Rule 905. Filing of Notice of Appeal.

(a) Filing with clerk.

(1) Two copies of the notice of appeal, the order for transcript, if any, 

and the proof of service required by [Rule] Pa.R.A.P. 906 [(service of notice of 

appeal)], shall be filed with the clerk of the trial court. If the appeal is to the 

Supreme Court, the jurisdictional statement required by [Rule] Pa.R.A.P. 909 shall 

also be filed with the clerk of the trial court. 

(2) If the appeal is a children’s fast track appeal, [the] a concise 

statement of errors complained of on appeal as described in [Rule] Pa.R.A.P.

1925(a)(2) shall be filed with the notice of appeal and served on the trial judge in 

accordance with [Rule 1925(b)(1)] Pa.R.A.P. 906(a)(2). 

(3) Upon receipt of the notice of appeal, the clerk shall immediately 

stamp it with the date of receipt, and that date shall constitute the date when the 

appeal was taken, which date shall be shown on the docket. 

(4) If a notice of appeal is mistakenly filed in an appellate court, or is 

otherwise filed in an incorrect office within the unified judicial system, the clerk shall 

immediately stamp it with the date of receipt and transmit it to the clerk of the court 

which entered the order appealed from, and upon payment of an additional filing 

fee the notice of appeal shall be deemed filed in the trial court on the date originally 

filed. 

(5) A notice of appeal filed after the announcement of a determination 

but before the entry of an appealable order shall be treated as filed after such entry 

and on the day thereof. 

(b) Transmission to appellate court.—The clerk shall immediately transmit to 

the prothonotary of the appellate court named in the notice of appeal a copy of the notice 

of appeal [showing the date of receipt, the related proof of service] and all 

attachments, as well as a receipt showing collection of any docketing fee in the appellate 

court required under [Subdivision] paragraph (c). If the appeal is a children’s fast track 

appeal, the clerk shall stamp the notice of appeal with a ‘‘Children’s Fast Track’’ 

designation in red ink, advising the appellate court that the appeal is a children’s fast track 

appeal, and the clerk shall also transmit to the prothonotary of the appellate court named 

in the notice of appeal the concise statement of errors complained of on appeal required 

by [Subdivision] subparagraph (a)(2) of this rule. The clerk shall also transmit with 

such papers: 
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1. [a copy of any order for transcript] copies of all orders for 

transcripts relating to orders on appeal; 

2. a copy of any verified statement, application, or other document filed 

under [Rule 551 through Rule 561] Pa.R.A.P. 551-561 relating to [in forma

pauperis] in forma pauperis; and 

3. if the appeal is to the Supreme Court, the jurisdictional statement 

required by [Rule] Pa.R.A.P. 909. 

(c) Fees.—The appellant upon filing the notice of appeal shall pay any fees 

therefor (including docketing fees in the appellate court) prescribed by Chapter 27 [(fees 

and costs in appellate courts and on appeal)].

Official Note: 

[Insofar as the clerk or prothonotary of the lower court is concerned, the notice of 

appeal is for all intents and purposes a writ in the nature of certiorari in the usual 

form issued out of the appellate court named therein and returnable thereto within 

the time prescribed by Chapter 19 (preparation and transmission of record and 

related matters)].

To preserve a mailing date as the filing date for an appeal as of right from an order of the 

Commonwealth Court, [see Rule] see Pa.R.A.P. 1101(b). 

As to number of copies, [see note to Rule 124 (form of papers; number of copies)]

see Pa.R.A.P. 124, note. The appellate court portion of the filing fee will be transmitted 

pursuant to regulations adopted under 42 Pa.C.S. § 3502 [(financial regulations)].

[Pending adoption of such rules the subject is regulated by Paragraph 4 of the 

Order amending this rule, which provides as follows: 

‘‘4. Pending adoption of initial regulations under 42 Pa.C.S. § 3502 (financial 

regulations), the docketing fee (currently $12 in the Supreme Court and the 

Superior Court and $25 in the Commonwealth Court) paid through the clerk 

or prothonotary of the lower court pursuant to Rule 905(c) (fees) of the 

Pennsylvania Rules of Appellate Procedure shall be transmitted as follows: 

(a) If the docketing fee is tendered by check payable to the 

appellate prothonotary, the clerk or prothonotary of the lower court 

shall transmit the check pursuant to Rule 905(b). 
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(b) If the docketing fee is tendered by check payable to the clerk or 

prothonotary of the lower court he or she shall endorse it without 

recourse to the appropriate appellate prothonotary and transmit the 

check pursuant to Rule 905(b). 

(c) If the docketing fee is tendered in cash the clerk or prothonotary 

of the lower court shall draw a check in like amount on the account of 

such clerk or prothonotary to the order of the appropriate appellate 

prothonotary and transmit the check pursuant to Rule 905(b). 

