Philadelphia Cnty. C.P. CP-Family Division-Domestic Relations 11

failing to provide the required pre-trial memorandum, not providing all parties or counsel copies

of documentary evidence to be introduced at the hearing before the Master, or not attending a

hearing, shall be grounds for contempt of Court and imposit ion of sanctions. The Master is

empowered to recommend that anyone not complying with this Rule be cited for contempt of

Court

RULES RELATING TO DOMESTIC RELATIONS MATTERS GENERALLY

Rule 1930

The rules of this chapter shall govern all civil actions or proceedings brought in the Court of

Common Pleas for Philadelphia County in Divorce, Support, Custody, and Protection From Abuse

under the Domestic Relations Code, and shall be cited as “Phila.DR.R.”

(a) The following shall be filed with the office of the Clerk of Family Court:

(1) the entry of appearance by an attorney on behalf of a party, which shall be substantially in

the following form:

(2) the entry of an appearance by a self-represented party pursuant to Pa.R.C.P.1930.8; which

shall be substantially in the following form:

(3) the original and four copies of all complaints, petitions, motions, mandatory filings, and all

other pleadings and documents in the nature of pleadings.

(b) All local forms shall be posted on the First Judicial District’s website:

http://courts.phila.gov/forms.

See Form on Page 20

See Form on Page 21

IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF PHILADELPHIA COUNTY

FAMILY DIVISION

_______________________________ :

: DOCKET NO. ______________________

:

vs. :

:

: PACSES No. ______________________

_______________________________ :

ATTORNEY’S ENTRY / WITHDRAWAL OF APPEARANCE

PLEASE ENTER/WITHDRAW OF RECORD MY APPEARANCE FOR:

_________________________________________________

CLIENT’S NAME

_________________________________________________

ATTORNEY’S NAME

_________________________________________________

ATTORNEY’S ADDRESS

_________________________________________________

CITY STATE ZIP CODE

_________________________________________________

ATTORNEY’S TELEPHONE NUMBER

_________________________________________________

ATTORNEY’S EMAIL ADDRESS

_________________________________________________________

ATTORNEY’S ID NO. SIGNATURE OF ATTORNEY

____________________

DATE

Entry of Appearance Self Represented Party

: IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS

: OF PHILADELPHIA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

PLAINTIFF: DOMESTIC RELATIONS SECTION

VS. :

: DOCKET

DEFENDANT: PACSES CASE ID

TO THE DOCKETING DIVISION OF THE DOMESTIC RELATIONS SECTION:

I am the ___ plaintiff ___ defendant in the above captioned ___ support ___custody ___divorce

___annulment ___protection from abuse case.

I intend to represent myself in upcoming legal proceedings at the Philadelphia County Domestic

Relations Section. Remove the counsel of record from my case, if applicable.

Papers may be served at the address set forth below:

______________________________________________

Address

______________________________________________

City, State, Zip Code

__________________________________ ________________________________

Home Phone Number Mobile Phone Number

__________________________________ ________________________________

Fax Number Email Address

For Self Represented Party:

__________________________________ ________________________________

Print Name Signature

Pursuant to Pa.R.C.P. 1930.8(b) a self-represented party is under a continuing obligation to

provide current contact information to the court, to other self-represented parties, and to

attorneys of record.

ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION 97-1

RE: Disclosure of Family Court Records

Family Court records, including, but not limited to Domestic Relations’ matters, Juvenile

records, Protection from Abuse records, Adoption records, and Divorce records, are impounded

and are not subject to inspection except by a party to the action or counsel or record for the party

whose records are to be inspected.

These records may not be disclosed, unless otherwise provided by statute, or removed or

inspected except by order of Administrative Judge of Family Court.

In the event these records are required as evidence in a civil, criminal, administrative or

disciplinary proceeding, a verified petition setting forth specific reasons why the record is needed

must be filed with the Administrative Judge of Family Court Division or his judicial designee.

An appropriate Order must accompany the petition.

DATE: 3/21/97 PAUL P. PANEPINTO

ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE

FAMILY COURT DIVISION

FAMILY COURT OF PHILADELPHIA

ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION 97-2

PROMULGATION OF CUSTODY PROCUDURES

AND NOW, this 2nd day of June, 1997, in order to facilitate the processing of custody

cases and to establish procedures for pending and future custody cases, and to encourage the use

of mediation for resolution of custody disputes where appropriate, it is hereby ORDERED and

DECREED as follows:

1. Administrative Regulation 96-2 establishing mandatory mediation orientation for petitions to

modify custody is hereby rescinded.

2. Administrative Regulation 93-1 establishing custody mediation procedures and forms is

hereby reinstated pending promulgation of revised custody mediation procedures.

3. All pending petitions seeking custody, partial custody, and all/or visitation, or petitions

seeking modification of prior custody orders, which were filed prior to March 1, 1997, shall

be listed before a Domestic Relations Judge for disposition.

4. All custody petitions filed on or after March 1, 1997, shall be processed as follows:

(A) All initial petitions seeking partial custody and/or visitation, and all petitions seeking

partial custody and/or visitation as a modification of a prior custody order, shall be listed

before a Custody Hearing Officer for a record hearing consistent with PA.R.C.P 1915.4-1

and 1915.4-2. In appropriate cases the Custody Hearing Officer may refer the parties to the

Family Court’s Custody Mediation Program prior to the record hearing consistent with

Administrative Regulation 93-1.

(B) All initial petitions seeking sole custody or primary physical custody, or petitions seeking

to modify an existing custody order for sole custody or primary physical custody, shall be

listed before a Custody Hearing Officer for a conference for the purpose of attempting to

effectuate a settlement. If no agreement is reached at the conference, the parties shall be

given a date certain for a record hearing before a Domestic Relations Judge and/or may be

referred to the Court’s Custody Mediation Program consistent with Administrative

Regulation 93-1.

