Pa. Sup. Ct. Pro Se Guide (introduction)

A Guide to Filing Pro Se with the

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

First Published: July 22, 2013

Last Updated: December 3, 2025

Applications for Relief, Ancillary Motions, and Invoking the Court’s

Section Five: Formatting, Number of Copies, Fees

Purpose of this Manual

The following manual is designed to help you understand the workings

of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and to address some of the most

common errors that cause delays in getting your pleadings before the Court.

This manual is intended to provide procedural guidance only, and does not

provide substantive legal advice.

As you will see noted throughout this manual, this manual is not a

complete explanation of all pleadings that can be filed with the Office of the

Prothonotary, but rather is an attempt to survey the most common filings and

most common mistakes made by pro se litigants. You, and you alone, are fully

responsible for understanding the Judicial Code, the Rules of Appellate

Procedure, and the caselaw as they apply to your individual case.

How to Use this Manual

This manual is divided into five sections.

Section One is titled “Filing Pro Se.” Section One attempts to explain the

rights that you have as a pro pe litigant and some of the restrictions or

limitations that you may find, when you proceed pro pe.

Section Two is titled “The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.” Section Two

surveys the history of the Court and precisely what powers and

responsibilities the Court has within the three branches of Pennsylvania’s

Government.

Section Three is titled “The Office of the Prothonotary.” You will not be

dealing directly with the Justices of the Court. All filings and communications

that you wish to make to the Court must be filed with the Office of the

Prothonotary. Section Three attempts to explain the purpose of the Office of

the Prothonotary and the powers and limitations of the Office as established

by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and General Assembly.

Section Four is titled “Most-Common Filings.” In Section Four, this

manual surveys the most-common filings made to the Office of the

Prothonotary.

Section Five is titled “Formatting, Number of Copies, Fees and Deadlines

for Filing.” Section Five is especially important, as that section attempts to

provide guidance on the most-common errors that pro se litigants make in

filing with the Office of the Prothonotary. While you should read each section

of this manual before filing with the Court, you should pay particular attention

to all the issues addressed in Section Five as those are the areas where

problems may unnecessarily delay your case.

The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania embraces the idea that access to the

Courts is a fundamental right of all Pennsylvanians. We hope you find this

manual informative and easy to use. If you have any questions or issues,

please do not hesitate to contact us.

Section One: Filing Pro Se

Equal Justice Under the Law

Through its long history, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania has been,

and continues to be, committed to

Pro Se, n. One who represents

dispensing justice for all Pennsylvanians. oneself in a court proceeding

Some litigants, for any number of reasons, without the assistance of a lawyer

may find it necessary to represent - Black’s Law Dictionary, 10th

Edition

themselves pro se before the Court.

The purpose of this manual is to aid you, proceeding pro se, in preparing

pleadings to file with the Supreme Court. The information in this manual

attempts to explain the procedural steps for filing in the Supreme Court, in

compliance with the Pennsylvania Rules of Appellate Procedure (or the Rules

or Pa.R.A.P.). This manual does not replace the Rules and, as the Rules of

Appellate Procedure are subject to change; it is your

appellate, adj. Of, relating,

responsibility to review the Rules for any changes.

to, or involving an appeal or

appeals generally - Black’s The Rules can be found online at:

Law Dictionary, 10th Edition

Pennsylvania Code - Title 210 Appellate Procedure (pacodeandbulletin.gov) *

Nothing in this manual should be construed as legal advice and

! should not be cited as legal authority

*The Courts are not involved in maintaining the Pennsylvania Code website and

cannot guarantee the accuracy of all the rules listed. The most-current rules are

published by West twice a year in a book titled “Pennsylvania Rules of Court,”

and can be found in law libraries and many local libraries as well.

Like most rights, access to the Courts is not without boundaries. For the

purposes of this manual, the boundaries of filing in the Supreme Court of

Pennsylvania are defined by the Pennsylvania Rules of Appellate Procedure, the

Judicial Code, and evolving caselaw.

One such rule limits the filing rights of those who are currently

represented by court-appointed counsel or private counsel.

If a filing deadline is approaching and you believe you have been

abandoned by counsel or you have no further legal avenues, you may be

allowed to file your pleading pro se. While the record and procedural history is

different in every case, the Office of the Prothonotary and the Court reserve the

right to administratively dispose of your pleading in compliance with Pa.R.A.P.

121(g) without reviewing the merits of your argument.

If you have court-appointed counsel and you desire to proceed pro se, it

is often best to file a petition to proceed pro se in the court that appointed

counsel for you, in compliance with that court’s specific rules.

Another restriction is that non-attorneys are generally not allowed to file

an appeal on behalf of another person or business, even if you have a “power of

attorney,” as this is considered the practice of law without a license.

