania Rule of Criminal Procedure 576.1, Electronic Filing and Service of Legal Papers, electronic filing of legal papers through the PACFile electronic filing system is permissive in Potter County, the 55th Judicial District, as of April 6, 2017.