(C) The Custody Hearing Officer shall determine whether there are compelling circumstances

necessitating an Interim Order at which time he/she shall prepare a recommended interim

order and refer the case to the Motion Judge for consideration of the proposed interim Order.

(D) This Administrative Regulation is adopted pending modification of the Philadelphia

County Local Rules governing Child Custody matters.

DATE: 6/2/97 PAUL P. PANEPINTO

ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE,

FAMILY COURT JUDGE

ALLAN L. TERESHKO

SUPERVISING JUDGE

DOMESTIC RELATIONS BRANCH

FAMILY COURT DIVISION

ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION #99-10

FEE SCHEDULE/PROCEDURE FOR DOMESTIC RELATIONS DIVISION

Family Support Lien/Judgment Certifications

Effective thirty (30) days from publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, WHEREAS: (1)

the Pennsylvania Legislature has amended 23 Pa.C.S.§4352(d) and promulgated 23

Pa.C.S.§4352(d.1), providing that certain support obligations shall constitute a judgment by

operation of law against the support obligor, and lien by operation of law against all real and

personal property owned by the obligor within the judicial district in which the arrears are

recorded; AND (2) WHEREAS existing Family Division records relating to support obligations

contain confidential information which cannot be provided to third parties, it is necessary for the

Family Division to implement procedures to verify to third parties the existence and amount of

support obligations; AND (3) WHEREAS 23 Pa.C.S.A.§4352(d.1)(6)(ii) provides for a maximum

fee of $20.00 to be charged by the Family Division to provide written lien certifications,

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the following administrative procedure is adopted in

Philadelphia County to provide written certification of the balance of family support obligations:

(1) It is strongly recommended that the request for certification of support arrears be sent

no later than fifteen (15) calendar days before the anticipated settlement date. Any person or

entity seeking notice of the amount of support arrears owed by a named individual shall complete

the information required in Parts A and B of the attached “Request for Support Arrears Balance”

form (“Form”) and forward the Form to:

Clerk of Family Court

Room B-16

34 S. 11th Street

Philadelphia, Pa. 19107

(2) The envelope containing the Form shall be clearly marked: “Request for Support

Arrears Balance (Lien/Judgment Certification),” and accompanied by a $20.00 business check,

cashier’s check, certified check, or money order, made payable to “Prothonotary,” and a stamped,

self-addressed envelope. The name and social security number of the individual for whom the

information is requested shall be clearly indicated on the $20.00 payment.

(3) The funds generated by this charge shall be forwarded to the Prothonotary of the

First Judicial District of Pennsylvania, according to existing procedures for other fees collected by

the Clerk of Family Court. The funds generated by this Administrative Regulation shall be set

aside by the Prothonotary and remitted monthly to the Domestic Relations Division Accounting

Unit, which shall maintain, account for, and distribute the funds in accordance with federal

regulations governing funds collected under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act.

(4) A separate Form accompanied by a separate payment shall be used for each individual

for whom information is requested.

(5) The Family Division shall complete Part C of the Form and return it to the requesting

party in the stamped, self-addressed envelope within five (5) business days of its receipt by the

Family Division, or the date of settlement, whichever is later. If the named individual has eligible

support arrears on record in Philadelphia County, the Family Division shall enter the date and

amount of arrears certification on the docket records of the affected support cases.

(6) A properly completed and certified Form containing the raised Seal of the Family

Court Division of the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia shall constitute either a certification

by the Family Division of the “Total Payoff Amount” for the lien/judgment as of the settlement

date provided, or that there are no eligible support arrears of record in Philadelphia County for

the named individual.

(7) The certification of support arrears by the Family Division is only valid as to the

combination of name and social security number provided by the requestor. The certification to

be prepared by the Family Division will be based strictly on the information as provided by the

requestor. If the information provided on the Form by the requestor for the named individual is

incorrect, notwithstanding that a certification of support owed is processed by the Family Division

based upon the incorrect information provided by the requestor, if that individual has eligible

support arrears of record in Philadelphia County under a name and/or social security number that

is different from that which was provided by the requestor, then the lien and judgment by

operation of law shall remain in full force and effect as to the individual, and as to the individual’s

property.

(8) If there are no eligible support arrears of record with the Family Division, the Family

Division will so indicate by checking the appropriate box in Part C of the Form.

(9) If the named individual for whom information is requested must personally appear at

Family Court to resolve outstanding issues relating to a support case before the certification will

be issued, the Family Division will so indicate by checking the appropriate box in Part C of the

Form. Because of the confidential nature of the information contained in Family Court records,

the Family Division will not convey to third parties the substance or nature of the outstanding

issues that must be resolved before the support arrears will be certified.

(10) The “Total Payoff Amount” provided by the Family Court Division shall consist of

the aggregate balance of all support arrears of record with the Family Court Division as of the

“date prepared” that are eligible to be collected via enforcement of a lien or judgment. The

balance provided may not reflect additional arrears that might be owed by the support obligor, but

which are not collectible via enforcement of a lien or judgment at the time the certification is

issued.

(11) Any funds withheld from the proceeds of a sale of real or personal property for the

purpose of satisfying a judgment or lien arising from support arrears must be sent to the

Pennsylvania State Collections and Disbursement Unit (“PA SCDU”) within fifteen (15) days of

withholding. To satisfy the support arrears and remove the judgment or lien, the “Total Payoff

Amount” must be received in the form of a business check, cashier’s check, certified check, or

money order made payable to “PA SCDU,” that clearly identifies the support obligor and the

obligor’s social security number, the obligor’s PACSES member number, the case ID number(s)

to which the payment is to be applied, and the amounts to be applied to each case.