(d) In matters arising under 42 Pa.C.S. § 723 (appeals from the 

Commonwealth Court), the appellant shall tender the docketing fee in 

the Supreme Court to the Prothonotary of the Commonwealth Court 

by check payable to the order of the Prothonotary of the Supreme 

Court, which shall be transmitted pursuant to Rule 905(b).’’] 

[The better practice will be to pay the fee for filing the notice of appeal in the lower 

court and the docketing fee in the appellate court by separate checks payable to 

the respective clerks or prothonotaries] 

[The 1982 amendment to Subdivision (a) corrects deficiencies in previous practice 

which were illustrated in State Farm Mutual Auto. Ins. Co. v. Schultz, 281 Pa. Super. 

212, 421 A.2d 1224 (1980).]
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Rule 1922. Transcription of Notes of Testimony.

(a) [General Rule.--Upon receipt of the order for transcript and any 

required deposit to secure the payment of transcript fees the official court reporter 

shall proceed to have his notes transcribed, and not later than 14 days after receipt 

of such order and any required deposit shall lodge the transcript (with proof of 

service of notice of such lodgment on all parties to the matter) with the clerk of the 

trial court. Such notice by the court reporter shall state that if no objections are 

made to the text of the transcript within five days after such notice, the transcript 

will become a part of the record. If objections are made the difference shall be 

submitted to and settled by the trial court. The trial court or the appellate court may 

on application or upon its own motion shorten the time prescribed in this 

subdivision.] Request for Transcripts.—An appellant may file a request for 

transcripts under Pennsylvania Rule of Judicial Administration 4007 prior to or 

concurrent with the notice of appeal. If a deposit is required, the appellant shall 

make the deposit at the time of the request for the transcript unless the appellant 

is requesting a waiver of the cost because of economic hardship. Unless another 

Rule of Appellate Procedure provides a shorter time, the court reporter shall 

provide the trial judge with the transcript within 14 days of the request for 

transcript. When the appellant receives notice under Rule of Judicial 

Administration 4007(D)(3) that the transcript has been prepared, the appellant has 

14 days to pay the final balance in compliance with that rule.

(b) [Diminution of transcription.

(1) In civil cases, an application for an order providing that less 

than the entire proceedings shall be transcribed may be made to the trial 

court by any party within two days after the order for transcript is filed. A 

party shall have the right to require that any specified part of the notes of 

testimony or recordings be transcribed, subject to the applicable 

requirements for the payment of transcript fees. 

(2) In criminal cases, diminution of transcription shall be in 

accordance with Rule 115 of the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure 

(recording and transcribing court proceedings). 

(3) In any case, untranscribed notes or recordings shall not be part 

of the record on appeal for any purpose.] Filing of the Transcript.—When the 

transcript is delivered to the filing office and the parties under Rule of 

Judicial Administration 4007(D)(4), the transcript shall be entered on the 

docket. 
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(c) [Certification and filing.—The trial judge shall examine any part of the 

transcript as to which an objection is made pursuant to subdivision (a) of this rule 

or which contains the charge to the jury in a criminal proceeding, and may examine 

any other part of the transcript, and after such examination and notice to the parties 

and opportunity for objection (unless previously given) shall correct such 

transcript. If the trial judge examines any portion of the transcript, he shall certify 

thereon, by reference to the page and line numbers or the equivalent, which 

portions thereof he has read and corrected. If no objections are filed to the 

transcript as lodged, or after any differences have been settled or other corrections 

have been made by the court, the official court reporter shall certify the transcript, 

and cause it to be filed with the clerk of the lower court.] Corrections to 

Transcript.—If a transcript contains an error or is an incomplete representation of 

the proceedings, the omission or misstatement may be corrected by the following 

means:

(1) By objection. A party may file a written objection to the filed 

transcript. Any party may answer the objection. The trial court shall resolve 

the objections and then direct that the transcript as corrected be made a part 

of the record and transmitted to the appellate court. 

(2) By stipulation of the parties filed in the trial court. If the trial 

court clerk has already certified the record, the parties shall file in the 

appellate court a copy of any stipulation filed pursuant to this rule, and the 

trial court shall direct that the transcript as corrected be made a part of the 

record and transmitted to the appellate court.

(3) By the trial court or, if the record has already been transmitted 

to the appellate court, by the appellate court or trial court on remand, with 

notice to all parties and an opportunity to respond.

(d) Emergency appeals.—Where the exigency of the case is such as to impel 

immediate consideration in the appellate court, the trial judge shall take all action 

necessary to expedite the preparation and transmission of the record notwithstanding the 

usual procedures prescribed in this chapter or in the Rules of Judicial Administration. 

[Pending action by the lower court under this subdivision any party may proceed 

in the appellate court under Rule 1923 (statement in absence of transcript) and may 

append to any filing in the appellate court as much of the record below as the party 

desires to bring to the attention of the appellate court.]

