Court Information

Local Rules

< Back To Local Rules

Rule *261 Ordering Cases on Trial List

(a) All cases which under applicable rules are for trial by jury shall be ordered on the general trial list by praecipe. The praecipe shall state the court and number of the case and the names of the parties and their attorneys, and shall contain an express certification by counsel that the case is at issue and ready for trial. Unless the praecipe shall contain such certification, the prothonotary shall refuse to accept the same or to place the case upon the general trial list. A conformed copy of such praecipe and certification shall be given to the court administrator, opposing counsel and unrepresented parties within forty-eight hours.

(b) Before certifying a case as being ready for trial, counsel for the party intending such certification shall serve a certification notice upon opposing counsel and any unrepresented parties. The certification notice shall be in writing and shall indicate the intention to certify the case as being ready for trial and to order the same onto the general trial list. Within fifteen days after the service thereof, the attorney or party receiving the certification notice shall state his intention to pursue discovery, if he so desires, by sending to all counsel and any unrepresented parties, a discovery notice. The discovery notice shall be in writing and shall designate the scope and nature of any intended discovery. All discovery shall be completed within sixty days of the transmittal of the discovery notice. Upon completion of discovery or the expiration of the sixty-day discovery period, whichever shall first occur, or, if no discovery notice is transmitted, at the expiration of fifteen (15) days after service of the certification notice, any party may order the case on the general trial list. Thereafter, except for routine pretrial physical examinations or depositions to be used at trial in accordance with the provisions of Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure 4020(a)(3) and 4020(a)(5), neither of which shall delay the trial of the case, no discovery shall be available to any party except by leave of court upon cause shown. In any event, no discovery shall be allowed in appeals from awards of arbitrators or awards of viewers except by leave of Court upon cause shown. All applications for the allowance of additional time to initiate or complete discovery shall be made to and disposed of by the judge to whom the case has been assigned. Written notice of the intention to make such application shall be given to all counsel and unrepresented parties.