Rule 1920.53 - Hearing By Master. Report(a) Where an action for divorce or annulment has been referred to a master, a conference shall be held before the master prior to a hearing in the absence of a court order to the contrary. (1) The moving party shall deposit an amount to be determined by court order with the Prothonotary before a master's hearing on an action for divorce or annulment.(2) In the event the master believes the amount of time (s)he must devote to the case will exceed four (4) hours said time, or does exceed four (4) hours, (s)he may recommend to the court that additional monies be deposited by a party prior to the hearing or assessed against a party as costs.(3) The master's fee shall be taxed as part of the costs and paid as directed in the final decree.(4) In the event the parties resolve their differences prior to the hearing, all sums deposited with the Prothonotary for the hearing shall be returned to the depositor.(5) In the event the master's fee for the hearing is less than the amount deposited with the Prothonotary for the hearing, the difference shall be returned to the depositor. If there was more than one depositor, the difference shall be returned in proportion to the respective amounts deposited.Adopted July 19, 2004, effective 30 days after publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.