Official Note: [Based in part upon former Supreme Court Rule 56, former Superior 

Court Rule 46, and former Commonwealth Court Rule 25 and the act of May 11, 

1911 (P. L. 279, No. 179), § 4 (12 P. S. § 1199). The 14 day requirement is designed 

to fix an objective standard to guide the official court reporter and the lower court, 
6

so as to permit the settling of any objections by the lower court and the physical 

preparation and transmission by the clerk of the record within the 40 day period 

fixed by Rule 1931 (transmission of the record). Although under these rules a writ 

of certiorari is no longer issued, the requirements of these rules have the effect of 

a Supreme Court order, and the lower court is expected to give the transcription of 

notes of testimony under this rule priority over unappealed matters in the lower 

court. 

The certification requirement of subdivision (c) recognizes that in practice the trial 

judge ordinarily will not actually read the transcript prior to certification unless 

objection is made by one of the parties. However, the rule requires the judge to 

review and correct the charge in criminal cases, to avoid the problems which arise 

when a later attempt is made by the trial judge under Rule 1926 (correction and 

modification of the record) to conform the transcript to his recollection of events.] 

Depending on the order issued by the trial court, a party may wish to seek appellate 

review of an order under paragraph (c) by application or in the merits brief. The 

2017 amendments addressed changes in the Rules of Judicial Administration. In 

addition, the amendment eliminated time limits for objections to or requests for 

correction of the transcript. An objection to a transcript must be raised if, for 

example, a critical portion of the proceedings was not transcribed. 
7

Rule 1925. Opinion in Support of Order.

(a) Opinion in support of order.

(1) General rule.—Except as otherwise prescribed by this rule, upon 

receipt of the notice of appeal, the judge who entered the order giving rise to the 

notice of appeal, if the reasons for the order do not already appear of record, shall 

[forthwith] within the period set forth in Pa.R.A.P. 1931(a)(1) file of record at 

least a brief opinion of the reasons for the order, or for the rulings or other errors 

complained of, or shall specify in writing the place in the record where such 

reasons may be found.

If the case appealed involves a ruling issued by a judge who was not the 

judge entering the order giving rise to the notice of appeal, the judge entering the 

order giving rise to the notice of appeal may request that the judge who made the

earlier ruling provide an opinion to be filed in accordance with the standards above 

to explain the reasons for that ruling.

(2) Children's fast track appeals.—In a children's fast track appeal:

 (i) The concise statement of errors complained of on 

appeal shall be filed and served with the notice of appeal [required 

by Rule 905. See Pa.R.A.P. 905(a)(2)].

 (ii) Upon receipt of the notice of appeal and the concise 

statement of errors complained of on appeal required by [Rule] 

Pa.R.A.P. 905(a)(2), the judge who entered the order giving rise to 

the notice of appeal, if the reasons for the order do not already 

appear of record, shall within 30 days file of record at least a brief 

opinion of the reasons for the order, or for the rulings or other errors 

complained of, which may, but need not, refer to the transcript of the 

proceedings.

(3) Appeals arising under the Pennsylvania Code of Military Justice.—

In an appeal arising under the Pennsylvania Code of Military Justice, the concise 

statement of errors complained of on appeal shall be filed and served with the 

notice of appeal. See Pa.R.A.P. 4004(b).

(b) Direction to file statement of errors complained of on appeal; instructions to 

the appellant and the trial court.—If the judge entering the order giving rise to the notice 

of appeal (‘‘judge’’) desires clarification of the errors complained of on appeal, the judge 

may enter an order directing the appellant to file of record in the trial court and serve on 

the judge a concise statement of the errors complained of on appeal (‘‘Statement’’). 
8

(1) Filing and service.—The [A]appellant shall file of record the 

Statement and concurrently shall serve the judge. Filing of record shall be [and 

service on the judge shall be in person or by mail] as provided in Pa.R.A.P. 

121(a) and, if mail is used, shall be complete on mailing if the appellant obtains 

a United States Postal Service Form 3817, Certificate of Mailing, or other similar 

United States Postal Service form from which the date of deposit can be verified 

in compliance with the requirements set forth in Pa.R.A.P. 1112(c). Service on 

the judge shall be at the location specified in the order, and shall be either in 

person, by mail, or by any other means specified in the order. Service on the 

parties shall be concurrent with filing and shall be by any means of service 

specified under Pa.R.A.P. 121(c).

(2) Time for filing and service.—

(i) The judge shall allow the appellant at least 21 days from the date 

of the order’s entry on the docket for the filing and service of the Statement. 

Upon application of the appellant and for good cause shown, the judge may 

enlarge the time period initially specified or permit an amended or 

supplemental Statement to be filed. Good cause includes, but is not limited 

to, delay in the production of a transcript necessary to develop the 

Statement so long as the delay is not attributable to a lack of diligence in 

ordering or paying for such transcript by the party or counsel on appeal. In 

extraordinary circumstances, the judge may allow for the filing of a 

Statement or amended or supplemental Statement nunc pro tunc. 

