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IMPLEMENTATION OF FINAL PHASE OF MANDATORY E-FILING IN THE ORPHANS’ COURT DIVISION

Effective Tuesday, January 16, 2024, Adoption Petitions, Termination of Parental Rights Petitions, Assisted Conception Birth Registration Petitions (select Adoption as case type in OFS) and ECT Petitions must be e-filed.

DEATH CASE SETTLEMENT PETITIONS AND MINORS’ COMPROMISE PETITIONS

No petition to approve settlement of a minor’s action or a death case actions will be accepted for filing in a Civil Case unless authorized by a Case Management Order entered after submission of a draft for review to a separate Orphans’ Court file number. See, Section III(B) of OFS Orphan Court Guidelines in Self-Help Section below for directions to obtain OC File number to submit settlement petitions.

NOTICE

FROM THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

NEW PROCEDURE FOR E-FILING IN CIVIL/FAMILY CASES

When e-filing any document other than original process in Civil or Family cases, the following procedures shall be followed commencing October 1, 2022:

When attorneys or pro se parties e-file a document, the Odyssey system will default to “e-file and serve” rather than to “e-file.”  This will constitute good service under the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure and the Lehigh County Rules of Procedure.

Attorneys and parties must keep their email addresses up to date with the Clerk of Judicial Records (“COJR”) and will be e-served at that email address. If their email address changes, they must file a Change Of Address form with COJR. The email address on record with COJR are that attorney or party’s record address for service purposes. Neither a Judge, nor Court Administration, nor Family Court Administration can change the record address of an attorney or party.

In addition to the above, attorneys and parties must keep their regular mailing addresses up to date with COJR as their record mailing addresses.

NOTICE: Fees for the electronic filing of Court Documents are not refundable upon acceptance of the filing papers by the Clerk of Judicial Records – Civil Division. Legal assistance by the Clerk in these matters is not allowed.

Effective February 15, 2023, except as specifically exempted by the Court, electronic filing will be mandatory in all new and pending Register of Wills case types.  On or about April 1, 2023, except as specifically exempted by the Court, electronic filing will be mandatory in all new and pending Orphans’ Court case types.  Please review the OFS Orphans' Court and OFS Register of Wills Guidelines under Self Help. Protection from Abuse cases are not available for e-filing.

When presenting a motion in Motions Court or on a Judge's Walk-in Motions day, whether it is an emergency or notice was given to the opposing side, the motion must first be e-filed along with a COMPLETED Notice of Presentation (Date, time, courtroom, and Judge) and a Proposed Order. The filing party shall bring a time-stamped copy of the motion and proposed order with them to Court. Once the Judge signs the order, it will then be e-filed by the Court.

NOTE: Documents/Filings are not considered filed of record until the sender has received an "Accepted Filing Notification" from Odyssey File & Serve. The "Submitted Filing Notification" is not confirmation of filing; that message merely confirms the document has been submitted for filing.

Please remember that by signing up to use Odyssey File & Serve you are agreeing to accept service by electronic means and have a continuing obligation to update your contact information, including a current e-mail address.

Important Notice: When validating your Bar ID please enter all seven digits, including leading zeros. Example: 0123456

When filing a judgment, please use the 236 Notice available on www.lccpa.org. The form may be located here.