Section 910. Jurisdictional Statement. Content. Form  


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  • (a) General rule. The jurisdictional statement required by Rule 909 shall contain the following in the order set forth:

    (1) A reference to the official and unofficial reports of the opinions delivered in the courts below, if any, and if reported, the citation thereto. Any unreported opinions shall be appended to the jurisdictional statement;

    (2) A statement of the basis, either by Act of Assembly or general rule, for the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court or the cases believed to sustain that jurisdiction;

    (3) The text of the order in question, or the portions thereof sought to be reviewed, and the date of its entry in the court. The order may be appended to the statement;

    (4) A concise statement of the procedural history of the case; and

    (5) The questions presented for review, expressed in the terms and the circumstances of the case but without unnecessary detail. The statement of questions presented will be deemed to include every subsidiary question fairly comprised therein. Only the questions set forth in the statement, or fairly comprised therein will ordinarily be considered by the Court.

    (b) Matters of form. The jurisdictional statement need not be set forth in numbered paragraphs in the manner of a pleading. It shall be as short as possible and shall not exceed 1000 words, excluding the appendix.

    (c) Certificate of compliance. A jurisdictional statement that does not exceed five pages when produced on a word processor or typewriter shall be deemed to meet the requirements of subdivision (b) of this rule. In all other cases, the attorney or the unrepresented filing party shall include a certification that the statement complies with the word count limits. The certificate may be based on the word count of the word processing system used to prepare the statement.

    (d) Nonconforming statements. The Prothonotary of the Supreme Court shall not accept for filing any statement that does not comply with this rule. He shall return it to the appellant, and inform all parties in which respect the statement does not comply with the rule. The prompt filing and service of a new and correct statement within seven days after return by the Prothonotary shall constitute a timely filing of the jurisdictional statement.

The provisions of this Rule 910 adopted December 10, 1986, effective January 31, 1987, and shall govern all matters thereafter commenced and, insofar as just and practicable, matters then pending, 16 Pa.B. 4951; amended March 27, 2013, effective and applies to all appeals and petitions for review filed 60 days after adoption, 43 Pa.B. 2007. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (360252) and (363537).