(ii) If a party has ordered but not received a transcript 

necessary to develop the Statement, that party may request an 

extension of the deadline to file the Statement until 21 days following 

the date of entry on the docket of the transcript in accordance with 

Pa.R.A.P. 1922(b). The party must attach the transcript purchase order 

to the motion for the extension. If the motion is filed at least five days 

before the Statement is due but the trial court does not rule on the 

motion prior to the original due date, the motion will be deemed to 

have been granted. 

(3) Contents of order.—The judge’s order directing the filing and service 

of a Statement shall specify: 

(i) the number of days after the date of entry of the judge’s order 

within which the appellant must file and serve the Statement; 

 (ii) that the Statement shall be filed of record; 
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(iii) that the Statement shall be served on the judge pursuant to 

paragraph (b)(1)[;] and both the place the appellant can serve the 

Statement in person and the address to which the appellant can mail 

the Statement. In addition, the judge may provide an email, facsimile, 

or other alternative means for the appellant to serve the Statement on 

the judge; and

(iv) that any issue not properly included in the Statement timely 

filed and served pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be deemed waived. 

(4) Requirements; waiver.

(i) The Statement shall set forth only those [rulings or] errors 

that the appellant intends to [challenge] assert.

 (ii) The Statement shall concisely identify each [ruling or] error 

that the appellant intends to [challenge] assert with sufficient detail to 

identify [all pertinent issues] the issue to be raised for the judge. The 

judge shall not require the citation to authorities or the record; however, 

appellant may choose to include pertinent authorities and record citations

in the Statement.

 (iii) The judge shall not require [appellant or appellee] any party

to file a brief, memorandum of law, or response as part of or in conjunction 

with the Statement. 

(iv) The Statement should not be redundant or provide lengthy 

explanations as to any error. Where non-redundant, non-frivolous issues 

are set forth in an appropriately concise manner, the number of errors 

raised will not alone be grounds for finding waiver.

(v) Each error identified in the Statement will be deemed to 

include every subsidiary issue [contained therein which] that was raised 

in the trial court; this provision does not in any way limit the obligation of 

a criminal appellant to delineate clearly the scope of claimed constitutional 

errors on appeal.

(vi) If the appellant in a civil case cannot readily discern the basis 

for the judge’s decision, the appellant shall preface the Statement with an 

explanation as to why the Statement has identified the errors in only general 

terms. In such a case, the generality of the Statement will not be grounds 

for finding waiver. 
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(vii) Issues not included in the Statement and/or not raised in 

accordance with the provisions of this paragraph (b)(4) are waived. 

(c) Remand.

(1) An appellate court may remand in either a civil or criminal case for a 

determination as to whether a Statement had been filed and/or served or timely 

filed and/or served. 

(2) Upon application of the appellant and for good cause shown, an 

appellate court may remand in a civil case for the filing [nunc pro tunc] nunc pro 

tunc of a Statement or for amendment or supplementation of a timely filed and 

served Statement and for a concurrent supplemental opinion. If an appellant has 

a statutory or rule-based right to counsel, good cause shown includes a 

failure by counsel to file a Statement timely or at all.

(3) If an appellant represented by counsel in a criminal case was 

ordered to file a Statement and failed to do so or filed an untimely Statement, 

such that the appellate court is convinced that counsel has been [per se] per se

ineffective, and the trial court did not file an opinion, the appellate court [shall]

may remand for appointment of new counsel, the filing of a Statement [nunc 

pro tunc] nunc pro tunc, and [for] the preparation and filing of an opinion by the 

judge.

(4) In a criminal case, counsel may file of record and serve on the judge 

a statement of intent to file an Anders/[McClendon] Santiago brief in lieu of filing 

a Statement. If, upon review of the Anders/[McClendon] Santiago brief, the 

appellate court believes that there are arguably meritorious issues for review, 

those issues will not be waived; instead, the appellate court may remand for the 

filing of a Statement, a supplemental opinion pursuant to [Rule] Pa.R.A.P.

1925(a), or both. Upon remand, the trial court may, but is not required to, replace 

appellant’s counsel. 

