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Rule 230.2 – Termination of Inactive Cases

May 14, 2021 | Civil Procedure, Pennsylvania

(a) At least once a year, the court shall initiate proceedings to terminate cases in which there has been no activity of record for two years or more , and shall report such information to the Court Administrator of Pennsylvania on a form supplied by the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts or in such format as requested from time to time by the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts.
(b)

(1) For each case identified pursuant to subdivision (a), the court shall serve a notice of proposed termination on counsel of record, and on the parties if not represented, thirty days prior to the date of the proposed termination. The notice shall contain the date of the proposed termination and the procedure to avoid termination.
(2) The notice shall be served electronically pursuant to Rule 205.4(g)(1), or pursuant to Rule 440 on counsel of record and on the parties, if not represented, at the last address of record.

See subdivision (f) for the form of notice.

(c) If no statement of intention to proceed has been filed on or before the date of the proposed termination, the prothonotary shall enter an order as of course terminating the matter for failure to prosecute.

A court officer may certify to the prothonotary those matters which have been inactive and in which no statement of intention to proceed has been filed.

(d)

(1) If an action has been terminated pursuant to this rule, an aggrieved party may petition the court to reinstate the action.
(2) If the petition is filed within sixty days after the entry of the order of termination on the docket, the court shall grant the petition and reinstate the action.
(3) If the petition is filed more than sixty days after the entry of the order of termination on the docket, the court shall grant the petition and reinstate the action upon a showing that

(i) the petition was timely filed following the entry of the order for termination and
(ii) there is a reasonable explanation or a legitimate excuse for the failure to file both

(A) the statement of intention to proceed prior to the entry of the order of termination on the docket and,
(B) the petition to reinstate the action within sixty days after the entry of the order of termination on the docket.
(e) Any case which is reinstated pursuant to subdivision (d) shall be subject to termination with prejudice upon a subsequent termination pursuant to subdivision (a). No subsequent reinstatements shall be granted.
(f) The notice required by subdivision (b) shall be in the following form:

(Caption)

NOTICE OF PROPOSED TERMINATION OF COURT CASE

The court intends to terminate this case without further notice because the docket shows no activity in the case for at least two years.

You may stop the court from terminating the case by filing a statement of intention to proceed. The statement of intention to proceed should be filed with the Prothonotary of the Court at _________________

Address

on or before _____.

Date

IF YOU FAIL TO FILE THE REQUIRED STATEMENT OF INTENTION TO PROCEED, THE CASE WILL BE TERMINATED BY THE PROTHONOTARY WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE.

BY THE COURT:

______________ ______

Date of this Notice Officer

(g) The statement of intention to proceed shall be in the following form:

(Caption)

Statement of Intention to Proceed

To the Court:

_______intends to proceed with the above captioned matter.

Date: _____ ___________

Attorney for _______

(h) Upon receipt of a statement of intention to proceed, the court may schedule a status conference and establish appropriate timelines to ensure a timely and efficient disposition of the case.

231 Pa. Code ยง 230.2

Amended by Pennsylvania Bulletin, Vol 45, No. 15. April 11, 2015, effective 4/11/2015
Amended by Pennsylvania Bulletin, Vol 45, No. 52. December 26, 2015, effective 12/31/2016