Pa.R.A.P. 121(g) - Hybrid Representation – “Where there is counsel of

record, a party may file only the following documents pro se: (i) a notice of

appeal; (ii) a request to change or remove counsel; (iii)a response to a

motion to withdraw that has been filed by counsel of record; (iv) a complaint

that existing counsel has abandoned the party; or (v) an application to file

a petition for allowance of appeal nunc pro tunc. Any other document that

a party attempts to file pro se will be noted on the docket but not accepted

for filing. This rule is not intended to provide an independent basis for

jurisdiction where it does not otherwise exist.”

Restrictions and Limitations to

Proceeding Pro Se

The Court is charged with reviewing issues of law that affect all

Pennsylvanians and the Court’s decision becomes the law of the

Commonwealth. Often times arguments are best framed and explored by an

attorney admitted to the Pennsylvania bar and familiar with the area of

Pennsylvania law from which your case arises. It is highly suggested that you

have an attorney prepare your filing.

Pro se litigants are held to the same procedural standard as attorneys

admitted to the bar of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Filing pro se does

not exempt you from understanding and following the Pennsylvania Rules of

Appellate Procedure. If your filing complies with the Rules and any applicable

statutes, the Court will review the merits of your case and decide if you are due

relief.

Whether you have an attorney file on your behalf or decide to

! proceed pro se, the Court will review your pleading(s) and decide

whether your arguments have merit.

Finding an Attorney

The local and state Bar Associations compile and maintain lists of

attorneys offering pro bono services.

pro bono, adj. Uncompensated, esp.

regarding free legal services performed for

the indigent or for a public cause - Black’s

Law Dictionary, 10th Edition

The Pennsylvania Bar Association maintains a list of Referral Services

online at: http://www.pabar.org/site/Public/lrsblurb

The Courts of Pennsylvania cannot recommend any attorney for

! you to contact and do not keep a list of attorneys offering their

services without compensation.

Section Two: The Supreme

Court of Pennsylvania

Supreme, adj. (Of a court, power,

right, etc.) highest; superior to all

others - Black’s Law Dictionary,

10th Edition

From Upper Left: Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

Courtrooms in Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, and Philadelphia

The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania is the longest continually serving

court in the United States of America. While the Court has operated since 1684

it wasn’t officially established by the General Assembly as an independent court

until 1722. The Court has been an independent branch of Pennsylvania’s

government ever since.

The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania consists of one Chief Justice and six

associate Justices. The longest serving Justice becomes the Chief Justice when

there is a vacancy. Each Justice is elected to the Supreme Court by the citizens

of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for a ten-year term. Every ten years the

Justice is held to a retention vote. In a retention vote a Justice does not have an

opponent, rather the citizens of the Commonwealth have the choice to retain

the Justice for another ten-year term or not.

Generally, the Court sits as a full body to decide each matter before it. The

vast majority of cases before the Court are decided on the papers filed with the

Court and rarely are cases physically argued before the Court. The instances

where cases are argued are dealt with in other sections of this manual.

The Constitutional amendments of 1968 established a Unified Judicial

System, which includes the Supreme Court, Superio r Court, Commo nwealth

Court, Common Pleas Courts, Philadelphia Municipal Court, and Magisterial

District Courts. The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania has the supervisory

authority and responsibility of maintaining the Unified Judicial System.

As part of that supervisory authority, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

issues administrative rules, known as the Rules of Court, to ensure that litigants

that request access to any court in the Unified Judicial System receive

consistent and fair service throughout the Commonwealth.

Administrative Powers

[binding.law: PDF page 12 withheld — the text engines read it differently]

citizens of the Commonwealth. The Judicial Code can be found in Title 42 of

Pennsylvania’s Consolidated Statutes.

There are generally four types of jurisdiction in the Supreme Court of

Pennsylvania: original, appellate, exclusive, and extraordinary. Specific

jurisdiction will be discussed later in this manual.

A review of this manual in conjunction with the Judicial Code and Rules

of Court will help you to decide the appropriate course of action given your

particular circumstances.

Pennsylvania’s Courts have power s specifically given to them by

Pennsylvania’s Constitution. Correspondingly, the Federal Government’s

Courts, including the United States Supreme Court, have power s specifically

given to them by the Constitution of the United States of America.

At times, the Federal Courts will request, through a Certification of

Question of Law, that Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court provide them with an

official interpretation of Pennsylvania statutes or caselaw to help them decide

matters before their Court.

Caselaw, The law to be found in

the collection of reported cases

that form all or part of the body

of law within a given jurisdiction.

- Black’s Law Dictionary 10th

Edition

Limitation to the Supreme Court’s

Powers

!

