(a) The forms approved by the Supreme Court for statewide practice and procedure before the Registers and courts shall be used exclusively and accepted for filing by all Registers and clerks; provided, however, versions of a Supreme Court-approved form shall be acceptable for filing if identical in content and sequential ordering.(b) The forms approved by the Supreme Court for statewide practice are set forth in an Appendix to these Rules. The forms may be revised and supplemented from time to time. The forms shall also be maintained for public access at the official website of the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts.(c) A court may require a legal paper to be accompanied by a cover sheet or checklist. A court that imposes such requirements must promulgate a local rule, numbered Local Rule 1.8(c), stating the requirements and setting forth the form of the cover sheet or checklist.Chest. Cnty. Ct. Comm. Plea. R. 1.8
Rule 1.8 is substantively similar to former Rule 1.3, but with some modifications.
Explanatory Comment: The statewide forms are set forth in the Appendix attached hereto. The current website for electronic access to the forms is found at www.pacourts.us/forms under the For-the-Public category. The forms posted on the website are capable of online completion.
In 2019, Rule 1.8 was revised to permit versions of Supreme Court forms to be accepted for filing, provided the replication was identical in content. This revision was intended to permit forms to differ stylistically as to format if content requirements do not differ. This revision was not intended to permit the re-ordering of content required by a form.