(d) Opinions in matters on petition for allowance of appeal.—Upon receipt of 

notice of the filing of a petition for allowance of appeal under [Rule] Pa.R.A.P. 1112(c) 

(appeals by allowance), the appellate court [below which] that entered the order sought 

to be reviewed, if the reasons for the order do not already appear of record, shall forthwith 

file of record at least a brief statement, in the form of an opinion, of the reasons for the 

order.
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Official Note:

[Subdivision] Paragraph (a): The 2007 amendments clarif[y]ied that a judge whose 

order gave rise to the notice of appeal may ask a prior judge who made a ruling in question 

for the reasons for that judge’s decision. In such cases, more than one judge may issue 

separate [Rule] Pa.R.A.P. 1925(a) opinions for a single case. It may be particularly 

important for a judge to author a separate opinion if credibility was at issue in the pretrial 

ruling in question. [See, e.g.] See, e.g., Commonwealth v. Yogel, [307 Pa. Super. 241, 

243-44,] 453 A.2d 15, 16 (Pa. Super. 1982). At the same time, the basis for some pretrial rulings will be clear from the order and/or opinion issued by the judge at the time the 

ruling was made, and there will then be no reason to seek a separate opinion from that 

judge under this rule. [See, e.g.] See, e.g., Pa.R.Crim.P. 581(I). Likewise, there will be 

times when the prior judge may explain the ruling to the judge whose order has given rise 

to the notice of appeal in sufficient detail that there will be only one opinion under [Rule]

Pa.R.A.P. 1925(a), even though there are multiple rulings at issue. The time period for 

transmission of the record is specified in Pa.R.A.P. 1931[, and that rule was 

concurrently amended to expand the time period for the preparation of the opinion 

and transmission of the record]. 

[Subdivision] Paragraph (b): This [subdivision] paragraph permits the judge whose 

order gave rise to the notice of appeal (‘‘judge’’) to ask for a statement of errors 

complained of on appeal (‘‘Statement’’) if the record is inadequate and the judge needs 

to clarify the errors complained of. The term ‘‘errors’’ is meant to encourage appellants 

to use the Statement as an opportunity to winnow the issues, recognizing that they will 

ultimately need to be refined to a statement that will comply with the requirements of 

Pa.R.A.P. 2116. Nonetheless, the term ‘‘errors’’ is intended in this context to be 

expansive, and it encompasses all of the reasons the trial court should not have reached 

its decision or judgment, including, for example, those that may not have been decisions 

of the judge, such as challenges to jurisdiction. 

[P]Subparagraph (b)(1): This subparagraph maintains the requirement that the 

Statement be both filed of record in the trial court and served on the judge. Service on 

the judge may be accomplished by mail, [or] by personal service, or by any other means 

set forth by the judge in the order. The date of mailing will be considered the date of 

filing [and of service upon the judge] only if counsel obtains a United States Postal 

Service form from which the date of mailing can be verified, as specified in Pa.R.A.P. 

1112(c). Counsel is advised both when filing and when serving the trial judge to 

retain date-stamped copies of [the] postal forms (or other proofs of timely service

[pleadings if served by hand]), in case questions of waiver arise later, to demonstrate

[as to whether] that the Statement was timely filed or served on the judge. This 

subparagraph was amended in 2019 to permit the increasingly frequent preference 

of judges to receive electronic or facsimile copies of filings.
12

[P]Subparagraph (b)(2): This subparagraph extends the time period for drafting the 

Statement from 14 days to at least 21 days, with the trial court permitted to enlarge the 

time period or to allow the filing of an amended or supplemental Statement upon good 

cause shown. In Commonwealth v. Mitchell, [588 Pa. 19, 41,] 902 A.2d 430, 444 (Pa.

2006), the Court expressly observed that a Statement filed ‘‘after several extensions of 

time’’ was timely. An enlargement of time upon timely application might be warranted if, 

for example, there was a serious delay in the transcription of the notes of testimony or in 

the delivery of the order to appellate counsel. The 2019 amendments to the rule 

provided the opportunity to obtain an extension of time to file the Statement until 

21 days after the transcript is filed pursuant to Pa.R.A.P. 1922(b). The appellant 

may file a motion for an extension of time, which, if filed in accordance with the 

rule, will be deemed granted if not expressly denied before the Statement is due. 

A trial court should also enlarge the time or allow for an amended or supplemental 

Statement when new counsel is retained or appointed. A supplemental Statement may 

also be appropriate when the ruling challenged was so non-specific—[e.g.] e.g., "Motion 

Denied"—that counsel could not be sufficiently definite in the initial Statement.

In general, [nunc pro tunc] nunc pro tunc relief is allowed only when there has been a 

breakdown in the process constituting extraordinary circumstances. [See, e.g.] See, e.g., 

In re Canvass of Absentee Ballots of Nov. 4, 2003 Gen. Election, [577 Pa. 231, 248-49,] 

843 A.2d 1223, 1234 (Pa. 2004) ("We have held that fraud or the wrongful or negligent 

act of a court official may be a proper reason for holding that a statutory appeal period 

does not run and that the wrong may be corrected by means of a petition filed [nunc pro 

tunc] nunc pro tunc.") Courts have also allowed [nunc pro tunc] nunc pro tunc relief 

when "non-negligent circumstances, either as they relate to appellant or his counsel" 

occasion delay. McKeown v. Bailey, 731 A.2d 628, 630 (Pa. Super. 1999). However, 

even when there is a breakdown in the process, the appellant must attempt to remedy it 

within a "very short duration" of time. [Id.] Id. [; Amicone v. Rok, 839 A.2d 1109, 1113 

(Pa. Super. 2003) (recognizing a breakdown in process, but finding the delay too 

long to justify nunc pro tunc relief).]

