These guidelines are provided to supplement the procedural requirements for efiling in
the Orphans’ Court Division set forth at Leh. O.C. Rule 4.7-1 et. seq. It is the obligation of the
filer to comply with all requirements and resubmit filings that are rejected. The filing date is the
date when a filing is accepted by the Clerk of the Orphans’ Court. Additional information
regarding efiling through OFS can be found at https://efilepa.tylertech.cloud/OfsEfsp or OFSOrphansCourtSupport@lehighcounty.org.
I. General E-filing:
A. All documents filed through OFS must include page numbers, be in proper sequential order,
in legible PDF format and contain all the following:
1. A 3-inch margin at the top of the first page for timestamp and other official use.
2. File Number. NOTE: If a Register of Wills (“ROW”) file exists for a decedent’s
estate, that file number will be assigned to the Decedent’s Estate case type in the
Orphans’ Court (“OC”).
3. A caption that includes the name of the decedent, trust, incapacitated person, or
minor, and not the names of petitioners/respondents fiduciaries, or parents of
minors. (e.g. In re: Estate of Jane Doe, dec’d; In re: Jane Doe Testamentary Trust;
In re: Guardianship of Jane Doe, an Alleged Incapacitated Person; In re: Jane Doe,
a minor)
4. Accurate and concise title, e.g. Petition; Answer; Brief; Affidavit of Service
5. Digitized signature or the name of the filer preceded by /s/ accompanied by the
attorney/pro se filer’s printed name.
B. A proposed order filed through OFS must:
1. Contain a 3-inch margin at the top of the first page for timestamp and other official
use.
2. Be titled “Order” (not “Proposed Order”)
3. Contain the correct File Number
4. Include the exact name of the pleading to which it relates and a blank space for
insertion of the date on which that pleading was filed (e.g. “Upon consideration of the
Petition For Appointment of Successor Trustee filed ______________,”)
C. Party information and addresses must be entered using upper and lower case letters and
without using any punctuation. (e.g. John Doe Jr)
D. A Praecipe to Attach is to be filed as the Lead Document and the supplied information is to
be filed as an attachment. (e.g. Praecipe to Attach is the lead document and “bank account
statements” the attachment)
E. Multiple pleadings are to be filed in single envelope as separate Lead Documents (exhibits
referenced in a petition are to be included as part of that Lead Document, unless an exhibit is
a Confidential Document, See, Section II (3) below).
F. In order for a new party to be able to file to an existing case for the first time, their counsel
must first complete and file an Entry Of Appearance form, or the unrepresented new party
must complete and file an Entry Of Appearance of Self-Representation form. Upon
acceptance of that form, a new party will be able to file to an existing Orphans’ Court case.
G. Complete the Case Information Section by selecting “Orphans’ Court” as the Location:
and “Family” as the Category, and selecting a Case Type from the dropdown menu
then complete the Party Information Section and the Filings Section.
NOTE: If “Petition for Issuance of Citation/Notice To Plead” is selected from the
Filing Code dropdown menu, anyone requiring notice who is not already a
party must be added to the Parties Section as Respondent and/or Party In
Interest
II. Public Access Policy and Electronic Filing:
A. When required by §7.0(D) of the state Case Records Public Access Policy, the Certificate
of Compliance is to be filed as part of each pleading and NOT filed as a separate Lead
Document.
B. When required by §8.0 of the state Case Records Public Access Policy, redacted pleadings
filed with a Confidential Information Form, are to be filed as two separate Lead Documents
within the same envelope, e.g. “Minor’s Compromise Petition (redacted)”
“Confidential Information Form” “Proposed Order”)
C. When an exhibit to a pleading is a Confidential Document as defined in §8.0 of the Case
Records Public Access Policy, the exhibit and the Confidential Document Form required
by §8.0 are to be filed as the same Lead Documents within the same envelope as the
pleading (e.g. “Minor’s Compromise Petition;” “Confidential Information Form”,
“Confidential Document Form – Medical/Psyc Records;” “Proposed Order”).
D. Because all incapacity pleadings filed pursuant to Chapter 55 of the PEF Code, other than
a decree of adjudication, are unavailable to the public pursuant to §9.0 of the state Case
Records Public Access Policy, such pleadings are not to be redacted and need not be filed
with Confidential Information Form and exhibits are not to be separately filed with
Confidential Document forms.
III. Notes For Certain Case Types
A. Formal Fiduciary Accounts
• Select either “Decedent’s Estates,” “Power of Attorney,” “Trust,” “Minor’s
Guardianship” or “Incapacitated Persons/Adult” as the Case Type
• Within the “Additional Services and Fees” section, select “+Add Additional
Services and Fees” and select the applicable entry.
• “Petition for Adjudication/Statement of Proposed Distribution (OC Forms OC-01
through OC-05)” and an “Application for Listing” on a scheduled Audit List should
be included as a separate lead document in the same envelope.
