Opinion
747
11-03-2023
IN RE:ORDER RESCINDING RULES 101, 102, 103, 104, 106, 107, 108, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 152, AND 153, AND AMENDING RULES 126, 237.1, 1007.1, 1020, 1601, AND 2225 OF THE PENNSYLVANIA RULES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE
CIVIL PROCEDURAL RULES DOCKET
ORDER
PER CURIAM
AND NOW, this 3rd day of November, 2023, upon the recommendation of the Civil Procedural Rules Committee, the proposal having been published for public comment at 51 Pa.B. 5532 (September 4, 2021):
It is Ordered pursuant to Article V, Section 10 of the Constitution of Pennsylvania that Rules 101, 102, 103, 104, 106, 107, 108, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 152, and 153 of the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure are rescinded, and Rules 126, 237.1, 1007.1, 1020, 1601, and 2225 of the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure are amended, in the attached form.
This Order shall be processed in accordance with Pa.R.J.A. 103(b), and shall be effective on January 1, 2024.
Additions to the rule are shown in bold and are underlined.
Deletions from the rule are shown in bold and brackets.
Pennsylvania Rules of Civil ProcedureRule 101. [Principles of Interpretation.] Rescinded.
[In the construction of any rule, the principles set forth in Rules 102 to 108 shall be observed, unless the application of such principles would result in a construction inconsistent with the manifest intent of the Supreme Court.]
Rule 102. [Number. Tense.] Rescinded.
[The singular shall include the plural, and the plural, the singular. Words used in the past or present tense shall include the future.]
Rule 103. [Words and Phrases.] Rescinded.
[(a) Words and phrases shall be construed according to rules of grammar and according to their common and approved usage; but technical words and phrases and such others as have acquired a peculiar and appropriate meaning or as are expressly defined by rule shall be construed according to such peculiar and appropriate or express meaning or definition.
(b) General words shall be construed to take their meanings and be restricted by preceding particular words.]
Rule 104. [Numerals.] Rescinded.
[The Roman numerals and Arabic numerals shall be deemed parts of the English language.] * * *
Rule 106. [Computation of Time.] Rescinded.
[(a) When any period of time is referred to in any rule, such period in all cases, except as otherwise provided in Rules 107 and 108, shall be so computed as to exclude the first and include the last day of such period.
(b) Whenever the last day of any such period shall fall on Saturday or Sunday, or on any day made a legal holiday by the laws of this Commonwealth or of the United States, such day shall be omitted from the computation.]
Rule 107. [Time. Publication for Successive Weeks.] Rescinded.
[Whenever in any rule providing for the publishing of notices, the phrase ''successive weeks'' is used, weeks shall be construed as calendar weeks. The publication upon any day of such weeks shall be sufficient publication for that week, but at least five days shall elapse between each publication. At least the number of weeks specified in ''successive weeks'' shall elapse between the first publication and the day for the happening of the event for which publication shall be made.]
Rule 108. [Time. Computation of Months.] Rescinded.
[Whenever in any rule the lapse of a number of months after or before a certain day is required, such number of months shall be computed by counting the months from such day, excluding the calendar month in which such day occurs, and shall include the day of the month in the last month so counted having the same numerical order as the day of the month from which the computation is made, unless there are not so many days in the last month so counted, in which case the period computed shall expire with the last day of such month.]
Rule 126. [Liberal Construction and Application of Rules.] Application and Construction of Rules.
(a) Application. The rules shall be liberally [construed] applied to secure the just, speedy, and inexpensive determination of every action or proceeding to which they are applicable. The court at every stage of any such action or proceeding may disregard any error or defect of procedure which does not affect the [substantial] substantive rights of the parties.
(b) Construction. In the construction of the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure, the principles set forth in Pa.R.J.A. 104 to 115 shall be observed.
Comment: Former Pa.R.Civ.P. 101-104, 106-108, and 127-153 were rescinded and replaced as follows:
Subject
Former Rule
Current Rule
Principles
Pa.R.J.A. 104
Number/Tense
Pa.R.J.A. 105
Words/Phrases
Pa.R.J.A. 106
Numerals
--
Computation of Time
Pa.R.J.A. 107(a)-(b)
Time - Weeks
Pa.R.J.A. 107(c)
Time - Months
Pa.R.J.A. 107(d)
Liberal Construction
Pa.R.J.A. 109(b)
Court Intent
Pa.R.J.A.108
Presumptions
Pa.R.J.A.109
Titles
Pa.R.J.A.110
Common Law
Pa.R.J.A.111
In Pari Materia
Pa.R.J.A.112
Inconsistent
Pa.R.J.A.115
Controls
Pa.R.J.A.113
Amendatory
Pa.R.J.A.114(b)
Merger
Pa.R.J.A.114(c)
Rule 127. [Construction of Rules. Intent of Supreme Court Controls.] Rescinded.
