Section 3123.1. Claim for exemption or immunity of property; prompt hearing

(a) A defendant may claim exemption or immunity of property from levy or attachment by filing with the sheriff a claim substantially in the form provided by Rule 3252(a). The defendant may include in the claim a demand for a prompt hearing. The sheriff shall immediately notify the plaintiff and garnishee of the filing of the claim.

(b) The sheriff shall immediately present the matter to the court. The court shall hear the claim within five business days thereafter upon such notice to the parties as the court shall direct and shall promptly dispose of the matter on the testimony, admissions or other evidence.

(c) Judgment may not be entered against the garnishee pursuant to Rule 3146(b) until the expiration of twenty days from the date of service of the writ of execution upon the garnishee. If a claim for exemption is pending, judgment pursuant to Rule 3146(b) may be entered only by agreement of the parties or by leave of court.

Official Note

Pennsylvania and Federal law provide numerous exemptions of property from execution, including the following:

Exemptions under Pennsylvania Law

1. General $300 statutory exemption, 42 Pa.C.S. § 8123.

2. Particular personal property exemption—wearing apparel, bibles and school books, sewing machines, uniforms and equipment, 42 Pa.C.S. § 8124(a).

3. Certain retirement funds and accounts, 42 Pa.C.S. § 8124(b):
Public School Employes’ Retirement Fund, 24 Pa.C.S. § 8533 and 42 Pa.C.S. § 8124(b)(1)(i).
State Employes’ Retirement Fund, 42 Pa.C.S. § 8124(b)(1)(ii) and 71 Pa.C.S. § 5953.
Police Pension Funds, 42 Pa.C.S. § 8124(b)(1)(iii).
Philadelphia Pension Fund, 42 Pa.C.S. § 8124(b)(1)(iv).
Pittsburgh Pension Fund, 42 Pa.C.S. § 8124(b)(1)(v).
Pennsylvania Municipal Retirement Fund, 42 Pa.C.S. § 8124(b)(1)(vi).
Private employes’ pensions or annuity funds, 42 Pa.C.S. § 8124(b)(1)(vii).
Self-employed retirement or annuity funds, 42 Pa.C.S. § 8124(b)(1)(viii).
Retirement or annuity funds provided for under the Internal Revenue Code, 42 Pa.C.S. § 8124(b)(1)(ix).

4. Certain insurance proceeds, 42 Pa.C.S. § 8124(c).
Fraternal society benefits, 42 Pa.C.S. § 8124(c)(1),(8).
Workmen’s compensation, 42 Pa.C.S. § 8124(c)(2).
Group insurance, 42 Pa.C.S. § 8124(c)(5).
Life insurance and annuities, 42 Pa.C.S. § 8124(c)(3), (4), (6).
Accident and disability insurance, 42 Pa.C.S. § 8124(c)(7).
No-fault motor vehicle accident benefits, 42 Pa.C.S. § 8124(c)(9).

5. Personal earnings, subject to the exceptions under 23 Pa.C.S. Pt. IV relating to divorce and for support, board, certain damages arising from a residential lease, and student loan obligations, 42 Pa.C.S. § 8127.

6. Tangible personal property on international exhibition, 42 Pa.C.S. § 8125.

7. Common carrier, property in interstate transit, 42 Pa.C.S. § 8126.

8. Certain veteran benefits.

Veterans’ litigation awards (Vietnam herbicide), 51 Pa.C.S. § 7902(a)
Sums payable under:
the Veterans’ Compensation Act, 51 P. S. § 20012.
the World War II Veterans Compensation Act, 51 P. S. § 20048.
the Korean Conflict Veterans Compensation Act, 51 P. S. § 20098.
the Vietnam Conflict Veterans’ Compensation Act, 51 P. S. § 20127.

Exemptions under Federal Law

1. Certain wages and compensation:
Longshoremen’s and harborworkers’ compensation, 33 U.S.C. § 916.
Injury or death resulting from war-risk hazard, 42 U.S.C. § 1717.

2. Social Security benefits, 42 U.S.C. § 407.

3. Certain retirement funds and accounts:
Civil Service, 5 U.S.C. § 8346(a).
Foreign Service, 22 U.S.C. § 4060(c).
Railroad Retirement, 45 U.S.C. § 231m.
Judges’ widows’ annuities, 28 U.S.C. § 376(n).

4. Certain veteran and armed forces benefits:
Laws administered by the Veterans Administration, 38 U.S.C. § § 1970 and 5301.
Armed Forces Survivor Benefit Plan, 10 U.S.C. § 1450(i).
Savings deposited with armed forces, 10 U.S.C. § 1035(d).
Medal of Honor Roll Special Pension, 38 U.S.C. § 1562(c).

5. Miscellaneous:
Property of a foreign state, 28 U.S.C. § § 1609, 1611.
Rail Fund, 45 U.S.C. § 822(e).

The provisions of this Rule 3123.1 adopted March 16, 1981, effective March 27, 1981, 11 Pa.B. 1075; amended April 20, 1998, effective July 1, 1998, 28 Pa.B. 2026. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (213409) to (213411).