Rule 1018. Caption.
Every pleading shall contain a caption setting forth the name of the court, the number of the action and the name of the pleading. The caption of a complaint shall set forth the form of the action and the names of all the parties, including a Doe designation for an unknown defendant as provided in Rule 2005, but in other pleadings it is sufficient to state the name of the first party on each side in the complaint with an appropriate indication of other parties.
Official Note
Civil Actions and proceedings shall be captioned ‘‘Court of Common Pleas of
County—Civil Action’’ or other appropriate form of action.The caption of all legal papers filed in a medical professional liability action must contain the designation ‘‘Civil Action—Medical Professional Liability Action.’’ See Rule 1042.16.
The caption of all legal papers filed in a civil action by and against a minor must designate the minor by the initials of his or her first and last name. See Rule 2028.
Source The provisions of this Rule 1018 adopted June 25, 1946, effective January 1, 1947; amended October 15, 2004, effective immediately, 34 Pa.B. 5889; amended December 27, 2004, effective immediately, 35 Pa.B. 349; amended January 5, 2018, effective January 6, 2018, 48 Pa.B. 475; amended January 24, 2019, effective April 1, 2019, 49 Pa.B. 608. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (370002) and (390065).
Captioning and Docketing of Actions and Proceeding in the Courts of Common Pleas
ORDER
Effective February 8, 1969
(a) Matters heretofore within the jurisdiction of the Orphans’ Court shall be captioned as follows: ‘‘Court of Common Pleas of
County-Orphan’s Court Division’’ and shall be filed and docketed in the office or offices in which the records of the Orphans’ Court were heretofore maintained, as provided in Section 15 of the Schedule to Article V of the Constitution.(b) Civil actions and proceedings not covered by Subdivision (a) above shall be captioned as follows: ‘‘Court of Common Pleas of
County-Civil Action-Law’’ or ‘‘Civil Action-Equity’’, as the case may be, and shall be filed with and docketed by the prothonotary or clerk of courts as heretofore.(c) Criminal actions and proceedings shall be captioned as follows: ‘‘Court of Common Pleas of
County-Criminal’’, and shall be filed with the clerk of courts as provided by Section 15 of the Schedule to Article V of the Constitution.(d) Proceedings heretofore within the jurisdiction of the Juvenile Court shall be captioned as follows ‘‘Court of Common Pleas of
County-Juvenile’’ and shall be filed with the clerk of courts, as provided by Section 15 of the Schedule to Article V of the Constitution.(e) Local rules may require that the caption contain further identification of the nature of the action or proceeding.
(f) No action or proceeding may be dismissed by reason of an erroneous caption or docketing, but the court on motion of any party or on its own motion may correct the caption or direct appropriate docketing.
(g) Actions and proceedings in Multi-County Judicial Districts shall be captioned as follows: ‘‘Court of Common Pleas of the
Judicial District, County Branch. . .’’
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