Rule 120 - Attorneys- Appearances And Withdrawals(a)Entry of Appearance. (1) Counsel for defendant shall file with the Attorney Filing Unit an entry of appearance (see form which follows this Local Rule), identifying the citations for which counsel has been retained. The entry of appearance shall include the attorney's office address and electronic mail address, phone number, and the Supreme Court attorney identification number. An entry of appearance seeking to limit representation to a specific hearing shall not be accepted.(2) When counsel is appointed pursuant to Pa.R.Crim. P. 1035, Appointment of Counsel, the filing of the appointment order shall enter the appearance of appointed counsel.(3) Counsel shall not be provided any defendant information unless an Entry of Appearance is filed with the Attorney Filing Unit.(4) An attorney who has been retained by a defendant and entered an appearance as provided in this rule shall continue such representation in the Traffic Division until granted leave to withdraw by the court pursuant to paragraph (b). An attorney who has been appointed by the court pursuant to Pa.R.Crim. P. 1035 shall continue representation as provided in Local Rule 1035.(b)Withdrawal of Appearance. Counsel for a defendant may not withdraw his or her appearance except by leave of court. The request shall be in writing (see form which follows this Local Rule), or may be made orally in open court in the presence of the defendant. The Court may grant the request to withdraw when new counsel enters an appearance, when new counsel is appointed to represent the defendant, or when the defendant intelligently waives the right to counsel. Click here to view image
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Adopted December 21, 2005, effective on2/1/2006; amended on May 8, 2014, effective 6/23/2014.COMMENT: The entry of appearance process has been problematic in Traffic Division proceedings. This Local Rule is designed to advise all parties that counsel must enter an appearance as a precondition to representation of Traffic Division defendants. Traffic Division will not provide defendant information to counsel until an entry of appearance is filed. Counsel is not permitted to enter an appearance for a limited purpose -i.e. representation for a warrant hearing, or impoundment hearing and the like. Rather, counsel must enter an appearance in connection with all proceedings in the Traffic Division and must officially withdraw from the case to be relieved of further legal obligations at the Traffic Division level.