NOTE: Regarding voluminous accounts, if you receive an error message
that the envelope exceeded the filing size limit, submit it in
separate envelopes using the Filing Code Draft Petition
Settlement Minor’s Comp and describing the contents in the
“Comments to Court” field. (e.g. “proposed order petition
+Exhibits A-G”; Exhibits H-L to death case settle petition”)
B. Minor’s, Decedent’s and Incapacitated Person’s Settlement Petitions required to be
submitted for review before filing pursuant to Leh. R.C.P. 2039, 2206 and 2056.
1. Initial Draft
a. If a civil action has been instituted, the petition. exhibits and proposed order
(collectively “Civil Settlement Petition”), are to be drafted under the civil
caption and number
b. If no civil action has been instituted, and the minor resides in or the
decedent’s or guardianship estate was raised in, Lehigh County, the petition
exhibits and proposed order (collectively “Orphans’ Court Settlement
Petition”) are to be drafted under the Orphans’ Court caption and file
number.
c. All Civil Settlement Petitions as well as Orphans’ Court Settlement
Petitions must be electronically submitted through OFS for Orphans’
Court review as follows:
(i) Minor’s Compromise
> Select a “Start A New Case”
> Select “Orphans’ Court” as the Location
> Select “Family” as the Category
> Select “Minor’s Settlement” as Case Type
> In Party Information section:
• Enter full name and initials of minor
• Enter name “Petitioner” (this may be the
minor’s parent/guardian OR the tortfeasor’s
insurance carrier who is filing petition for
unrepresented minor)
> Select Draft Petition Settlement Minor’s Comp as
the Filing Code.
> Upload the petition, exhibits and proposed order as
a single lead document. DO NOT SELECT Filing
Code Exhibits when submitting draft for Orphans’
Court reviews.
NOTE: If you receive an error message that the
envelope exceeded the filing size limit,
resubmit in separate envelopes using the
Filing Code Draft Petition Settlement
Minor’s Comp and describing the
contents in the “Comments to Court”
field. (e.g. “proposed order petition +
Exhibits A-G”; Exhibits H-L to death
case settle petition”)
(ii.) Death Case
> Select a “Start A New Case”
> Select “Orphans’ Court” as the Location
> Select “Family” as the Category
> Select “Death Case Settlement” as Case Type
> In Party Information section:
• Enter name of Executor/Administrator as the
Petitioner
• Enter full name of Decedent
> Select Draft Petition Settlement Death Case as the
Filing Code.
> Upload the petition, exhibits and proposed order as
a single lead document. DO NOT SELECT Filing
Code Exhibits when submitting draft for Orphans’
Court reviews.
NOTE: Regarding voluminous exhibits, if you
receive an error message that the envelope
exceeded the filing size limit, resubmit in
separate envelopes using the Filing Code
Draft Petition Settlement Death Case and
describe the contents in the “Comments to
Court” field. (e.g. “proposed order, petition
+Exhibits A-G”; “Exhibits H-L to death
case settle petition”)
(iii.) Incapacitated Person
> Select a “Start A New Case”
> Select “Orphans’ Court” as the Location
> Select “Family” as the Category
> Select “Incapacitated Person’s Settlement” as Case
Type
> In Party Information section:
• Enter name of the Guardian of the Estate
“Petitioner”
• Enter name of the incapacitated
plaintiff/person as the “Alleged Incapacitated
Person”
> Select Draft Petition Settlement Incapacitated
Person as the Filing Code.
> Upload the petition, exhibits and proposed
order as a single lead document. DO NOT
SELECT Filing Code Exhibits when submitting
draft for Orphans’ Court reviews.
NOTE: Regarding voluminous exhibits, if you receive
an error message that the envelope exceeded the
filing size limit, resubmit in separate envelopes
using the Filing Code Draft Petition
Incapacitated Person and describe the contents in
the “Comments to Court” field. (e.g., “proposed
order, petition +Exhibits A-G”; “Exhibits H-L to
death case settle petition”)
2. Settlement Petitions Approved for Filing
b. Upon completion of Orphans’ Court review, Settlement Case
Management Order are issued with Directions that include specific filing
codes to be used to formally file the settlement petition and proposed
order.
3. Proof of Compliance with Orders Approving Minors’ Settlements and Death
Case Settlements that include awards to minors
a. File in Orphan’s Court (NOT in Civil Division) using the Minor’s
Settlement case type and OC number, or the Death Case Settlement
case type and OC number, by selecting from the following Filing Codes:
> Affidavit of Deposit of Minor’s Funds
> Attorney’s Certificate of Compliance re Deposit of Minor’s
Funds
> Parent/Guardian’s Certification of Establishment of
Restricted Account For Minor
> Proof of Purchase of Annuity
C. Assisted Conception Birth Registration Petitions:
1. Select “Adoption” as Case Type
2. Select “Petition For Assisted Conception Birth Registration” as the filing code
and upload with all necessary Affidavits, Stipulations and Consents as a single
document.
D. Petitions To Authorize ECT
1. Select “ECT” as Case Type
2. Select “Petition No Notice Required – with JCS” if subject of the petition has
NOT been adjudicated incapacitated AND this is the first ECT petition filed.
3. Select “Petition/No Notice Required” if the subject of the petition HAS BEEN
adjudicated incapacitated in Lehigh County OR this is NOT the first ECT
petition filed regarding this subject.
Revised: October 15, 2024