Rule 205.4 - Electronic Filing of Legal Papers in Allegheny CountyNote: This Local Rule has been promulgated in compliance with Pa.R.Civ.P. 239.9(a) which provides, "If a court permits or requires the electronic filing of legal papers with the Department of Court Records, the court must promulgate a local rule designated Local 205.4 which sets forth in detail the practice and procedure to file a legal paper electronically and includes the matters set forth in this rule."
(a)(1) Beginning on November 13, 2023, use of the Allegheny County Department of Court Records Civil/Family Division (hereinafter "DCR") electronic filing system is mandatory for the filing of all legal papers, including original process, in all actions and proceedings brought in or appealed to the court except as noted in the subsections below or as otherwise ordered by the Court. Note: A "legal paper" is defined in Pa.R.Civ.P. 205.4(2) as "a pleading or other paper filed in an action, including exhibits and attachments."
A. Use of the DCR's electronic filing system is not permitted for the following Civil Division Filings: 1. Initial filings in Petitions for Name Change;2. Initial filings for Exemplification of Records;3. Initial filings for appeals from a Judgment Entered by a Magisterial District Judge in cases seeking possession of residential property ("Landlord Tenant Disputes").B. Use of the DCR's electronic filing system is not permitted for the following Family Division filings:1. Legal papers relating to Protection from Abuse matters which must be processed with the PFA office in Family Division before they can be filed.2. Legal papers relating to custody, partial custody or visitation matters which must be processed through the Generations office before they can be filed.3. Legal papers relating to spousal or child support must be processed through Family Division before they can be filed.4. Legal papers relating to divorce which contain or address counts or counterclaims for support, alimony pendente lite, alimony or custody, partial custody, and visitation, must be processed through the offices to which reference is made in (D)(1), (2) or (3) of this subsection. Note: Divorce pleadings which do not include or address any of the counts enumerated above may be filed electronically, including but not limited to, 3301(c) or 3301(d) affidavits of consent, counter-affidavits, waiver of notice of intention to request entry of a decree, notice of intention to request a divorce decree, and praecipe to transmit the record.
5. All legal papers which must be presented to a Family Division Judge in motions court before filing with the office of the DCR.(b)(1) Legal papers may be filed using the DCR's electronic filing system in the following file formats only: Portable Document Format (.pdf), Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx). In the event any legal paper or exhibit is submitted to the DCR in a hard-copy format, the DCR shall convert to, receive, and maintain such legal paper or exhibits as a PDF, and the DCR shall return the hard-copy legal paper or exhibit to the filing party for retention as required by Pa.R.Civ.P. 205.4(b)(5). (c)(2) All legal papers or exhibits shall be filed using the DCR electronic filing system, which can be accessed on the DCR's Website at https://dcr.alleghenycounty.us. (A) To obtain access to the DCR's electronic filing system, attorneys and any unrepresented party must register for a User ID and Password using the "Register" Link at the DCR's website. The User ID for Pennsylvania licensed attorneys is their Supreme Court of Pennsylvania identification number issued by the court. Non-attorney users may, at the time of registration, designate any unique combination of letters or numbers they may wish to use as a User ID.(B) After registering for a User ID and password, attorneys may designate another User ID to act as their proxy for the purposes of electronic filing.(C) Out-of-State Attorneys who have been admitted Pro Hac Vice by Order of Court can register for an account as if they were a Non-attorney user under (c)(2)(A). To gain the same access as Pennsylvania Licensed attorneys, the Out of-State Attorney must contact the Department of Court Records at civil@alleghenycounty.us (d)(1) The following credit and debit cards may be used on the DCR's electronic filing website to pay filing-related fees: Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. Such fees may also be paid by depositing in advance sufficient funds with the DCR. The DCR may also accept payments by electronic checking/ACH (Automatic Clearing House). See the DCR website for additional information. (A) The procedures for payment of the fees and costs of the DCR shall be set forth on the DCR's Website-https://dcr.alleghenycounty.usNote: A Party may proceed without paying DCR's filing related fees if an attorney files a Praecipe to Proceed In Forma Pauperis, or the Party files, and the court grants, a Petition to Proceed In Forma Pauperis pursuant to Pa.R.Civ.P. 240, et seq. Failure to comply with Pa.R.Civ.P. 240, et seq, may result in the Party's appeal being stricken or a Judgment of Non-Pros entered against them.
