FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA 
COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF PHILADELPHIA COUNTY 
 
President Judge Administrative Order 
No. 30 of 2020 

In re: Orphans’ Court Protocol 

 
ORDER 

1.  The Order issued by this Court on March 17, 2020 is amended as to Paragraph 8 H as 

follows: Citation practice set forth in Pa. O.C Rule 3.5 (a) remains suspended.  Electronic 
filing in the Orphans Court Division having been restored,  Petitions should be filed 
through the Orphans’ Court Electronic Filing System (OCEFS) and will no longer be 
filed with the Judge’s chambers.  Although e-filing is open, Petitions will not be acted 
upon unless specified herein. 

2.  Filing of Emergency Petitions for the Appointment of a Guardian shall continue as set 
forth in this Court’s Order of March 17th, by e-filing the Emergency Petition with the 
Clerk of Orphans’ Court through OCEFS, provided however, you must contact Maryanne 
Huha Finigan, Esquire, Director Orphans’ Court Administration, 
(Maryanne.finigan@courts.phila.gov), within 24 hours to advise an emergency petition 
has been filed electronically. She will contact the OC Emergency Judge on duty.  Any 
Decrees and/or Orders entered shall be docketed by the Clerk of Orphans’ Court, or if 
unavailable, the Office of Judicial Records (OJR), pending further order. 

3.  As to Petitions for Approval of Distribution of either a Minor, Incapacitated Person, or 
Wrongful Death/Survival Action settlement, are to be electronically filed as follows: 
a)  Cases with an underlying pending civil action are to be docketed by OJR and 

assigned in accordance with existing protocol, however, due to the Court’s closure, 
such filing will not be acted upon until further Order of Court. 

b)  Cases initiated through the Orphans’ Court Division will be docketed and assigned by 
the Clerk of Orphans’ Court in accordance with existing protocol, however, due to the 
Court’s closure, such filing will not be acted upon until further Order of Court. 

c)  Pending further Order, matters accepted through electronic filing in which there is no 
opposition, no party is self-represented, and the matter was ready for decision as of 
March 16th, 2020,  the resultant Orders entered by the Orphans’ Court Judge will be 
docketed by the Clerk of Orphans’ Court, or if unavailable, OJR, and distributed as 
required under applicable statute and/or Rule. 

 

 

 

BY THE COURT: 

  /s/ Idee C. Fox 
_________________________________________ 
Idee C. Fox, President Judge  
Court of Common Pleas and  
Chair Administrative Governing Board 
First Judicial District 

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 

   

 
 
 

 

 

   

 
 

 

AND NOW, this   9th  day of April, 2020 pursuant to the Judicial Emergency declared by 

the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and this Court’s declarations of an emergency, as to interim 
procedures in the Orphans’ Court Division, it is hereby directed as follows: