Civil Money Judgments in Pennsylvania

Court of Common Pleas

• Attachment: Date of entry in judgment index

• Duration: 5 years, can be revived for successive periods.

• Revival: Yes. Must be revived within 5 years to maintain priority of date of entry. Can be revived after 5 years, but will only have priority from date of revival (i.e. any liens entered after judgment and before revival would now become senior).

• Attaches to After Acquired Property: No. However, revived judgment attaches to all property (including new property) owned at time of revival.

Philadelphia's Municipal Court

Same as Court of Common Pleas judgments.

Magisterial District Courts

• Attachment: Does not attach to real property until entered in the Court of Common Pleas. Once entered in the Court of Common Pleas, same rules apply.
  
• Notes:
  • Cannot file in Court of Common Pleas until after 30 days have passed from final Magisterial District Court judgment
  • Magisterial District Judges cannot issue execution against real estate

See 42 Pa.C.S. § 4303(a); Pa. R.C.P. No. 3023(a),(b)

See Pa. R.C.P. No. 3023(c)

See Pa. R.C.P. Nos. 3025-3031.1

See 42 Pa.C.S. § 5526(1)

See Pa. R.C.P. Nos. 3027(b), 3031.1(a)

See 42 Pa.C.S. § 1124

See 42 Pa.C.S. § 1516