While the distinction between the state and federal jurisdictions

may seem unclear, one thing is certain - the Supreme Court of

Pennsylvania cannot overrule an official judgment from a Federal

Court in a particular case.

There may be additional review available to you, h owever, the

jurisdiction of the federal courts is not within the purview of this manual -

further research on your part is necessary.

The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania rarely gathers evidence or determine

facts. In general, when you file an appeal with the Supreme Court, the Court

decides the case based on evidence that is already part of the record.

!

Only in rare circumstances, such as when exclusive jurisdiction

rests with the Supreme Court or when the Supreme Court takes

extraordinary jurisdiction from another Court, will the Supreme

Court of Pennsylvania act as a fact finder.

Section Three: The Office of

the Prothonotary

Pennsylvania Judicial Center, Harrisburg – Home to many of the

Supreme Court’s committees and administrative offices including

the Office of the Prothonotary, Middle District

Throughout its history, the Supreme Court has had a need for personnel

to organize its dockets and oversee the distribution of papers to and from

various parties.

In the earliest days of Pennsylvania, the position of Prothonotary was a

coveted position for many of the state’s officials, as the Prothonotary’s salary

was the Court fees levied on the litigants involved.

Prothonotary, n. A chief

Today, the Prothonotary is appointed by clerk in certain courts of

administrative rule of the Supreme Court of law. - Black’s Law

Pennsylvania and the salary is not related to the Dictionary 10th Edition

fees collected by the Court. The Prothonotary,

personally and through staff, is charged with maintaining order in the Court’s

filings and records, primarily by enforcing the Pennsylvania Rules of Appellate

Procedure and interpreting caselaw relating to issues of access to the Courts.

While the Prothonotaries of the Appellate Courts are appointed,

most county Prothonotaries and Clerks of Courts are elected

! officials. As a result, the administrative power of the Unified

Judicial System, with respect to county officials, may be limited.

The responsibilities of the Prothonotary are described in Chapter 31 of

the Pennsylvania Rules of Appellate Procedure. Some highlights include:

maintaining dockets (Pa.R.A.P. 3113), maintaining original records when the

matter is before the appellate cour t (Pa.R.A.P. 3114), and keeping track of

inactive matters (Pa.R.A.P. 3115). Most of these matters are not handled by the

Prothonotary personally, but rather are handled by duly authorized personnel

in the Office of the Prothonotary (Pa.R.A.P. 3112).

On average, the Court each year reviews nearly 3,000 appeals in one form

or another, as well as another 3,000 ancillary requests each year. In order for

these requests to be processed and reviewed in an orderly and prompt manner

the Court has given the Prothonotary the power to generate decrees in

administrative matters, through official orders or correspondence.

Pa.R.A.P. 3305 - Administrative Motions - The Prothonotary, in the

first instance, is authorized to dispose of motions relating to the

preparation, printing and filing of appendix and briefs and those

motions generally relating to calendar control, along w ith the

authority to recommend the appropriate sanction for the violation

of any applicable rule or order.

Power and Responsibility of the

Prothonotary

Further, in order to expeditiously move a case along, the Prothonotary

has the discretion to modify or waive the Rules.

Please keep in mind, all cases are different; a rule may be waived or

enforced in a case similar to yours, but that does not mean that the rule will be

waived or enforced in your case.

Another important function of the Prothonotary is to enforce standards

of communication between parties and to

act as a conduit between the Court and the

parties. By rules governing judicial ethics,

individual J ustices are prevented from

participating in ex parte communication.

Pa.R.A.P. 105 (a) - Waiver and Modification of Rules - […] In the

interest of expediting decision, or for other good cause shown, an

appellate court may, except as otherwise provided[…], disregard

the requirements or provisions of any of these rules in a particular

case[…]

ex parte communication, A

communication between counsel

and the court when opposing

counsel is not present. Such

communications are ordinarily

prohibited - Black’s Law

Dictionary 10th Edition

!

No official order is required for the Office of the Prothonotary to

request that corrections be made to your pleadings or to

administratively close your case for a fatal non-compliance with

rules or statutes.

!

Every pleading you wish the Court to see must be sent to the

Office of the Prothonotary. Nothing should be mailed directly

to the chambers of any Justice.

The Prothonotary will not dismiss your case on the merits o f your

argument. However, the P rothonotary will conduct a preliminary review of

your argument to determine if your pleading attempts to circumvent the Rules.

For example, if you seek to invoke the Court’s original jurisdiction in

order to appeal a final order, your ple ading may be returned, unfiled, as this

Court’s original jurisdiction may not be used to circumvent the appellate

process. If you file a pleading under a different name that attempts to reargue

claims in your case that have already been reviewed by the Court, you may be

advised that you are not allowed to proceed (“take another bite at the apple”).

