Legal Question in Civil Rights Law in Pennsylvania

I received a letter from the county courthouse acting that a judge has been assigned to my case. I was never informed there was a civil suit being filed against me. Is this really how our system works? I don't even know what the charges in the civil suit include. I would like to know if this is common practice...not being informed in advance that someone I'd filling a suit against me, and also how to find out exactly what this suit includes. Thank you for any advice.


Asked on 10/12/14, 5:58 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
ANDREA G. TILLIS Law Offices of Andrea G. Tillis

The notice that you received should have the name of the case and in the upper right hand corner you would find the case number assigned to it by the Office of the Prothonotary. For example: X vs. (Your name) Case No. 8229-2014.

If your County lists their cases on the internet, you can look up the case and see what has been filed. If the cases are not put on the internet, then you will have to go to the Prothonotary's Office, ask for the case by its file number and then review what has been filed with the Court.

If you have not been served, but see an "Affidavit of Service" in the file, you need to inform the Court that you have not been served and that the Affidavit of Service filed with the Court is false. You should not ignore this because a default judgment can be entered against you and then it becomes very complicated trying to set aside everything the other party has done.

Best of luck,

ANDREA

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Answered on 10/12/14, 11:20 pm


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