[P]Subparagraph (b)(3): This subparagraph specifies what the judge must advise 

appellants when ordering a Statement. 

[P]Subparagraph (b)(4): This subparagraph sets forth the parameters for the Statement 

and explains what constitutes waiver. It should help counsel to comply with the conciseyet-sufficiently-detailed requirement and avoid waiver under either Lineberger v. Wyeth, 

894 A.2d 141, 148-49 (Pa. Super. 2006) or Kanter v. Epstein, 866 A.2d 394, 400-03 (Pa. 

Super. 2004), allowance of appeal denied, [584 Pa. 678,] 880 A.2d 1239 (Pa. 2005), cert. 

denied sub nom. Spector Gadon & Rosen, P.C. v. Kanter, 546 U.S. 1092 (2006). The 

paragraph explains that the Statement should be sufficiently specific to allow the judge to 

draft the opinion required under Pa.R.A.P. 1925(a), and it provides that the number of 
13

issues alone will not constitute waiver—so long as the issues set forth are non-redundant 

and non-frivolous. It allows appellants to rely on the fact that subsidiary issues will be 

deemed included if the overarching issue is identified and if all of the issues have been 

properly preserved in the trial court. This provision has been taken from the United States 

Supreme Court rules. [See] See Sup. Ct. R. 14(1). This subparagraph does not in any 

way excuse the responsibility of an appellant who is raising claims of constitutional error 

to raise those claims with the requisite degree of specificity. This subparagraph also 

allows—but does not require—an appellant to state the authority upon which the appellant 

challenges the ruling in question[, but it expressly recognizes that a Statement is not 

a brief and that an appellant shall not file a brief with the Statement. This paragraph 

also recognizes that there may be times that a civil appellant cannot be specific in 

the Statement because of the non-specificity of the ruling complained of on appeal. 

In such instances, civil appellants may seek leave to file a supplemental Statement 

to clarify their position in response to the judge's more specific Rule 1925(a) 

opinion] and to identify the place in the record where the basis for the challenge 

may be found.

Neither the number of issues raised nor the length of the Statement alone is enough 

to find that a Statement is vague or non-concise enough to constitute waiver. See

Astorino v. New Jersey Transit Corp., 912 A.2d 308, 309 (Pa. Super. 2006). The 

more carefully the appellant frames the Statement, the more likely it will be that the 

judge will be able to articulate the rationale underlying the decision and provide a 

basis for counsel to determine the advisability of raising that issue on appeal. 

Thus, counsel should begin the winnowing process when preparing the Statement 

and should articulate specific errors with which the appellant takes issue and why. 

Nothing in the rule requires an appellant to articulate the arguments within a 

Statement. It is enough for an appellant—except where constitutional error must 

be raised with greater specificity—to have identified the rulings and issues in 

regard to which the trial court is alleged to have erred.

[Subdivision] Paragraph (c): The appellate courts have the right under the Judicial 

Code to "affirm, modify, vacate, set aside or reverse any order brought before it for review, 

and may remand the matter and direct the entry of such appropriate order, or require such 

further proceedings to be had as may be just under the circumstances." 42 Pa.C.S. § 

706. [The following additions to the rule are based upon this statutory 

authorization.]

[P]Subparagraph (c)(1): This subparagraph applies to both civil and criminal cases and 

allows an appellate court to seek additional information—whether by supplementation of 

the record or additional briefing—if it is not apparent whether an initial or supplemental 

Statement was filed and/or served or timely filed and/or served.
14

[P]Subparagraph (c)(2): This subparagraph allows an appellate court to remand a civil 

case to allow an initial, amended, or supplemental Statement and/or a supplemental 

opinion. [See also]See also 42 Pa.C.S. § 706. In 2019, the rule was amended to 

clarify that for those civil appellants who have a statutory or rules-based right to 

counsel (such as appellants in post-conviction relief, juvenile, parental termination, 

or civil commitment proceedings) good cause includes a failure of counsel to file 

a Statement or a timely Statement. 

[P]Subparagraph (c)(3): This subparagraph allows an appellate court to remand in 

criminal cases only when [the] an appellant, who is represented by counsel, has 

completely failed to respond to an order to file a Statement or has failed to do so timely. 