[(a) The object of all interpretation and construction of rules is to ascertain and effectuate the intention of the Supreme Court.
(b) Every rule shall be construed, if possible, to give effect to all its provisions. When the words of a rule are clear and free from all ambiguity, the letter of it is not to be disregarded under the pretext of pursuing its spirit.
(c) When the words of a rule are not explicit, the intention of the Supreme Court may be ascertained by considering, among other matters:
(1) the occasion and necessity for the rule;
(2) the circumstances under which it was promulgated;
(3) the mischief to be remedied;
(4) the object to be attained;
(5) the prior practice, if any, including other rules and Acts of Assembly upon the same or similar subjects;
(6) the consequences of a particular interpretation;
(7) the contemporaneous history of the rule; and
(8) the practice followed under the rule.]
Rule 128. [Presumptions in Ascertaining the Intent of the Supreme Court.] Rescinded.
[In ascertaining the intention of the Supreme Court in the promulgation of a rule, the courts may be guided by the following presumptions among others:
(a) That the Supreme Court does not intend a result that is absurd, impossible of execution or unreasonable;
(b) That the Supreme Court intends the entire rule or chapter of rules to be effective and certain;
(c) That the Supreme Court does not intend to violate the Constitution of the United States or of this Commonwealth;
(d) That if the Supreme Court has construed the language used in a rule or statute, the Supreme Court in promulgating a rule on the same subject matter which employs the same language intends the same construction to be placed upon such language;
(e) That the Supreme Court intends to favor the public interest as against any private interest;
(f) That no rule shall be construed to confer a right to trial by jury where such right does not otherwise exist.]
Rule 129. [Construction of Rules. Titles, Provisos, Exceptions and Headings. Use of Notes and Explanatory Comments.] Rescinded.
[(a) The title or heading of a rule may be considered in construing the rule.
(b) Provisos shall be construed to limit rather than to extend the operation of the clauses to which they refer.
(c) Exceptions expressed in a rule shall be construed to exclude all others.
(d) The title or heading prefixed to a chapter of rules shall not be considered to control but may be used in construing the rules.
(e) Commentary is not a part of the rule text but may be used in construing the rule text.
Comment: Any statements contained in a publication or adoption report by the Civil Procedural Rules Committee and the Domestic Relations Procedural Rules Committee are for the benefit of those using the rules, but neither constitute part of the rule nor are adopted by the Supreme Court. See Pa.R.J.A. 103, Comment.]
* * *
Rule 130. [Rules in Derogation of the Common Law.] Rescinded.
[The principle that laws in derogation of the common law are to be strictly construed, shall have no application to the rules promulgated by the Supreme Court.]
Rule 131. [Rules in Pari Materia.] Rescinded.
[Rules or parts of rules are in pari materia when they relate to the same proceedings or class of proceedings. Rules in pari materia shall be construed together, if possible, as one rule or one chapter of rules.]
Rule 132. [Particular Controls General.] Rescinded.
[Whenever a general provision in a rule shall be in conflict with a particular provision in the same or another rule, the two shall be construed, if possible, so that effect may be given to both. If the conflict between the two provisions is irreconcilable, the particular provisions shall prevail and shall be construed as an exception to the general provision, unless the general provision shall be promulgated later and it shall be the manifest intention of the Supreme Court that such general provision shall prevail.]
Rule 133. [Rules Inconsistent with Laws.] Rescinded.
[All laws shall be suspended to the extent that they are inconsistent with rules prescribed under the Constitution of 1968.
Note: See Article V, Section 10(c) of the Constitution of 1968 and Section 1722(a)(1) of the Judicial Code, 42 Pa.C.S. § 1722(a)(1).]
Rule 152. [Construction of Amendatory Rules.] Rescinded.
[Whenever a rule or part of a rule is amended, the amendment shall be construed to merge into the original rule, become a part thereof, and replace the part amended. The remainder of the original rule and amendment shall be read together and viewed as one rule promulgated at one time; but the portions of the rule which were not altered by the amendment shall be construed as effective from the time of their original promulgation and the new provisions shall be construed as effective only from the date when the amendment became effective.]
Rule 153. [Merger of Subsequent Amendments.] Rescinded.
[Whenever a rule has been more than once amended, the latest amendment shall be read into the original rule as previously amended and not into such rule as originally promulgated.]
