Dauphin Cnty. C.P. Rule 1915.7 - Agreements

DAUPHIN COUNTY LOCAL RULE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE

1915.7 AGREEMENTS

(a) Agreements filed contemporaneously with the custody complaint:

1. When the parties reach an agreement prior to the filing of the custody

complaint, either party shall file the original and one copy of the custody

complaint with the Prothonotary and bring the original signed custody

agreement to the Court Administrator’s Office for assignment to a Family

Court Judge. The agreement shall not be filed with the Prothonotary at

the same time that the custody complaint is filed. The agreement will be

filed with the Prothonotary as an attachment to the Court Order.

2. The agreement shall be signed by all parties and the signatures shall be

witnessed or notarized unless the agreement is reached before the

Custody Conference Officer or the Court.

3. The agreement shall contain a proposed order of court with a distribution

legend.

4. An administrative fee of $150.00 shall be paid to the Prothonotary

in accordance with Rule 1915.3 (a) or (b).

5. Agreements shall contain a paragraph regarding the parties’

6. Agreements shall contain a paragraph outlining the responsibilities of the

(b) Agreements to modify existing custody orders:

1. When the parties agree to modify an existing custody order, the

original agreement and proposed order shall be taken to the Court

Administrator’s Office for assignment to a Family Court Judge. The

agreement shall not be filed with the Prothonotary but will be filed as an

attachment to the Court Order. A petition for modification of a custody

order should not be filed. There shall be no administrative fee paid to the

Prothonotary for the modification of an existing custody order when no

petition for modification of a custody order has been filed.

2. The agreement shall be signed by all parties and the signatures shall be

witnessed or notarized.

3. The agreement shall contain a proposed order of court with a distribution

legend.

4. Agreements shall contain a paragraph regarding the parties’

5. Agreements shall contain a paragraph outlining the responsibilities of the

(c) Agreements reached after the complaint or petition for modification of a

custody order is assigned to a Custody Conference Officer:

1. If at any time prior to the Custody Conference the parties are able to agree

upon custody, the parties shall take the original signed agreement to the

Court Administrator’s Office for assignment to a Family Court Judge. The

custody agreement shall not be filed with the Prothonotary but will be filed

as an attachment to the Court Order. The agreement shall be signed by

all parties and the signatures shall be witnessed or notarized. The

agreement shall contain a proposed order of court with a distribution

legend.

2. Agreements shall contain a paragraph regarding the parties’

3. Agreements shall contain a paragraph outlining the responsibilities of the

(d) Agreements reached after a custody matter has been assigned to a judge:

1. If at any time prior to a conference or hearing before the assigned judge

an agreement is reached regarding custody, the parties shall take the

original signed agreement to the Court Administrator’s Office for

assignment to the assigned Family Court Judge. The agreement shall not

be filed with the Prothonotary but will be filed as an attachment to the

Court order. The agreement shall be signed by all parties and the

signatures shall be witnessed or notarized. Upon presentation of the

agreement and consent order, the Court may, in its discretion, enter an

order without taking testimony.

2. The parties or children need not be present at a scheduled pretrial

conference or hearing before a judge when an agreement has been

reached prior to the conference or hearing unless the Court so

directs.

3. Agreements shall contain a paragraph regarding the parties’

4. Agreements shall contain a paragraph outlining the responsibilities of the