The following is a list of “reminders” that should help to expedite the processing of court documents filed in the Prothonotary's office:

• All documents filed in the Prothonotary's office must be on 8 ½” x 11” paper. Any paper longer than 11” will not be accepted for filing. (Lycoming County Rule of General Court Business L1) Also, please do not attach backers or headers.
• Case numbers must be noted on all documents.
• Originals and copies of all pleadings should have the filing parties’ signature affixed to same.
• Attorney I.D. numbers must be noted on all pleadings.
• All pleadings should have applicable cover sheets and proposed orders attached to them as prescribed by Local Rules of Court.
• The Sheriff requires a deposit for the service of complaints and writs. One copy of a complaint for each defendant is required. The Sheriff can be reached at 570-327-2280.
• All praecipes for writs must have a street address for each defendant. Post office box numbers are not acceptable.
• Our Sheriff will deputize the Sheriff of another county to serve a Writ of Summons, but will not do the same for Writs of Execution. These writs will be returned to the attorney.
• Number of copies needed for other court documents:
• Briefs – original for us plus two copies for Court Administrator.
• Preliminary Objections – original for Court Administrator and one for the Prothonotary’s Office.
• Motions and Petitions – original for Court Administrator plus whatever number of copies you will need conformed.
• Exceptions – Original for the Prothonotary’s Office plus two for Family Court.
• All pleadings to be considered by the Court must be numbered and time-stamped in the Prothonotary’s Office first. Courtesy copies should not be sent to the Court Administrator, Judges or Law Clerks. Exception to Rule: Continuance requests go directly to the Court Administrator.
• Routing slips should no longer be attached to motions, etc.
• Service of the Local Rule L206 cover sheet will be made by the Prothonotary, to only the parties listed in Item 6 of the cover sheet. Counsel of record or unrepresented parties and their addresses’ must be listed in Item 6. Service names should no longer be listed on the bottom of the sheet. The filing party of the motion and cover sheet should also provide to the Prothonotary enough copies of the pleading for all parties listed in Item 6.
• Plaintiff will still make service of the Initial Case Monitoring Notice and Order.
• Except for the filing attorney in a new action, all additional attorneys to that case number, must file a praecipe for entry of appearance. Otherwise, their name will not be added to the docket caption. This includes a replacement of counsel within the same law firm.
• Judgment notes, District Justice Judgments and Default Judgments should include a notice of entry and an addressed and stamped envelope for each debtor. DJ Judgments with multiple defendants – we need a separate judgment certification form from the District Justice for each defendant.
• Discovery materials will not be accepted for filing – depositions, interrogatories, requests for production of documents, answers to interrogatories (unless by a garnishee) and response to request for production of documents. However, we will record certificates of service for the above and will file a notice of taking deposition.
• Faxed documents are not accepted for filing in the Prothonotary’s Office.
• Vital Statistics forms no longer need to be filed in the Prothonotary’s Office.