Title: In Re: Order Amending Rules 127 and 1931 of the Pennsylvania Rules of Appellate Procedure (rules)
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: 297 Appellate Court Rules
State: Pennsylvania
Issuer: Pennsylvania Supreme Court
Date: December 1, 2021

APPELLATE COURT PROCEDURAL RULES COMMITTEE ADOPTION REPORT Amendment of Pa.R.A.P. 127 and 1931 On December 1, 2021, the Supreme Court amended Pennsylvania Rules of Appellate Procedure 127 and 1931 to conform the rules to recent amendments to the Case Records Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania adopted on October 6, 2021. The Appellate Court Procedural Rules Committee has prepared this Adoption Report describing the rulemaking process. An Adoption Report should not be confused with Comments to the rules. See Pa.R.J.A. 103, Comment. The statements contained herein are those of the Committee, not the Court. Effective January 1, 2022, the amendments to Section 7.0(A) and (C) of the Policy require filers to safeguard confidential information using a Confidential Information Form. Prior to the amendments, the Policy provided an option for a court to adopt a rule or order to permit the filing of a document in two versions, a “Redacted Version” and an “Unredacted Version” rather than require the use of the Confidential Information Form. In addition, Section 9.0(H) has been added to indicate that the amendments to the Policy do not apply retroactively to documents filed with a court prior to their effective date. Pa.R.A.P. 127 governs confidential information and confidential documents in appellate filings, including the certification that a filing is compliant with the Policy; Pa.R.A.P. 1931 governs transmission of the record. Conforming amendments have been made to delete references within the rule and comment relating to the option for a court to require redacted and unredacted versions of a document when safeguarding confidential information.