Rule 237.1. Notice of Praecipe for Entry of Judgment of Non Pros for Failure to File Complaint or by Default for Failure to Plead.
(a) As used in this rule, ***
(2) No judgment of non pros for failure to file a complaint or by default for failure to plead shall be entered by the prothonotary unless the praecipe for entry includes a certification that a written notice of intention to file the praecipe was mailed or delivered:
(i) in the case of a judgment of non pros, after the failure to file a complaint and at least ten days prior to the date of the filing of the praecipe to the party's attorney of record or to the party if unrepresented, or
(ii) in the case of a judgment by default, after the failure to plead to a complaint and at least ten days prior to the date of the filing of the praecipe to the party against whom judgment is to be entered and to the party's attorney of record, if any.
The ten-day notice period in subdivision (a)(2)(i) and (a)(2)(ii) shall be calculated forward from the date of the mailing or delivery, in accordance with [Rule 106] Pa.R.J.A. 107.
***
Rule 1007.1. Jury Trial. Demand. Waiver.
(a) Demand. In any action in which the right to jury trial exists, that right shall be deemed waived unless a party files and serves a written demand for a jury trial not later than twenty days after service of the last permissible pleading. The demand shall be made by endorsement on a pleading or by a separate writing.
[Note: Rule 1007.1(a) gives no specific guidance on the existence of a right to jury trial. It could not, in the face of Rule 128(f).]
(b) Arbitration Appeal. Where an appeal is taken from an award in compulsory arbitration and a jury trial has not theretofore been demanded, the right to a jury trial shall be deemed waived unless the appellant endorses a demand for a jury trial on the appeal, or unless the appellee files and serves a written demand for a jury trial not later than ten days after being served with the notice of appeal.
[Note: Trial without jury shall be conducted in accordance with Rule 1038.]
(c) Withdraw of Demand.
(1) A demand for trial by jury may not be withdrawn without the consent of all parties who have appeared in the action.
(2) A demand for a trial by jury on behalf of a party shall be deemed withdrawn if at the time a case is called for trial that party, without satisfactory excuse, fails to appear or appears but is not ready. Any other party appearing and ready who has not already demanded a trial by jury shall forthwith demand a trial by jury or shall be deemed to have waived the same.
Comment: This rule provides no specific guidance on the existence of a right to jury trial. See Pa.R.J.A. 109(g). A trial without jury shall be conducted in accordance with Pa.R.Civ.P. 1038.
Rule 1020. Pleading More Than One Cause of Action. Alternative Pleading. Failure to Join. Bar.
(a) Pleading More Than One Cause of Action. The plaintiff may state in the complaint more than one cause of action cognizable in a civil action against the same defendant. Each cause of action and any special damage related thereto shall be stated in a separate count containing a demand for relief.
[Note: Rule 102 provides that the singular includes the plural and the plural includes the singular.]
(b) Joinder. If persons join as plaintiffs under Rules 2228, 2229(a) or (e), the complaint shall state the cause of action, any special damage, and the demand for relief of each plaintiff in a separate count, preceded by a heading naming the parties to the cause of action therein set forth.
(c) Alternative Pleading. Causes of action and defenses may be pleaded in the alternative.
(d) Failure to Join - Waiver. If a transaction or occurrence gives rise to more than one cause of action heretofore asserted in assumpsit and trespass, against the same person, including causes of action in the alternative, they shall be joined in separate counts in the action against any such person. Failure to join a cause of action as required by this subdivision shall be deemed a waiver of that cause of action as against all parties to the action.
[Note:] Comment: Regarding subdivision (a), the singular includes the plural, and the plural, the singular. See Pa.R.J.A. 105.
[Mandatory] Regarding subdivision (b), mandatory joinder is limited to related causes of action heretofore asserted in assumpsit and trespass. There is no mandatory joinder of related causes of action in equity. See [Rule 2226 et seq.] Pa.R.Civ.P. 2226-2248 governing joinder. See [Rule 213(a) and (b)] Pa.R.Civ.P. 213(a)-(b) governing the consolidation and severance of causes of action.
Rule 1601. Action for Declaratory Relief Alone. Jury Trial. Waiver.
(a) Caption. A plaintiff seeking only declaratory relief shall commence an action by filing a complaint captioned "Action for Declaratory Judgment." The practice and procedure shall follow, as nearly as may be, the rules governing the civil action.
(b) Jury Trial Demand and Waiver. If the right to trial by jury of disputed issues of fact exists in such an action, it shall be deemed waived unless demanded in the time and manner provided by Rule 1007.1.
[Note: Rule 1601(b) gives no specific guidance on the existence of a right to jury trial. It could not, in the face of Rule 128(f).]
