Philadelphia Cnty. C.P. Municipal Court-Civil Rule 131

a. An individual or sole proprietor may be represented by himself or herself, by an attorney at law,

or by an authorized representative.

b. A corporation as defined in Part II of Title 15 of Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes may be

represented by an officer, an attorney at law, or by an authorized representative.

c. A general partnership as defined in Part III of Title 15 of Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes

may be represented by a partner, an attorney at law, or by an authorized representative. A limited

partnership as defined in Part III of Title 15 of Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes may be

represented by a general partner, an attorney at law, or by an authorized representative. A limited

liability company as defined in Part III of Title 15 of Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes may be

represented by a manager, an attorney at law, or by an authorized representative.

d. A professional association as defined in Part IV of Title 15 of Pennsylvania Consolidated

Statutes may be rep resented by an officer of its board of governors, an at torney at law, or by an

authorized representative.

e. A business trust as defined in Part V of Title 15 of Penn sylvania Consolidated Statutes may be

represented by a trustee, an attorney at law, or by an authorized representative

f. If appointed by a party, an authorized representative may take any action up to and until the

conclusion of a trial in the Philadelphia Municipal Court that a party may take, including, but not

limited to, filing a statement of claim, filing a landlord tenant complaint, testifying, and submitting

documents into evidence. A party shall alway s have the right to file a document limiting or

rescinding a person’s right to act as an authorized representative.

g. Notwithstanding the above, a party may not use an au thorized representative in any action in

which the City of Philadelphia is seeking fines, penalties, unpaid taxes, or unpaid water/sewer

charges.

Official Note: An authorized representative is defined in Rule 102. The addition of an authorized

representative as a person who may be a representative of a party is intended to permit a par ty to select and

appoint an individual who has knowledge of the facts and circumstances of the litigation to appear for that

party up through the completion of trial in the Philadelphia Municipal Court. As noted in the definition of an

authorized represent ative, an individual must file an appropriate authorization form prior to the

commencement of trial in order to act as an authorized representative. Additionally, the phrase “personal

knowledge” is to be interpreted in conformity with the use of that term in Pa.R.E. 602.

This rule is not intended to allow a non-lawyer to establish a business for the purpose of representing others

in Court proceedings. The designation of an authorized representative must be made in each case. The

Philadelphia Municipal Co urt will not accept for filing a blanket authorization by which a party seeks to

empower an authorized representative to act for the party in all cases that the party may have pending in the

Philadelphia Municipal Court.

Note: Original Rule 131 repealed and new rule adopted November 30, 2007, effective 30 days after

publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.