Rule 1301 - Cases For Submission(a) Compulsory arbitration of matters as authorized by 7631 of the Judicial Code, 42 Pa. C.S. § 101, et. seq. shall apply to all cases at issue where the amount in controversy shall be fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00) or less. The amount in controversy shall be determined from the pleadings or by an agreement of reference filed by the attorneys. (See L1301.2) The amount in controversy, when determined from the pleadings, shall be the largest amount claimed by any one party.
In the event that a case within arbitration limits is consolidated with a case involving more than the arbitration limits after the former has been referred to a board of arbitrators, the order of consolidation will remove the referred case from the jurisdiction of the board of arbitrators.
(b) A civil action will be referred to arbitration by the Prothonotary no fewer than 20 days from the filing of an appropriate praecipe with the Prothonotary which avers the civil action is ready for arbitration. If the other party objects to the praecipe, that party shall, within the 20 days, file a motion requesting delay in the appointment of arbitrators pending completion of the pre-trial discovery and filings. The objection shall specifically indicate the matters that must be preliminarily resolved and shall propose a timetable for their completion.Amended effective 1/14/2014 and 1/24/2014.