Comment: This rule provides no specific guidance on the existence of a right to jury trial. See Pa.R.J.A. 109(g).
Section 7539(b) of the Judicial Code provides:
(b) Jury trial.-When a proceeding under this subchapter involves the determination of an issue of fact, such issue may be tried and determined in the same manner as issues of fact are tried and determined in other civil actions in the court in which the proceeding is pending.42 Pa.C.S. § 7539(b).
The existence of a right to jury trial on disputed issues of fact will be a matter of determination in each action where only declaratory relief is sought. If the right is claimed and disputed, the court must determine the question on the basis of the nature of the cause of action, the right to be enforced and the "other civil action" which would be brought to enforce it if declaratory judgment did not exist. The flexible Federal practice under Fed.R.Civ.P. 38, 39 , and 57, including the procedure for the jury trial of selected issues, may be helpful. Pa.R.Civ.P. 1038.3 may also be applicable.
Rule 2225. (Rescinded).
[Note:] Comment: See [Rule 133] Pa.R.J.A. 115 governing the suspension of inconsistent Acts of Assembly.
SUPREME COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA APPELLATE COURT PROCEDURAL RULES COMMITTEE COMMITTEE ON RULES OF EVIDENCE CIVIL PROCEDURAL RULES COMMITTEE ORPHANS' COURT PROCEDURAL RULES COMMITTEE CRIMINAL PROCEDURAL RULES COMMITTEE JUVENILE COURT PROCEDURAL RULES COMMITTEE MINOR COURT RULES COMMITTEE
Adoption of Pa.R.J.A. 104-115; Rescission of Pa.R.Civ.P. 101-104, 106-108, and 127-153; Amendment of Pa.R.Civ.P. 126, 237.1, 1007.1, 1020, 1601, and 2225, Pa.R.O.C.P. 1.2, Pa.R.Crim.P. 101 and 600, Pa.R.J.C.P. 101 and 1101, Pa.R.A.P. 105, 107, and 903, Pa.R.Civ.P.M.D.J. 204, and Pa.R.E. 101, 102, and 103
On November 3, 2023, the Supreme Court approved the extraction of rules of construction from the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure and their placement in the Pennsylvania Rules of Judicial Administration through the rescission of Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure 101-104, 106-108, and 127-153, amendment of Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure 126, 237.1, 1007.1, 1020, 1601, and 2225, and the adoption of Pennsylvania Rules of Judicial Administration 104-115. The Court also amended Pennsylvania Rule of Orphans' Court Procedure 1.2, Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure 101 and 600, Pennsylvania Rules of Juvenile Court Procedure 101 and 1101, Pennsylvania Rules of Appellate Procedure 105, 107, and 903, Pennsylvania Rule of Civil Procedure Governing Actions and Proceedings Before Magisterial District Judges 204, and Pennsylvania Rules of Evidence 101, 102, and 103 to establish and reference the rules of construction for the Court's procedural and evidentiary bodies of rules. The Rules Committees have prepared this Adoption Report describing the rulemaking process. An Adoption Report should not be confused with Comments to the rules. See Pa.R.J.A. 103, cmt. The statements contained herein are those of the Rules Committees, not the Court.
Background
Procedural rules adopted by the Supreme Court have the force of statute. See, e.g., Dombrowski v. City of Philadelphia, 245 A.2d 238, 241 n.4 (Pa. 1968). Procedural rules, like statutes, may be subject to interpretation based upon their language and the circumstances in which they apply. To guide the interpretation of rules, courts have relied upon rules of construction used for the interpretation of statutes. See 1 Pa.C.S. §§ 1901-1957; see also, e.g., Commonwealth v. McClelland, 233 A.3d 717 (Pa. 2020) (interpreting Pa.R.Crim.P.); Commonwealth v. Wardlaw, 249 A.3d 937 (Pa. 2021) (interpreting Pa.R.A.P.).
In 1939, rules of construction were added to the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure based largely on language contained in sections of the Statutory Construction Act of May 28, 1937, P.L. 1019, with modification to reflect their intended application to rules of court. Over time, the Statutory Construction Act, as well as the procedural rules of construction, have been amended to their present form:
Subject
1937 Statute
1939 Rule
Present Statute
Present Rule
Title/Citation
--
--
Effective Date
--
--
Principles
Number/Tense
Words/Phrases
Numerals
Bonds
Comp Time
Time - Weeks
Time - Months
Liberal Con
--
--
Court Intent
Pa.R.Civ.P. 127
Presumptions
Grammar
--
46 P.S. § 554
Common Law
Pari Materia
Inconsistent
--
--
--
Controls
Eff Date Amd
--
--
Amendatory
Merger
These rules of construction have guided the interpretation of the Rules of Civil Procedure. See, e.g., Bruno v. Erie Ins. Co., 106 A.3d 48 (Pa. 2014); Terra Technical Services, LLC v. River Station Land, L.P., 124 A.3d 289 (Pa. 2015).
