Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 25, June 22, 2024
Rule 307 - Service of the ComplaintService shall be made at least ten days before the hearing, in the following manner:
(1) A copy of the complaint for each defendant shall be delivered by the magisterial district judge for service to the sheriff of, or any certified constable in, the county in which the magisterial district of the magisterial district judge is situated. If this service is not available to the magisterial district judge, service may be made by any certified constable of the Commonwealth. If the complaint is delivered for service to the sheriff and service is to be made in a county other than the one in which the magisterial district of the magisterial district judge is situated, the sheriff shall deputize the sheriff of the county in which service is to be made. A certified constable may serve the complaint anywhere in the Commonwealth.(2) If service is to be made in a county other than the one in which the magisterial district judge's magisterial district is situated, the magisterial district judge, instead of acting in accordance with subdivision (1), may:(a) send the copy of the complaint for service to a magisterial district judge in the county in which service is to be made who shall deliver it for service to the sheriff of, or any certified constable in, that county. If this service is not available to the magisterial district judge, service may be made by any certified constable of the Commonwealth, or(b) if service is to be made in Philadelphia, send the copy of the complaint for service to the Court Administrator of the Philadelphia Municipal Court who shall deliver it for service to a writ server of that court or to the sheriff of Philadelphia.(3) When service by mail is permitted by the rules in this chapter, it shall be at the option of the plaintiff and shall be made by the magisterial district judge by certified mail or comparable delivery method resulting in a return receipt in paper or electronic form. Such service may be made to any place in or outside the Commonwealth.The provisions of this Rule 307 amended January 29, 1976, effective in 30 days, 6 Pa.B. 361; amended April 25, 1979, effective in 30 days, 9 Pa.B. 1499; amended July 16, 2001, effective 8/1/2001, 31 Pa.B. 4055; amended July 21, 2014, effective 8/20/2014, 44 Pa.B. 5183.