Common Pleas Civil
Age of Pending Trial-Ready Cases
A breakdown of the Trial-Ready caseload by the interval of time
elapsed from the date the case is certified or Praeciped for Trial or otherwise
determined to be trial-ready to year-end.
Arbitrated Cases
A category for those Cases Docketed which are Civil Actions disposed
by a Board of Arbitrators following an evidentiary hearing. Note that these
cases are counted at disposition, not at referral to arbitration.
Arbitration Appeal
A category for those civil cases appealed de novo from an arbitration
award; counted when the case is determined to be trial-ready.
Cases Docketed
The number of Civil Actions or actions in Equity which have been filed
in the prothonotary's office and which are intended to be litigated. At this
initial point, cases are not yet trial-ready.
Cases Pending
The number of civil Trial-Ready Cases which were not disposed at year-end.
Civil Action
A category of civil cases in which an action is brought to enforce,
redress or protect private rights. It is an action heretofore asserted in
assumpsit or trespass (see Pennsylvania Rule of Civil Procedure 1001).
Disposition
(1) Of an Arbitrated Case: the decision by a Board of Arbitrators
following an evidentiary hearing;
(2) Of a Trial-Ready Case: termination of the case by a verdict reached by a
judge or a jury, a settlement reached by the litigants, the striking of the
case from the trial-ready list, or other action which resolves the issues of
the case.
Equity
A category of civil cases in which an action is brought whereby the plaintiff
generally seeks equitable relief (e.g., specific performance, injunctions).
Jury Trial
A disposition category for Trial-Ready Cases resolved by the verdict
of a jury.
New Cases Filed
The number of cases in which counsel has indicated to the court during
the year that the case is ready to go to trial; or, for those counties which do
not certify or Praecipe for Trial or for pre-trial, the number of cases placed
on the trial list during the year.
Non-Jury Trial
A disposition category for Trial-Ready Cases resolved by the verdict
of a judge.
Other (Civil Case)
A residual category of civil cases which are neither Civil Actions nor
Equity cases. This category includes mandamus, replevin, mortgage foreclosure,
paternity, etc., but does not include support, custody, visitation, or divorce
cases, which are included in the Family Court section.
Other (Disposition)
A residual disposition category for Trial-Ready Cases that includes
transfers to arbitration, transfers to inactive status, etc.
Praecipe for Trial
A form indicating to the prothonotary that a civil case should be
placed on a trial list. See New Cases Filed, Trial-Ready Case.
Restored Cases
A category of civil cases which have been restored (re-certified or
re-praeciped) to a trial list after having been Stricken from the list.
Settlements
A disposition category for Trial-Ready Cases in which the litigants in the
dispute come to an agreement over the issues at stake.
Stricken
A disposition category for Trial-Ready Cases removed from the
trial-ready list.
Trial-Ready Case
A Civil Action, Equity, or Other civil case which is certified or Praeciped for
Trial or for pre-trial; or, for those counties which do not certify or
praecipe, a civil action, equity, or other civil case which has been placed on
the trial list.
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