Many of the other bodies of rules have rules of construction of varying degree. The Rules of Criminal Procedure, Rules of Juvenile Court Procedure, and Rules of Appellate Procedure simply reference the "rules of statutory construction" and address the consequence of procedural defect. The Rules of Orphans' Court Procedure incorporate by reference Pa.R.Civ.P. 102-153 but exclude Pa.R.Civ.P. 126.
The Rules of Civil Procedure Governing Actions and Proceedings Before Magisterial District Judges do not reference rules of construction but do contain rules based upon Pa.R.Civ.P. 106 and 108 for the computation of time. While users in this non-record forum may infrequently consult rules of construction, that does not eliminate the possibility of ambiguity arising from the application of procedural rules in ever-changing circumstances.
The Rules of Evidence do not reference rules of construction, relying instead on Pa.R.E. 102 ("These rules should be construed so as to administer every proceeding fairly, eliminate unjustifiable expense and delay, and promote the development of evidence law, to the end of ascertaining the truth and securing a just determination.") to guide the construction of the rules. Thus, the incorporation of rules of construction within the Rules of Evidence would be a new concept that does not appear in the Federal Rules of Evidence.
Evidentiary rules are not limited to the Rules of Evidence; there is a rich source of evidentiary rules contained in statutes. See, e.g., 42 Pa.C.S. §§ 6101-6160; 42 Pa.C.S. § 5985.1, § 5986, and § 5993. Those statutory-based evidentiary rules are subject to the rules of statutory construction set forth in Title 1 of Pennsylvania's Consolidated Statutes. Therefore, it would be consistent that rule-based evidentiary rules be subject to similar rules of construction. Additionally, the Court has previously applied the rules of statutory construction to a rule of evidence found in the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure. See Commonwealth v. McClelland, 233 A.3d 717, 734 (Pa. 2020) (discussing Pa.R.Crim.P. 542(E) and the admissibility of hearsay evidence at a preliminary hearing). This application is informative insofar as the Court has used rules of construction to guide the interpretation of a rule of evidence notwithstanding that the rule was not located in the Rules of Evidence.
To provide for uniform rules of construction for all procedural and evidentiary bodies of rules, the detailed rules of construction were removed from the Rules of Civil Procedure, revised if merited, and relocated to the Rules of Judicial Administration to immediately follow the rules governing the rulemaking process. Having one set of rules of construction for all bodies of rules will permit readers to understand their application across all rules rather than a particular body of rules. Further, replicating the same rules of construction within each body of rules seemed unnecessarily duplicative and may invite inconsistency in the application of identically worded rules. Therefore, any rules of construction organic to a body of rules have been removed with each body of rules thereafter containing a reference to the Rules of Judicial Administration concerning the rules of construction. Additionally, insofar as practicable, the title to the rule within each body of rules referencing the Rules of Judicial Administration includes the term "Construction" as a common signal.
However, not every rule of construction found in the Rules of Civil Procedure has been relocated to the Rules of Judicial Administration. Pa.R.Civ.P. 105 concerning bonds would remain in the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure because that rule is specific to civil proceedings. Application of that guidance to other bodies of rules may unintentionally conflict with existing provisions. See, e.g., Pa.R.Crim.P. 525 (bail bond).
Pa.R.Civ.P. 104 concerning Roman numerals and Arabic numerals being deemed parts of the English language has been omitted from the newly established rules of construction. Such an anachronistic provision appeared unnecessary for the modern construction of judicial rules. There is a dearth of Pennsylvania cases litigating the meaning of numerals within the rules based simply on the fact that they are expressed as numbers rather than stated in English, e.g., "VII" v. "7" v. "seven." While that may owe to the existence of Pa.R.Civ.P. 104 and 1 Pa.C.S. § 1904, it is submitted that any ambiguity may be resolved by the context in which the numerals are used and not whether numerals are or are not part of the English language. For example, "1/2" can be an expression of a mathematical operation or a date, which may be an ambiguity resolved by examining its context, but its existence cannot be ignored because Arabic numbers were used. The rejected need for such a rule is exemplified by the discontinued use of the numero sign, i.e., "No.," in the citation of the rules.
