Orphans' Court Procedural Rules Committee

The Orphans’ Court Procedural Rules Committee reviews current rules governing statewide practice and procedure in the Orphans’ Court and recommends new rules as necessary.

Committee appointments are typically for six-year terms. In special circumstances the Supreme Court may extend or reduce the term of an appointment. Committee members are appointed by the Supreme Court and are knowledgeable about the Pennsylvania orphans' court rules and experienced in orphans' court practice in Pennsylvania. The Orphans’ Court Procedural Rules Committee has one ex-officio member who is identified by, and is a member of, the Pennsylvania Association of Court Management.

Committee Members

Kendra D. McGuire, Esq., Chair
Dianne C. Magee, Esq., Vice Chair
Hon. Lawrence J. O’Toole, Jr.
Shabrei M. Parker, Esq.
Christy Donofrio, Esq., ex officio
Hon. John J. McNally, III
Hon. Sara J. Seidle-Patton
Hon. Kelly A. Gaughan
Carol Sikov Gross, Esq.
Todd T. Jordan, Esq.

Staff Members

Pamela Walker, Counsel
Tricia D. Carbaugh, Assistant

Proposed Rules for Public Comment

Proposed Rules for Public Comment
Proposal	Deadline
Proposed Amendment of Pa.R.O.C.P. 14.2, 14.3, 14.4, 14.6, 14.7, 14.8, and 14.9	May 01, 2024

Approved Rules

Approved Rules
Description	Effective Date
Amendment of Pa.R.O.C.P. 14.8 Order - Jun. 12, 2023 Adoption Report - Jun. 12, 2023	April 01, 2024
Amendment of Pa.R.O.C.P. 1.2 Adoption Report - Nov. 3, 2023 Order - Nov. 3, 2023	January 01, 2024

