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FAQs

  • What discovery material should be filed with the Clerk’s Office?

    Pursuant to Local Civil Rule 5.4, discovery materials should not be filed except as authorized by a provision of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure or upon an order of the court.

  • How are judges assigned to cases?

    Judges are randomly chosen by a computer database similar to a deck of cards.  When one judge is assigned, the cards are shuffled again for the next selection.  The Clerk’s Office has no discretion in the assignment of cases.

  • How can I view sealed pleadings?

    A sealed pleading is not accessible to the public.

  • How does an attorney get admitted to the Court?

    Attorneys may seek Special Admission also known as Pro Hac Vice or General Admission.  The Petition for Admission form is available on this website under forms.  Attorneys seeking General Admission must be a member of the Pennsylvania State Bar and their sponsor must be admitted to practice in the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

    General Admission requires the attorney and their sponsor to appear before a district judge to take an oath.  Upon completion of their oath the attorney must file the proper Petition for Admission and filing fee of $213.00 with the Clerk’s office.

    Special admission is sought for one case only and is electronically filed on the case for which the counsel is seeking admission and decided by the judge assigned to that case. Payment of the $50.00 Special Admission fee will be through Pay.Gov.

  • How do I go about requesting attorney admission date?

    Please contact the court at (570) 601-8502 or (570) 207-5600

  • How do I obtain a Certificate of Good Standing?

    Certificates of Good Standing are available from the Clerk’s Office for a fee of $21.00. Requests should be submitted to: Peter J. Welsh, Clerk of Court, William J. Nealon Federal Building, 235 North Washington Avenue, Scranton, PA 18503. Please enclose a self-addressed, postage pre-paid USPS or UPS envelope for return.

  • Does your office accept credit cards?

    Yes. The Clerk’s Office accepts Visa, Mastercard and American Express.

  • How much time do you have to file a Notice of Appeal?

    For civil cases you have 30 days from the date that the order was entered to file a Notice of Appeal.  If the U.S. Government is a party to the action, the time for filing a Notice of Appeal is 60 days from the date the order was entered.

  • If I filed a document electronically do I need to submit an original document?

    No. The electronic filing is the original document.

  • How can I obtain copies from the Clerk’s Office?

    Please contact the Clerk’s Office at (570) 207-5600. There is a charge of .50 per page for copies. Additional charges may apply if the record is with the National Archives and Records Administration.

    There is also a public terminal in the Clerk’s Office for viewing dockets and case information.  You may view the case on this terminal and print documents for .10 per page.

    You can also access copies of cases and documents from the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) service which provides electronic public access to federal court records.

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