The examples above are not exclusive but are provided to give you some idea

of filings that are unacceptable.

The Prothonotary continuously strives to prov ide the public with

reasonable access to the Courts.

Please keep in mind, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania does not have

the resources to make a specialized legal staff available to the public. In other

words, we are unable to provide you with advice on the legal arguments of your

pleadings. However, if you have any procedural questions, please contact the

Office of the Prothonotary.

Limitations to the Prothonotary’s

Powers

!

If your pleading is jurisdictionally sound and complies with the

applicable Pennsylvania Rules of Appellate Procedure and

statutes, your papers will be placed on the appropriate

permanent docket and presented to the Supreme Court of

Pennsylvania for a review of your arguments.

Be aware, your case has a separate set of facts from every other

case before the Court and while the Office of the Prothonotary can

! offer general procedural information to you, you are still

ultimately responsible for researching your case and deciding if

the information provided to you was applicable.

If you find that your issue is not addressed in this guide or if you are

having trouble understanding the rules, please do not hesitate to contact the

Office of Prothonotary. We always look forward to working with you.

The Prothonotary maintains three regional offices in Pennsylvania

(Pa.R.A.P. 3301). When contacting our office, it is best to provide or have ready

as much procedural information as possible.

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Office of the Prothonotary, Eastern District

Room 468 City Hall

Philadelphia, PA 19107

(215) 560-6370

Responsible for: Philadelphia County and Capital Cases

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Office of the Prothonotary, Middle District

Pennsylvania Judicial Center

601 Commonwealth Ave., Suite 4500

P.O. Box 62575

Harrisburg, PA 17106-2575

(717) 787-6181

Responsible for: Adams, Berks, Bradford, Bucks, Carbon, Centre, Chester, Clinton,

Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Fulton, Franklin, Huntingdon, Juniata,

Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, Mifflin, Monroe,

Montgomery, Montour, Northampton, Northumberland, Perry, Pike, Schuylkill, Snyder,

Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Union, Wayne, Wyoming, and York Counties

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Office of the Prothonotary, Western District

801 City-County Bldg.

Pittsburgh, PA 15219

(412) 565-2816

Responsible for: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Blair, Butler, Cambria,

Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Greene, Indiana,

Jefferson, Lawrence, McKean, Mercer, Potter, Somerset, Venango, Washington, Warren,

and Westmoreland Counties

Contacting Us and Where to File

!

If you have been convicted of a crime and are incarcerated, please

use the county in which the conviction arose, not the county in

which you are imprisoned, to determine in what district you

should file your papers.

Section Four: Most-Common

Filings

The filings addressed in this section are meant to survey the

! most common pleadings filed with the Court. This list is not

exhaustive; it is your responsibility to explore all avenues to

determine if your pleading is appropriate.

All the requirements for filing the following pleadings are not

listed in this section. You should review Section Five of this

! manual, in conjunction with the Rules, for information regarding

fees, copies, and general formatting rules.

The Supreme Court has jurisdiction to review appeals taken by allowance

under 42 Pa.C.S. §724(a) from any final order from the Commonwealth Court

not appealable as of right, or from any final order of the Superior Court. A final

order is generally defined as an order of the Commonwealth Court or the

Superior Court that concludes an appeal, including an order that remands an

appeal, in whole or in part, unless the Commonwealth Court or the Superior

Court retains jurisdiction (Pa.R.A.P. 1112(b)). See Pa.R.A.P. 341 (Final Orders;

Generally.)

A Petition for Allowance of Appeal, or an “allocatur,” is a concise

statement of your case and matters on appeal. The Petition for Allowance of

Appeal is to address the reasons that the Supreme Court should permit you to

appeal.

Because the Court has discretion to decide which cases it will hear, the

Court will look for special and important reasons to allow appeal as dictated in

Pa.R.A.P. 1114 (see below).

Of the 3,000 initial pleadings filed in the Supreme Court in an average

year, over two-thirds are allocaturs. Roughly 3 % of those allocaturs are

granted and placed on the appeal docket. An allocatur petition is not an appeal;

it is a request for your case to be heard on appeal.

Petition for Allowance of Appeal

!

Per Pa.R.A.P. 1115(d), the failure of a petitioner to be accurate,

clear and concise is sufficient reason to deny a Petition for

Allowance of Appeal.

Pa.R.A.P. 1114 – Standards Governing Allowance of Appeal

(a) General Rule. - Except as prescribed in Pa.R.A.P. 1101 (appeals as of

right from the Commonwealth Court), review of a final order of the

Superior Court or the Commonwealth Court is not a matter of right, but of

sound judicial discretion, and an appeal will be allowed only when there

are special and important reasons therefor.

(b) Standards. A petition for allowance of appeal may be granted for any

of the following reasons: