Rule 205.4 - Electronic Filing and Service of Legal Papers Filed in the Civil Trial Division(a) The Cumberland County Court of Common Pleas does hereby permit electronic filing of legal papers with the Prothonotary through its Electronic Filing System, as well as the electronic service of such papers, under terms more specifically provided in Pennsylvania Rule of Civil Procedure 205.4.(1) The Prothonotary's Office will provide the necessary technical assistance to those parties who lack the capability to file legal papers electronically.(2) As used in this rule, the following words shall have the following meanings: (i) "electronic filing" shall be the electronic transmission of legal papers by means other than facsimile transmission;(ii) "filing party" shall be an attorney, party or other person who files a legal paper by means of electronic filing; and(iii) "legal paper" shall be a pleading or other paper filed with the Prothonotary in any civil action, including attachments and exhibits, even if the legal papers are not adversarial in nature or do not require a response from the non-filing party or parties.(b) Legal papers shall be presented for filing in a portable document format ("PDF"). As authorized by Pa.R.C.P. 205.4 (b)(1), in the event a legal paper is presented for filing in a hard-copy format or an electronic format other than a PDF, the Prothonotary shall convert said legal paper into a PDF and shall maintain it in that format. The Prothonotary shall return the hard-copy legal paper to the filing party for retention as required by Pa.R.C.P. 205.4(b)(4).(c) The Prothonotary shall always provide access to its Electronic Filing System, except during periods of required maintenance.(1) Legal papers may be filed electronically through the Electronic Filing System, which will be accessible through the Cumberland County Prothonotary website.(2) To obtain access to the Electronic Filing System, counsel or any unrepresented party must first register with the Prothonotary's Office for a Username and Password.(3) The time and date of filing a legal paper and any receipt of the legal paper filed electronically shall be that registered by the Electronic Filing System. The Prothonotary shall provide, through the Electronic Filing System's website, an acknowledgement that the legal paper has been received, including the date and time of receipt, in a form which can be printed for retention by the filing party.(4) A filing party shall be responsible for any delay, disruption, interruption of the electronic signals and legibility of the document electronically filed, except when caused by the failure of the Electronic Filing System's website.(d) A filing party shall pay the cost of the electronic filing of a legal paper by approved credit or debit card. The following cards have been approved for payment of the electronic filing: American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa.(e) No pleading or other legal paper that complies with the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure shall be refused for filing by the Prothonotary or the Electronic Filing System based upon a requirement of a local rule or local administrative procedure or practice pertaining to the electronic filing of legal papers. (1) If a pleading or other legal paper is not accepted upon presentation for filing or is refused for filing by the Electronic Filing System, the Prothonotary by email, or the Electronic Filing System, as may be appropriate, shall immediately notify the party presenting the legal paper for filing of the date of presentation, the fact that the document was not accepted or refused for filing by the system, and the reason therefor.(2) The Court upon motion shall resolve any dispute arising under paragraph (1) of this subdivision. If a party makes a good faith effort to electronically file a legal paper but it is not received, accepted, or filed by the Electronic Filing System, the Court may order that the paper be accepted and filed nunc pro tunc upon a showing that reasonable efforts were made to timely present and file the paper.(f) As authorized by Pa.R.C.P. 205.4(f), the following administrative procedures are adopted: (1) Verification of pleadings, as required by Pa.R.C.P. 206.3 and 1024, as well as any other documents executed by the client or third parties, such as Affidavits or Certificates of Service, shall be scanned and attached to the electronic filing in a PDF at the time the legal paper is submitted for electronic filing.(2) Filings containing personal identifiers in civil matters, such as Social Security numbers, dates of birth, financial account numbers and names of minor children, shall be modified or partially redacted in all documents electronically filed in the office and shall be filed with a confidential information form.(3) The Prothonotary is authorized to refuse for filing a legal paper submitted without the requisite filing fee; such legal paper shall only be deemed to have been filed on the date that said filing fee payment was received by the Prothonotary.(4) Neither the Court nor the Prothonotary shall be required to maintain a hard copy of any legal paper, notice or Order filed or maintained electronically under this Rule.(g) Service: (1) Copies of all legal papers other than original process filed in an action or served upon any party to an action may be served:(i) as provided by Pa.R.C.P. 440; or(ii) by electronic transmission, other than facsimile transmission, to all parties who have previously submitted electronic filing in the same case, pursuant to C.C.R.P. 205.4 and Pa.R.C.P. 205.4(g).(2) Service by electronic transmission is complete when a legal paper is sent: (i) to the recipient's electronic mail address, or(ii) to an electronic filing system website and an e-mail message is sent to the recipient by the electronic filing system that the legal paper has been filed and is available for review on the system's website.(3) Copies of all Notices, Orders or Judgments from the Court in any action shall be served by electronic transmission through the Electronic Filing System to all parties who have previously submitted electronic filings in the same case. If a party or parties have not yet submitted electronic filing in a particular case, then the Prothonotary shall provide notice by facsimile, other electronic means, or by forwarding a hard copy to said party or parties.Adopted October 30, 2014, effective 12/1/2014; amended effective 1/1/2024.