It is thus narrower than subparagraph (c)(2).[, above. Prior to these amendments of 

this rule, the appeal was quashed if no timely Statement was filed or served; 

however, because the failure to file and serve a timely Statement is a failure to 

perfect the appeal, it is presumptively prejudicial and "clear" ineffectiveness. See, 

e.g.] See, e.g., Commonwealth v. Burton, 973 A.2d 428, 431 (Pa. Super. 2009); 

Commonwealth v. Halley, [582 Pa. 164, 172,] 870 A.2d 795, 801 (Pa. 2005); 

Commonwealth v. West, 883 A.2d 654, 657 (Pa. Super. 2005). Per se ineffectiveness 

applies in all circumstances in which an appeal is completely foreclosed by 

counsel’s actions, but not in circumstances in which the actions narrow or serve 

to foreclose the appeal in part. Commonwealth v. Rosado, 150 A.3d 425, 433-35 

(Pa. 2016). Pro se appellants are excluded from this exception to the waiver 

doctrine as set forth in Commonwealth v. Lord, 719 A.2d 306 (Pa. 1998).

Direct appeal rights have typically been restored through a post-conviction relief process, 

but when the ineffectiveness is apparent and [per se] per se, the court in West

recognized that the more effective way to resolve such [per se] per se ineffectiveness is 

to remand for the filing of a Statement and opinion. [See] See West, 883 A.2d at 657; 

see also Burton (late filing of Statement is per se ineffective assistance of counsel).

The procedure set forth in West is codified in subparagraph (c)(3). As the West court 

recognized, this rationale does not apply when waiver occurs due to the improper filing of 

a Statement. In such circumstances, relief may occur only through the post-conviction 

relief process and only upon demonstration by the appellant that, but for the deficiency of 

counsel, it was reasonably probable that the appeal would have been successful. An 

appellant must be able to identify [per se] per se ineffectiveness to secure a remand 

under this section, and any appellant who is able to demonstrate [per se] per se

ineffectiveness is entitled to a remand. Accordingly, this subparagraph does not raise 

the concerns addressed in Johnson v. Mississippi, 486 U.S. 578, 588-89 (1988) 

(observing that where a rule has not been consistently or regularly applied, it is not—

under federal law—an adequate and independent state ground for affirming petitioner's 

conviction.) 
15

[P]Subparagraph (c)(4): This subparagraph clarifies the special expectations and duties 

of a criminal lawyer. Even lawyers seeking to withdraw pursuant to the procedures set 

forth in Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738 (1967) and [Commonwealth v. McClendon, 

495 Pa. 467, 434 A.2d 1185 (1981)] Commonwealth v. Santiago, 978 A.2d 349 (Pa. 

2009), are obligated to comply with all rules.[, including the filing of a Statement. See 

Commonwealth v. Myers, 897 A.2d 493, 494-96 (Pa. Super. 2006); Commonwealth 

v. Ladamus, 896 A.2d 592, 594 (Pa. Super. 2006).] However, because a lawyer will not 

file an Anders/[McClendon] Santiago brief without concluding that there are no nonfrivolous issues to raise on appeal, this amendment allows a lawyer to file, in lieu of a 

Statement, a representation that no errors [have been raised] are asserted because the 

lawyer is (or intends to be) seeking to withdraw under Anders/[McClendon/]Santiago. 

At that point, the appellate court will reverse or remand for a supplemental Statement 

and/or opinion if it finds potentially non-frivolous issues during its constitutionally required 

review of the record.

[Subdivision (d) was formerly (c). The text has not been revised, except to update 

the reference to Pa.R.A.P. 1112(c).

The 2007 amendments attempt to address the concerns of the bar raised by cases 

in which courts found waiver: (a) because the Statement was too vague; or (b) 

because the Statement was so repetitive and voluminous that it did not enable the 

judge to focus on the issues likely to be raised on appeal. See, e.g., Lineberger v. 

Wyeth, 894 A.2d 141, 148-49 (Pa. Super. 2006); Kanter v. Epstein, 866 A.2d 394, 400-

03 (Pa. Super. 2004), allowance of appeal denied, 584 Pa. 678, 880 A.2d 1239 (2005), 

cert. denied sub nom. Spector Gadon & Rosen, P.C. v. Kanter, 546 U.S. 1092 (2006). 

Courts have also cautioned, however, ‘‘against being too quick to find waiver, 

claiming that Rule 1925(b) statements are either too vague or not specific enough.’’ 

Astorino v. New Jersey Transit Corp., 912 A.2d 308, 309 (Pa. Super. 2006).

While conciseness and vagueness are very case-specific inquiries, certain 

observations may be helpful. First, the Statement is only the first step in framing 

the issues to be raised on appeal, and the requirements of Pa.R.A.P. 2116 are even 

more stringent. Thus, the Statement should be viewed as an initial winnowing. 