(f) When a legal paper has been successfully transmitted electronically, the following procedures shall be followed: (1) The DCR's electronic filing system shall generate a printable acknowledgement page and shall transmit to the filing party an initial email confirming the electronic receipt of the legal paper and the date and time thereto.(2) Subsequently, after the DCR has processed the electronic filing, the DCR shall transmit, to the filing party, an email stating the date and time of acceptance of the filing or stating that the filing has not been accepted and the reasons for non-acceptance.(3) If the DCR accepts a filing, it shall be deemed to have been filed as of the date and time it was received by the DCR's electronic filing system.(4) A legal paper will not be considered filed if the DCR responds to the filing by notifying the filing party that they have not (i) maintained with the DCR sufficient funds to pay the fees and costs of the filing or (ii) authorized payment by credit or debit card of such fees and costs. The DCR is authorized to reject a filing of a legal paper submitted without the requisite payment.(5) The DCR shall maintain an electronic file for the legal papers, including original process, in any civil action or proceeding at law or in equity brought in or appealed to the court, including any action pursuant to the Eminent Domain Code of 1964 or the Municipal Claims Act of 1923.(6) Neither the Court, nor the DCR is required to maintain a hard copy of any legal paper, or exhibits, or order filed or maintained electronically under this rule.(7) If the DCR refuses to accept a legal paper for filing, the DCR shall transmit to the filing party an email specifying the reason. Subject to the provisions of Pa.R.Civ.P. 205.4(e)(1), a legal paper refused for filing shall be deemed as not having been filed. (A) Except as set forth in subparagraph (C) below, if the DCR refuses to accept a filing, the filing will nonetheless be deemed to have been filed at the date and time it was first received by the DCR's electronic filing system if:(1) Within three (3) business days, the filing party resubmits the legal paper through the electronic filing system curing the defect noted by the DCR in the rejection.(2) Once the legal paper is resubmitted, the filing party must notify the DCR of the resubmitted filing via an email to civil@alleghenycounty.us, identifying the original submission ID number of the rejected filing, the submission ID number of the resubmitted filing, the reason the DCR originally rejected the filing and a brief explanation how the defect was cured in the resubmitted filing. Both submission ID numbers can be found on the acknowledgment page provided by the DCR at the time of submission. Note: Parties are encouraged to use the cure provisions of subparagraph (A) in only those instances where the party will be prejudiced if the legal paper is not deemed to have been filed at the date and time it was originally received by the DCR's electronic filing system.
(B) If the DCR refuses to accept a filing and the filing party fails to comply with subparagraph (A), the filing party may still cure the defect and resubmit the filing, but the accepted filing will be deemed to have been filed at the date and time it was received by the DCR's electronic filing system.(C) Submitting a legal paper for filing without (1) sufficient funds to pay the fees and costs of the filing, or (2) authorizing payment of the fees by credit card, debit card or other means is not curable under (f)(7)(A).(g) If a legal paper is electronically filed and accepted, the DCR will automatically notify all case participants with verified emails who have previously submitted electronic filings in the same case. The DCR is authorized to serve all case participants with verified emails who have previously submitted electronic filings in the same case with any Notice required under Pa.R.Civ.P. 236 or other rules of court. The filing party shall serve all others as required by rules of court.Adopted April 5, 2012, effective 2/22/2013. Amended December 27,2019, effective 2/19/2020. Amended November 29, 2021, effective 1/11/2022. Amended October 13, 2023, effective 11/13/2023; amended effective 9/13/2022; amended effective 11/13/2023.