Rule 1915.4 - Prompt Disposition Of Custody Cases. Attorney Appearance. Continuance(a) Complaints for custody, petitions for modification, and petitions for contempt shall be scheduled for an office conference, except where agreements have been reached in mediation. Conferences shall proceed in accordance with Pa. R.C.P. 1915.4-2(a) and Lehigh County Rule of Civil Procedure 1915.4-2(a).(b) If an agreement is not reached at the conference, (1) Claims for partial physical custody shall be scheduled for hearing before a hearing officer in accordance with Pa. R.C.P. 1915.4-2;(2) Claims for contempt shall be scheduled for hearing before a judge; and(3) Claims for legal custody and claims for primary or shared physical custody shall be scheduled for trial before a judge. ***
(f) An attorney shall file a praecipe for entry of appearance with the Clerk of Judicial Records before appearing on behalf of a litigant. The entry of an appearance shall continue in effect for all aspects of the custody action until withdrawn pursuant to Pa. R.C.P. 1012 or Pa. R.C.P. 1930.8.(g) All applications for continuance shall be made by the attorney of record or self-represented litigant using the Family Court Division Application for Continuance form and presented to Family Court Administration. A party dissatisfied with the continuance decision of a hearing officer or the family court administrator may appeal the decision to the assigned judge, or if no judge is assigned, to the family court motions judge.