Adopted April 22, 2002 · Not amended since adoption · Last verified June 30, 2026
In one sentenceRule 1023.2 requires a request for sanctions under the signing rule to be made by a separate motion describing the specific offending conduct, served on the opponent with a notice and demand before filing, and filed in the trial court before final judgment.
(a)An application for sanctions under this rule shall be made by motion, shall be made separately from other applications and shall describe the specific conduct alleged to violate Rule 1023.1(c).
(b)No such motion shall be filed unless it includes a certification that the applicant served written notice and demand to the attorney or pro se party who signed or filed the challenged pleading, motion or other paper. The certification shall have annexed a copy of that notice and demand, which shall identify with specificity each portion of the document which is believed to violate the provisions of this rule, set forth the basis for that belief with specificity, include a demand that the document or portion of the document, be withdrawn or appro-priately corrected. An application for sanctions may be filed if the challenged paper, claim, defense, contention, allegation, or denial is not withdrawn or appro-priately corrected within twenty-eight days after service of the written demand. If warranted, the court may award to the party prevailing on the motion the reasonable expenses and attorney’s fees incurred in presenting or opposing the motion.
(c)A motion requesting sanctions under this rule shall be filed in the trial court before the entry of final judgment.
End
Plain-English Summary
This rule sets how a party seeks sanctions for a signing-rule violation. The application is made by motion, separately from other applications, and must describe the specific conduct alleged to violate Rule 1023.1.
A safe harbor and a deadline apply. The motion may not be filed unless it includes a certification that the movant first served written notice and demand on the signer, giving an opportunity to withdraw the offending paper, and the motion must be filed in the trial court before the entry of final judgment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you ask the court to sanction the other side for a filing?
By a separate motion describing the specific conduct, but only after first serving written notice and demand on the signer (a safe harbor), and the motion must be filed before final judgment.
Amendment History
The provisions of this Rule 1023.2 adopted April 22, 2002, effective July 1, 2002, 32 Pa.B. 2315.
Source & verification. Rule text, the Official Note, and the amendment
history are reproduced verbatim from the Pennsylvania Code, Title 231, the official compilation
of rules adopted by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. This rule has not been amended since its adoption. Last verified June 30, 2026. ·
Official text
Also known as:motion for sanctionssafe harborsanctions motion