Consideration was given to whether the rules of construction should be further modified to improve readability and applicability to rules, as opposed to statutes. As observed, the Rules of Civil Procedure's rules of construction were largely based on the rules of statutory construction. Therefore, there was merit in preserving the operative text to the extent it was feasible. This approach allows the application of the statutory rules of construction to inform the application of the judicial rules of construction given that both are similarly worded. Further, this maintains consistency with prior Court interpretations of rules citing the statutory rules of construction. Additionally, this consistency reduces the complexity for the reader to understand and employ two different rules of construction. Notwithstanding the goal of maintaining existing language, there were some aspects of the rules of construction that were revised to clarify their application.
A proposal was published for comment, see 51 Pa.B. 5532 (September 4, 2021). A commenter supporting the proposal suggested that a provision similar to Pa.R.Civ.P. 126 be added to the proposed rules of construction. That rule states:
The rules shall be liberally construed to secure the just, speedy and inexpensive determination of every action or proceeding to which they are applicable. The court at every stage of any such action or proceeding may disregard any error or defect of procedure which does not affect the substantial rights of the parties.Pa.R.Civ.P. 126. A similar provision is contained in Pa.R.O.C.P. 1.2(a).
Similar provisions exist in the federal rules. See, e.g., Fed.R.Civ.P. 1 ("They should be construed, administered, and employed by the court and the parties to secure the just, speedy, and inexpensive determination of every action and proceeding."); Fed.R.Crim.P. 2 ("These rules are to be interpreted to provide for the just determination of every criminal proceeding, to secure simplicity in procedure and fairness in administration, and to eliminate unjustifiable expense and delay.").
The Pennsylvania Rules of Juvenile Court Procedure contain a provision similar to the first sentence of Pa.R.Civ.P. 126, see Pa.R.J.C.P. 101(A)-(B); 1101(A)-(B), as do the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, see Pa.R.Crim.P. 101(A)-(B), as do the Pennsylvania Rules of Evidence, see Pa.R.E. 102 ("These rules should be construed so as to administer every proceeding fairly, eliminate unjustifiable expense and delay, and promote the development of evidence law, to the end of ascertaining the truth and securing a just determination."). Similarly, the Pennsylvania Rules of Appellate Procedure contain a "just, speedy, and inexpensive" provision. See Pa.R.A.P. 105(a). There is no analogue to Pa.R.Civ.P. 126 in the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure Before Magisterial District Judges.
The absence of such a provision is likely due to factors including court-driven scheduling, court-directed service, jurisdictional limits, lack of discovery, non-record proceedings, and ability for a de novo appeal, which contribute to timely and efficient proceedings notwithstanding a provision.
The first sentence of Pa.R.Civ.P. 126, and similar provisions in the other bodies of rules, will aid the construction of the rules. Pa.R.J.A. 109 sets forth the presumptions in ascertaining the Supreme Court's intention in the adoption or amendment of a rule. That rule has been revised to set forth the following in subdivision (b): "The Supreme Court intends a rule to be construed to secure the just, speedy, and inexpensive determination of every action or proceeding to which it is applicable." This presumption is only one of several presumptions in ascertaining intent. For example, the presumption of a "just, speedy, and inexpensive determination" must be balanced by the presumptions that the Court did not intend to violate the United States or Pennsylvania Constitutions.
Omitted from this presumption is any mention of "strict" or "liberal" because using those adjectives to describe the manner of construction may displace the very purpose of the other rules of construction or create an internal inconsistency within the rules of construction. Those adjectives are more appropriate for application of the rules, not their construction.
Concomitantly with the post-publication revision of Pa.R.J.A. 109 to add the language similar to the first sentence of Pa.R.Civ.P. 126 for the construction of rules, the existing "just, speedy, and inexpensive" provisions within the Rules of Civil Procedure, Rules of Orphans' Court Procedure, Rules of Criminal Procedure, Rules of Juvenile Court Procedure, Rules of Appellate Procedure, and Rules of Evidence have been retained with clarification that those provisions are to be used when applying the rules.
The second sentence of Pa.R.Civ.P. 126 informs the reader how the rules should be applied in light of procedural non-compliance: "The court at every stage of any such action or proceeding may disregard any error or defect of procedure which does not affect the substantial rights of the parties." See also Womer v. Hilliker, 908 A.2d 269, 276 (Pa. 2006) ("[W]e incorporated equitable considerations in the form of a doctrine of substantial compliance into Rule 126, giving the trial courts the latitude to overlook any 'procedural defect' that does not prejudice a party's rights."). This authority can be used to determine whether "near misses" may result in procedural default. See, e.g., Deek Investment, L.P. v. Murray, 157 A.3d 491, 494 (Pa. Super. 2017).
