2010 Pennsylvania Code
Title 23 - DOMESTIC RELATIONS
Chapter 43 - Support Matters Generally
4342 - Expedited procedure.

     § 4342.  Expedited procedure.
        (a)  General rule.--The Supreme Court shall by general rule
     provide for expedited procedures for the determination of
     paternity and the determination and enforcement of support. The
     procedures shall include an office conference; a conference
     summary to the court by the hearing officer; an opportunity for
     the court to enter an order without hearing the parties; and an
     opportunity for the parties to demand a full hearing by the
     court.
        (b)  Alternate procedure.--The Supreme Court shall also
     provide an alternate expedited procedure which may be adopted by
     local rule of the courts of common pleas. The procedure shall
     include an office conference; an evidentiary hearing before a
     hearing officer who shall be an attorney; a transcript of the
     testimony; a report and recommendation to the court by the
     hearing officer; and an opportunity for the filing of exceptions
     with and argument before the court.
        (c)  Long arm procedures.--The Supreme Court shall by general
     rule establish procedures for the exercise of long arm
     jurisdiction to establish paternity and to establish and enforce
     support. Long arm jurisdiction shall be used in preference to
     proceedings under Part VIII (relating to uniform interstate
     family support) or VIII-A (relating to intrastate family
     support) unless it would be more effective to proceed otherwise.
     Long arm proceedings may be commenced or continued in any county
     where the plaintiff resides regardless of whether the parties
     maintained a family domicile in that county.
        (d)  Jurisdiction over nonresident.--(Deleted by amendment).
        (e)  Default.--The court shall enter a default order
     establishing paternity and enforcing support upon a showing that
     the defendant has been properly served and has not appeared.
        (f)  Hearsay exception.--For proceedings pursuant to this
     section, a verified petition, affidavit or document and a
     document incorporated by reference in any of them which would
     not be excluded under the hearsay rule if given in person is
     admissible in evidence if given under oath by a party or
     witness.
        (g)  Payment record.--A copy of the record of support
     payments certified as a true copy of the original by the
     custodian of the record is evidence of facts asserted in it and
     is admissible to show whether payments were made.
        (h)  Bills.--Copies of billing statements, bills for testing
     for parentage and for prenatal and postnatal health care of the
     mother and child furnished to the adverse party at least ten
     days before a court proceeding are admissible in evidence to
     prove the amount of the charges billed and to prove that the
     charges were reasonable, necessary and customary.
        (i)  Transmission of documentary evidence.--Documentary
     evidence transmitted to the domestic relations section by
     telephone, telecopier or other means which do not provide an
     original writing may not be excluded from evidence based on the
     means of transmission.
        (j)  Testimony.--In a proceeding under this part, a court may
     permit a party or witness to be deposed or to testify by
     telephone, audiovisual or other electronic means at a designated
     location.
     (Mar. 25, 1988, P.L.296, No.35, eff. imd.; July 2, 1993,
     P.L.431, No.62, eff. imd.; Dec. 16, 1994, P.L.1286, No.150, eff.
     imd.; Apr. 4, 1996, P.L.58, No.20, eff. imd.; Dec. 16, 1997,
     P.L.549, No.58, eff. Jan. 1, 1998)

        1997 Amendment.  Act 58 added subsecs. (f), (g), (h), (i) and
     (j). Act 58 of 1997 was suspended by Pennsylvania Rule of Civil
     Procedure No. 1910.50(3), as amended May 31, 2000, insofar as it
     is inconsistent with Rule No.1910.20 relating to the
     availability of remedies for collection of past due and overdue
     support.
        1996 Amendment.  Act 20 amended subsec. (c) and deleted
     subsec. (d).
        1994 Amendment.  Act 150 amended subsec. (a) and added
     subsec. (e).
        Suspension by Court Rule.  Section 4342 was suspended by
     Pennsylvania Rule of Civil Procedure No. 1910.50(2), as amended
     May 31, 2000, insofar as it provides that long arm jurisdiction
     shall be used in preference to proceedings under Part VIII-A
     relating to intrastate family support actions.
        Section 4342(f) was suspended by Pennsylvania Rule of Civil
     Procedure No. 1910.50(4), as amended May 31, 2000, insofar as it
     is inconsistent with Rule 1910.26 as it relates to record
     hearings in support actions.