Lancaster Cnty. C.P. Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 205.4

A. “Electronic Filing” (E-Filing) means the electronic transmission of

documents to the court under these rules. Electronic filing does not include service of

any documents.

1. All Civil Actions (including Family Actions) filed in the Court of

Common Pleas of Lancaster County may be filed by E-Filing.

2. Registration. Any person intending to use E-File must register with

Teleosoft CountySuite Portal. All use of the CountySuite Portal shall be in

accordance with the CountySuite Portal user manual. All registered users shall

be individuals, not law firms, agencies, corporations or other groups.

3. Original document. A legal paper filed electronically shall be

deemed the original document, but copies of exhibits electronically filed do not

constitute the original of the exhibit for evidentiary purposes.

B. Form of Documents Electronically Filed.

1. Format. To the extent practicable it shall be formatted in

accordance with the applicable rules governing formatting of paper

documents, and in such other and further format as the Court may require

from time to time. All electronic filings shall be in PDF format. A document

may exceed page limitation rules to a maximum of two (2) additional pages

when the additional pages are attributed to the electronic conversion of filing

process. The e-File system will automatically convert any filing to PDF/A

format.

2. Title of Documents. The title of each electronically filed

document shall include:

a. Descriptive title of the document

b. Party or parties filing the document

c. Party or parties against whom relief, if any, is sought; and

d. Nature of the relief sought (e.g. Defendant ABC

Corporation’s Motion for Summary Judgement Against Plaintiff

Jones).

3. Signature.

a. Each electronically filed document shall be deemed to have

been signed by the attorney or party represented by an attorney

authorizing such filing and shall bear a facsimile or typographical

signature of such person, e.g. “/s/Adam Attorney”. Each document e-Filed by an attorney shall also include the typed name, address, and

telephone number of the attorney or unrepresented party filing such

document. Attorneys shall include their Pennsylvania bar number.

Each electronically filed declaration and affidavit shall be deemed to have

been signed by the declarant or affiant if an attorney or party not

represented by an attorney has authorized such filing. Documents

containing signatures of third-parties (i.e., unopposed motions, affidavits,

stipulations, etc.) may also be filed electronically by indicating in the

original signatures are maintained by the filing party in paper format.

b. The electronic filing of a legal paper constitutes a

certification by the filing party that the original hard copy was properly

signed and, where applicable, verified; and a certification as provided by

the signature to a legal paper under Pa.R.Civ.P. 1023.1(c), the violation

of which shall be subject to the sanction provided in Pa.R.Civ.P.

1023.1(d). The filing party shall maintain the original hard copy of the

document for two years after the later of: the disposition of the case; the

entry of an order resolving the issue raised by the legal paper; or the

disposition by an appellate court of the issue raised by the legal paper.

Any other party at any time may serve upon the filing party a notice to

produce for inspection the signed hard copy within fourteen days of the

service of the notice. The court upon motion may grant appropriate

sanctions for failure to produce the signed hard copy pursuant to the

notice.

C. Public Access to the Docket.

1. Public Access to the Prothonotary’s docket is available on the

Internet at www.lancastercountypa.gov/Prothonotary

2. The Prothonotary shall make a Public Access Terminal available

to the general public to allow access to the Court’s electronic case record in all

E-Filed cases.

D. Filing Fees.

1. All filing fees and payments shall be made at the time of

filing with an authorized credit card through the CountySuite Portal.

Authorized cards shall include Visa, MasterCard, American Express and

Discover. Filing fees and payments may not be deposited in advance

with the Prothonotary.

2. Filing fees billed by CountySuite Portal shall include the

Prothonotary’s statutory filing fees.

3. The Prothonotary is authorized to charge a convenience fee for

E-Filing as set forth in the Prothonotary’s fee schedule.

E. Sealed Documents.

1. Documents intended to be filed under seal shall be designated

by the filing party as “sealed” in the CountySuite Portal. However, designation

of documents as “sealed” does not seal the document. The filing party must

submit a proper request for sealing documents in addition to making the

designation in the CountySuite Portal.

2. The filing details and document title will appear in the e-File

system. The document can be viewed only by the Court, the Prothonotary

staff, and case participants.

F. Time of E-Filing

1. The CountySuite Portal shall provide to the filer, using the email

addressed registered by the filer, a courtesy email acknowledging that the E-filing was received. An official notification will be displayed in the CountySuite

Portal, which includes the time and date, as a pending filing awaiting approval

by the Prothonotary. The Prothonotary shall provide the filer with notification

through the CountySuite Portal that the legal paper has been either accepted or

rejected.

2. If a legal paper is accepted, it shall be deemed to have been filed

as of the date and time it was received by the CountySuite Portal; however, if a

legal paper is submitted without the requisite filing fee, the legal paper shall be

deemed to have been accepted for filing as of the date payment is received

pursuant to 42 P.S. Section 21073(b). The Prothonotary may maintain an

electronic file only and no paper file, with the approval from the Court.

(Comment: As required by PA.r.Civ.P. No. 205.4(c)(1) access to the countySuite

Portal shall be available at all times, except for routine maintenance; however,

legal documents can only be reviewed by the Prothonotary staff during normal

office hours. Therefore, filers are cautioned to file required legal papers well in

advance of any filing deadlines to enable timely correction and resubmission in

the event a legal paper is not acceptable for filing.)

G. Service of Legal Papers

Once an E-Filing has been accepted by the Prothonotary it shall

be the responsibility of the filing party to provide to the sheriff the proper

service fee and documents for original service and writs. The CountySuite

Portal does not include legal service.

H. Obligation of registered E-File Users to Maintain Proper Deliver

Information

Parties or attorneys who register to use the CountySuite Portal system

shall notify CountySuite Portal within ten days of any change in firm name,

delivery address, fax number or e-mail address.

Revised 9-19-23 Effective 10-30-23