A rule governing the application of the rules was not included as part of the rules of construction. The rules of construction are intended for the interpretation of ambiguous rules. See also Bruno v. Erie Ins. Co., 106 A.3d 48, 74 n.21 (Pa. 2014) (noting there is no need to resort to rules of construction when the language of rule is unambiguous). Rules like the second sentence of Pa.R.Civ.P. 126 guide the application of the rules regardless of the presence of ambiguity. Further, there is a varied practice based upon rule and case law concerning what type of error may be disregarded or result in procedural default. Hence, the authority of certain courts to disregard procedural errors and defects remains within the individual bodies of rules where those provisions currently exist.
Further revisions to the procedural and evidentiary bodies of rules include:
• Retitling Pa.R.Civ.P. 126 as "Application and Construction of Rules"; adding titles to the subdivisions; replacing "construed" with "applied" in subdivision (a); changing "substantial" to "substantive"; and updating the disposition table in the Comment.
• Retitling Pa.R.O.C.P. 1.2 as "Purpose, Application, and Construction of Rules"; adding titles to the subdivisions; and moving the operative language from subdivision (a) to subdivision (b), including the replacement of "construed" with "applied."
• Retitling Pa.R.Crim.P. 101 as "Purpose, Application, and Construction of Rules"; adding titles to the subdivisions; and replacing "construed" with "applied" in subdivision (b).
• Retitling Pa.R.J.C.P. 101 and 1101 as "Purpose, Application, and Construction of Rules"; adding titles to the subdivisions; merging subdivision (c) into subdivision (a); renumbering subdivision (D) as subdivision (c); and replacing "construed" with "applied" in subdivision (b).
• Retitling Pa.R.A.P. 105 as "Application of Rules and Enlargement of Time"; retitling subdivision (a); and replacing "construed" with "applied" in subdivision (a).
• Retitling Pa.R.E.102 as "Application of Rules"; and replacing "construed" with "applied."
• Corollary revisions have been made to Pa.R.Civ.P. 237.1(a)(2), 1007.1, 1020, 1601, and 2225, Pa.R.Crim.P. 600, cmt., Pa.R.A.P. 107 and 903, Pa.R.Civ.P.M.D.J. 204, and Pa.R.E. 101 and 103.
The current rules of construction have been removed from Pa.R.Civ.P. 101-104, 106-108, and 127-153, and are now located in Pa.R.J.A. 104 - 115. Differences between the two bodies of rules as they relate to this rulemaking include:
Pa.R.J.A. 104. Principles of Interpretation. - Formerly Pa.R.Civ.P. 101
The title has been revised from "Principles of Interpretation" to "Principles of Construction" to reflect existing rule text. Additionally, "any rule" has been revised to specify that the rules of construction are only intended to apply to procedural or evidentiary rules adopted by the Court. Other rules adopted by the Court and rules adopted by other authorities may be subject to construction, but these rules are not mandated in their construction.
Pa.R.J.A. 105. Number. Tense. - Formerly Pa.R.Civ.P. 102
No revisions were made to the existing language. This rule differs from 1 Pa.C.S. § 1902 insofar as the provision regarding gender was removed from Pa.R.Civ.P. 102 in rulemaking dated April 12, 1999.
Pa.R.J.A. 106. Words and Phrases. - Formerly Pa.R.Civ.P. 103
A Comment has been added to the rule.
Pa.R.J.A. 107. Computation of Time. - Formerly Pa.R.Civ.P. 106, 107, and 108
This rule is a consolidation of Pa.R.Civ.P. 106-108 and reflects the Court's prior use of 1 Pa.C.S. § 1908 for the computation of time. See, e.g., City of Philadelphia v. F.A. Realty Investors Corp., 256 A.3d 429 (Pa. 2021) (granting petition for allowance of appeal, vacating the intermediate appellate court's order, and remanding for further proceedings after concluding petitioners filed a timely Pa.R.A.P. 1925(b) statement, citing 1 Pa.C.S. § 1908). The text of Pa.R.Civ.P.M.D.J. 203, which is largely reiterative of Pa.R.J.A. 107(a)-(b), (d), was retained in that body of rules so that unrepresented parties are not required to consult another body of rules for the computation of time.
Pa.R.J.A. 108. Construction of Rules. Intent of Supreme Court Controls. - Formerly Pa.R.Civ.P. 127
Some of the factors that may be considered in determining the intention of the Supreme Court have been replaced to include specific sources of information germane to rulemaking. From these sources, the reader can understand the Supreme Court's intent. A Comment has also been added to assist the reader and reference limits placed on certain sources.
