Rule 212.1 - PRE-TRIAL LISTING AND OBJECTIONS THERETO(a) When a case is at issue, counsel shall proceed to complete discovery where desired and shall hold settlement meetings at which serious attempt shall be made by counsel to resolve the issues raised by the pleadings. Thereafter, any party may list the case for pre-trial by filing a certificate of readiness on Prothonotary Form 212. The Prothonotary shall then promptly forward the certificate to the Court Administrator. Failure to complete each item of Prothonotary Form 212 shall be cause for striking the case from the pre-trial list.
Misrepresentations in the completion of this form which would delay the court process may be subject to the contempt powers of the Court.
(b) A copy of Prothonotary Form 212 shall be served on all counsel contemporaneously with the filing thereof. Within 20 days after filing of the form, opposing counsel may file with the Prothonotary written objections thereto stating the reasons, and shall serve a copy thereof upon the Court Administrator and other counsel. Upon receipt of the objections to a certificate of readiness, the moving party should file a written response with the Prothonotary and Court Administrator within 10 days of the date of filing of the objections and contemporaneously serve the response upon opposing counsel. The Prothonotary shall transmit the response to the objections to the Civil Deputy Court Administrator so the response can be considered along with the objections. The Court Administrator shall promptly deliver the certificate, objections, and any response thereto to the President Judge who shall promptly dispose of said objections. Failure to file such objections constitutes a waiver of any objections to the certificate of readiness, including, but not limited to, any claim that discovery has not been completed. If a summary judgment motion is contemplated by the non-moving party, that party must file objections to the certificate of readiness or the right to do so will be deemed waived.(c) The filing of a Certificate of Readiness and the failure to object thereto constitute an assertion that counsel will be available to try the case within the next two civil terms established by the official court calendar.(d) In the event a party or parties object to the filing of a Certificate of Readiness on the grounds that counsel is not available to try the case within the next two civil trial terms established by the official court calendar, counsel must state in specific detail the reasons why substitute counsel cannot be present within the next two civil terms established by the official court calendar to try the case in the place of lead counsel. Furthermore, if objections to a Certificate of Readiness are filed on the basis that counsel and substitute counsel are not available to try the case within the next two civil trial terms established by the official court calendar, counsel must specifically identify all conflicts or other trial attachments within the next two civil terms established by the official court calendar, and must further attach all attachment orders to the Objections to the Certificate of Readiness.(e) Each case on the pre-trial list shall be assigned by the President Judge to one of the Judges for pre-trial and trial proceedings. Thereupon, the Judge to whom a case is assigned shall summon the parties to a pre-trial conference.(f) This rule shall be applicable to paternity cases where trial is demanded on the issue of paternity.(g) The Court appoints the Schuylkill County Bar Association Alternate Dispute Resolution Program as the authorized program for alternate dispute resolution for civil cases filed in Schuylkill County.Amended effective 3/1/2021; revised 2/23/2022; amended effective 2/1/2024.