Second, when appellate courts have been critical of sparse or vague Statements, 

they have not criticized the number of issues raised but the paucity of useful 

information contained in the Statement. Neither the number of issues raised nor 

the length of the Statement alone is enough to find that a Statement is vague or 

non-concise enough to constitute waiver. See Astorino v. New Jersey Transit 

Corp., 912 A.2d 308, 309 (Pa. Super. 2006). The more carefully the appellant frames 

the Statement, the more likely it will be that the judge will be able to articulate the 

rationale underlying the decision and provide a basis for counsel to determine the 

advisability of appealing that issue. Thus, counsel should begin the winnowing 

process when preparing the Statement and should articulate specific rulings with 
16

which the appellant takes issue and why. Nothing in the rule requires an appellant 

to articulate the arguments within a Statement. It is enough for an appellant—

except where constitutional error must be raised with greater specificity—to have 

identified the rulings and issues that comprise the putative trial court errors.]
17

Rule 1931. Transmission of the Record.

(a) Time for transmission. 

(1) General rule.—Except as otherwise prescribed by this rule or if an 

extension has been granted pursuant to Pa.R.A.P. 1925(b)(2), the record on 

appeal, including the transcript and exhibits necessary for the determination of the 

appeal, shall be transmitted to the appellate court within 60 days after the filing of 

the notice of appeal. If an appeal has been allowed or if permission to appeal has 

been granted, the record shall be transmitted as provided by Pa.R.A.P. 1122 

[allowance of appeal and transmission of record)] or by Pa.R.A.P. 1322 

[(permission to appeal and transmission of record)], as the case may be. The 

appellate court may shorten or extend the time prescribed by this subparagraph

for a class or classes of cases. 

(2) Children’s fast track appeals.—In a children’s fast track appeal, the 

record on appeal, including the transcript and exhibits necessary for the 

determination of the appeal, shall be transmitted to the appellate court within 30 

days after the filing of the notice of appeal. If an appeal has been allowed or if 

permission to appeal has been granted, the record shall be transmitted as provided 

by Pa.R.A.P. 1122 [allowance of appeal and transmission of record)] or by 

Pa.R.A.P. 1322 [(permission to appeal and transmission of record)], as the 

case may be. 

(b) Duty of trial court.—After a notice of appeal has been filed, the judge who 

entered the order appealed from shall comply with Pa.R.A.P. 1925 [(opinion in support 

of order)], shall cause the official court reporter to comply with Pa.R.A.P. 1922 

[(transcription of notes of testimony)] or shall otherwise settle a statement of the 

evidence or proceedings as prescribed by this chapter, and shall take any other action 

necessary to enable the clerk to assemble and transmit the record as prescribed by this 

rule. 

(c) Duty of clerk to transmit the record.—When the record is complete for 

purposes of the appeal, the clerk of the [lower] trial court shall transmit it to the 

prothonotary of the appellate court. The clerk of the [lower] trial court shall number the 

documents comprising the record and shall transmit with the record a list of the 

documents correspondingly numbered and identified with sufficient specificity to allow the 

parties on appeal to identify each document and whether it is marked as confidential, so 

as to determine whether the record on appeal is complete. Any Confidential Information 

Forms and the “Unredacted Version” of any pleadings, documents, or other legal papers 

where a “Redacted Version” was also filed shall be separated either physically or 

electronically and transmitted to the appellate court. Whatever is confidential shall be 

labeled as such. If any case records or documents were sealed in the lower court, the 
18

list of documents comprising the record shall specifically identify such records or 

documents as having been sealed in the lower court. Documents of unusual bulk or 

weight and physical exhibits other than documents shall not be transmitted by the clerk 

unless he or she is directed to do so by a party or by the prothonotary of the appellate 

court. A party must make advance arrangements with the clerk for the transportation and 

receipt of exhibits of unusual bulk or weight. Transmission of the record is effected when 

the clerk of the [lower] trial court mails or otherwise forwards the record to the 

prothonotary of the appellate court. The clerk of the [lower] trial court shall indicate, by 

endorsement on the face of the record or otherwise, the date upon which the record is 

transmitted to the appellate court. 

(d) Service of the list of record documents.—The clerk of the [lower] trial court 

shall, at the time of the transmittal of the record to the appellate court, mail a copy of the 

list of record documents to all counsel of record, or if unrepresented by counsel, to the 

parties at the address they have provided to the clerk. The clerk shall note on the docket 

the giving of such notice. 

(e) Multiple appeals.—Where more than one appeal is taken from the same 

order, it shall be sufficient to transmit a single record, without duplication. 

(f) Inconsistency between list of record documents and documents actually 

transmitted.—If the clerk of the [lower]trial court fails to transmit to the appellate court 

all of the documents identified in the list of record documents, such failure shall be 

deemed a breakdown in processes of the court. Any omission shall be corrected promptly 

pursuant to Pa.R.A.P. 1926 [(correction or modification of the record)] and shall not 

be the basis for any penalty against a party.

Official Note:

Pa.R.A.P. 1926 [(correction or modification of the record)] provides the means to 

resolve any disagreement between the parties as to what should be included in the record 

on appeal.