The factors contained in Pa.R.Civ.P. 127 that were retained include: 1) the contemporaneous history of the rule, i.e., "rulemaking history"; 2) the practice followed under the rule; and 3) the consequences of a particular interpretation. Factors added are: 1) the Court's precedent; and 2) commentary accompanying the rule. These new factors are based upon Touloumes v. E.S.C., 899 A.2d 343, 348 (Pa. 2006) (relying upon prior Court opinions involving same rule for purposes of construction), and Pa.R.J.A. 103, Comment ("Effective October 1, 2021, "rule" includes the rule text and any accompanying commentary such as a note or comment. Such commentary, while not binding, may be used to construe or apply the rule text.").
The factors removed were: 1) the occasion and necessity for the rule; 2) the circumstances under which it was promulgated; 3) the mischief to be remedied; and 4) the object to be attained. These factors require the reader to consider "why" the rule exists, which is subsumed within the "rulemaking history" and discussed within the Comment to Pa.R.J.A. 108. See also Pa.R.J.A. 103(a)(1) (requiring Rules Committees to include a publication report containing the rationale for proposed rulemaking); Touloumes, supra (relying upon Committee reports for purposes of construction).
To retain these specific factors suggests to the reader that any source describing "why" a rule exists may be indicative of the Supreme Court's intent. This raises a concern that sources outside of the rulemaking process may be relied upon, including periodicals, journals, trade publications, interviews, and newspapers. There is no assurance that these other sources are trustworthy, reliable, accurate, and not self-serving. Instead, the reader is directed to "the rulemaking history" within Pa.R.J.A. 108 with the Comment referencing Pa.R.J.A. 103 and Rules Committees' reports. See also Laudenberger v. Port Auth. of Allegheny Cty., 436 A.2d 147, 151 (Pa. 1981) (the Supreme Court stating that such reports "indicate the spirit and motivation behind the drafting of the rule, and they serve as guidelines for understanding the purpose for which the rule was drafted").
Post-publication, the current factor of "the prior practice, if any, including other rules and Acts of Assembly upon the same or similar subjects" was retained as subdivision (c)(7). The prior practice, especially if giving rise to subsequent rulemaking, may inform the construction of the present rule.
Rule 109. Presumptions in Ascertaining the Intent of the Supreme Court. -Formerly Pa.R.Civ.P. 128 Stylistic revisions have been made, but the substance of Pa.R.Civ.P. 128 is preserved.
Rule 110. Titles, Conditions, Exceptions, and Headings. - Formerly Pa.R.Civ.P. 129
The term "provisos" has been replaced with "conditions" to reflect current rulemaking terminology. Additionally, reference to "use of notes and explanatory comments" has been removed from the title and rule. That reference can now be found at Pa.R.J.A. 108(c)(2) as "commentary."
Rule 111. Rules in Derogation of the Common Law. - Formerly Pa.R.Civ.P. 130
No revisions were made to the existing language.
Rule 112. Rules In Pari Materia. - Formerly Pa.R.Civ.P. 131
Post-publication, language was inserted into the rule to limit the application of the in pari materia concept to the single body of rules being interpreted.
Rule 113. Particular Controls General. - Formerly Pa.R.Civ.P. 132
No revisions were made to the existing language.
Rule 114. Construction of Rule Amendments. - Formerly Pa.R.Civ.P. 152 & 153
This rule consolidates former Pa.R.Civ.P. 152 (Construction of Amendatory Rules) and 153 (Merger of Subsequent Amendments) as separate subdivisions. Subdivision (a) was added to describe the significance of textual indicators when reading amended rule text.
Rule 115. Procedures Inconsistent with Rules. - Formerly Pa.R.Civ.P. 133
Pa.R.J.A. 115 is intended to assist the reader in the construction of statewide procedural rules when there may be conflicting statutory procedures or local rules of procedure. Notably, the rule references "procedures," which is intended to exclude substantive rules of evidence that may be enacted by statute. See Commonwealth v. Olivo, 127 A.3d 769, 780 (Pa. 2015) (concluding the statutory rule of evidence does not violate the Supreme Court's authority over procedural rules). It should also be noted that some bodies of rules have savings clauses for statutory procedures. See, e.g., Pa.R.Civ.P. 1910.45; Pa.R.A.P. 5102. This rule would not displace the operation of those statutory procedures because they would not be "inconsistent" with the rules; rather, they are "saved" by the rules.
Post-publication, the original text from Pa.R.Civ.P. 133 ("All laws shall be suspended to the extent that they are inconsistent with rules prescribed under the Constitution of 1968.") was retained and incorporated into this rule.
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This rulemaking becomes effective January 1, 2024.