Rule 205.4 - Electronic Filing And Service Of Legal Papers(a)(1) The Chester County Court of Common Pleas hereby permits the electronic filing of legal papers and the electronic service of such papers, under the terms described in this Local Rule. The actions and proceedings subject to this rule are all civil matters other than family court matters. All legal papers in all civil matters other than family court matters are subject to this rule. As used in this rule, all words specifically defined in Pa.R.C.P. No. 205.4(a)(2) shall have the same meaning when used in this rule as when used in Pa.R.C.P. No. 205.4.(b)(1) All legal papers shall be presented for electronic filing in portable document format ("pdf"). As authorized by Pa.R.C.P. No. 205.4(b)(1), in the event any legal paper is submitted to the Prothonotary for filing in other than portable document format, including being presented in a hard-copy format, the Prothonotary shall convert such legal paper to portable document format and maintain the legal paper in portable document format. The Prothonotary shall return the hard-copy legal paper to the filing party for retention as required by Pa.R.C.P. No. 205.4(b)(4).(c)(2) All legal papers that are filed electronically shall be filed through the Prothonotary's Electronic Filing System ("Electronic Filing System") which shall be accessible through the Chester County Prothonotary's web site, www.efiling.chesco.org. To obtain access to the Electronic Filing System, counsel and any unrepresented party must apply to the Prothonotary's Office for a User Name and Password.(d)(1) The Prothonotary will accept for payment of all filing fees the following credit and debit cards: Discover, MasterCard and Visa. The Prothonotary will not accept advance deposit on account of future filing fees.(f)(1) Upon receipt of the legal paper, the Prothonotary shall provide the filing party with an acknowledgment, which includes the date and time the legal paper was received by the Electronic Filing System. The Prothonotary shall also provide the filing party with notice that the legal paper was accepted for filing. If a legal paper is not accepted upon presentation for filing or is refused for filing by the Electronic Filing System, the Prothonotary 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) 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. (3) The Prothonotary's fees and costs shall be paid by credit card when legal papers are filed using the Electronic Filing System. Payment of all costs and fees for the filing of a legal paper presented by a filing party at the office of the Prothonotary for electronic filing shall be paid by credit card as set forth above or by check or cash. Chest. Cnty. Ct. Comm. Plea. R. 205.4
Adopted December 19, 2013, effective 1/24/2014.