Prior Proposed Rules

Prior Proposed Rules
Proposal	Deadline
Proposed Recission and Replacement of Register of Wills Forms RW-02 and RW-07	January 18, 2024
Proposed Amendment of Pa.R.A.P. 1517, 1732, 1781, 3307, and 3309; Adoption of Pa.R.Civ.P. 243 and 1930.10, Rescission of Pa.R.Civ.P. 1920.46, and Amendment of Pa.R.Civ.P. 216, 237.1, 1037, 1303, 1901.6, 1910.11, 1910.12, 1915.4-2, 1915.4-3, 1915.17, 1920.42, 1920.51, 1930.6, 1956, and 2955; Adoption of Pa.R.O.C.P. 2.12, 3.16, and 15.23, and Amendment of Pa.R.O.C.P. 14.1, 15.7, 15.8, 15.9, 15.10, and 15.13; Amendment of Pa.R.Crim.P. 150, 430, 431, and 515; Adoption of Pa.R.J.C.P. 1206, and Amendment of Pa.R.J.C.P. 1122, 1242, and 1406; and Amendment of Pa.R.Civ.P.M.D.J. 209, 304, 308, 403, 405, 410, 503, 506, 515, and 516. Publication Report Rule Text	November 16, 2023
Proposed Amendment of Pa.R.O.C.P. 15.2, 15.3, 15.7, 15.8, 15.9, 15.10, and 15.13	October 27, 2023
Internal Recommendation 105 - Proposed Adoption of Pa.R.O.C.P. 10.7	February 17, 2023
Proposed Amendment of Pa.R.O.C.P. 14.8	October 11, 2022
Proposed Amendment of Pa.R.O.C.P. 5.50 - Small estate revisions	July 15, 2022
Proposal regarding In Forma Pauperis	June 30, 2022
Proposed Adoption of Pa.R.O.C.P. 1.20	January 04, 2022
Proposed New Pa.R.J.A. 104-115; Rescission of Pa.R.Civ.P. 101-104, 106-108, & 127-153; Amendment of Pa.R.Civ.P. 126, Pa.R.O.C.P. 1.2, Pa.R.Crim.P. 101, Pa.R.J.C.P. 101 & 1101, Pa.R.A.P. 107 & 903, Pa.R.Civ.P.M.D.J. 204, Pa.R.E. 101	November 01, 2021
Proposed Amendment of Rules 1.3, 2.11, 9.1, 9.2, 9.4, 9.5, 9.6, 9.7 and 9.8	September 24, 2021
Proposed Adoption of Rule 10.7 - Digital Assets Publication	May 10, 2021
Proposed Amendment of Rule 10.5	May 07, 2021
Proposed Amendment of Pa.R.J.A. Nos. 101 and 103, Pa.R.C.P. Nos. 51 and 129, Pa.R.C.P.M.D.J. No. 201, and Pa.O.C. Rule 1.1	November 15, 2019
Custody of Exhibits Workgroup PROPOSAL	June 05, 2019
Publication Notice - Proposed Adoption of Pa. O.C. Rule 5.50	March 04, 2019
Publication Notice - Proposed Amendment to Pa. O.C. Rules 1.7, 2.5, 2.7, 3.7. 5.1 and 10.5	July 16, 2018
Publication Notice - Proposed Amendment of Pa. O.C. Rule 1.8 & Pa. O.C. Rule 10.1	April 06, 2018
Publication Notice - Proposed Amendment to Pa. O.C. Rules 2.1, 4.6 and 7.1	April 06, 2018
Publication Notice - Proposed Amendment to the Index to Appendix to remove Form RW-01, Estate Information Sheet	March 23, 2018
Republication Notice, Report, Rule, Appendix and Form regarding Guardianship Expert Report	October 23, 2017
Publication Notice, Report, Rules and Forms regarding Guardianship	September 21, 2017
Publication Notice - Report and Rules regarding Public Access Proposed new Rule 1.99, Proposed amendments to Rules 2.1, 2.4, 2.7-2.8, 2.10, 3.3-3.6, 3.9-3.11 and 3.14	September 12, 2017
Proposed Amendment of Rule 1.5, Proposed Rescission of Rules 14.1-14.5 and Orphans’ Court Forms G-01 through G-04, Proposed Adoption of New Rules 14.1-14.12 and Orphans’ Court Forms G-01 through G-07, and Proposed Amendment of the Appendix of Forms G 06 Notice Of Filing G 07 Certificate Of Guardianship Index to Appendix of OC and RW Forms G 03 Report Guardian Of The Person G 04 Guardian Inventory G 05 Written Deposition Incapacity G 06 Notice Of Filing G 07 Certificate Of Guardianship	February 27, 2017
Proposed Adoption of New Pa.O.C. Rule 14.6 and Form G-05 Deposition with Instructions Explanatory Report - April 22, 2016 Notice of Proposed Rule 14.6 and Form G-05	June 20, 2016
Proposed Rescission of Rules 15.1 through Rule 15.9 and replacement with the new rules of Chapter XV Chapter XV. Adoptions	March 16, 2016
Proposed Amendment of Pa.R.Crim.P. 105, Pa.Rs.J.C.P. 121 & 1121, and Pa.R.C.P. No. 239 with Rescission of Pa.R.C.P. No. 239.8	October 01, 2015
Publication Notice and Explanatory Report regarding Guardianship Forms Form G05 - Certificate of Filing Form G06 - Deposition Form G04 - Guardian Inventory Form G05 - Certificate of Filing Form G06 - Deposition	April 10, 2015
proposing new rules 15.2, 15.7, 15.9, 15.10, 15.14, 15.15, 15.16, 15.17, 15.18, 15.19, and 15.21, and amending and renumbering current Rules 15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 15.4, 15.5, 15.6, 15.7, 15.8, and 15.9 Publication Notice - October 16, 2013	December 27, 2013
Proposed New Pa.O.C. Rules 1.1 – 11.6 Proposed New Pa.O.C. Rules 1.1 – 11.6 & Explanatory Notes	June 13, 2013
Amendment to Rule 15.6	October 08, 2012