Rule 1042.27.Requests for Production of Expert Reports. Responses. General Provisions.
Adopted March 29, 2004 · Not amended since adoption · Last verified June 30, 2026
In one sentenceRule 1042.27 lets a party request production of expert reports in a medical-professional-liability action, requires the served party to respond, and provides that a produced report must cover all liability-phase issues, be signed by the expert, and comply with the expert-discovery rule.
(1)A party served with a request shall respond as provided by Rules 1042.28(b), 1042.29(a)(2) or (a)(3) or 1042.30(b) as may be appropriate.
(2)An expert report produced pursuant to these rules shall encompass all issues in the liability phase of the case, including issues of professional negligence and causation of harm, for which a party to whom a request has been directed will offer expert testimony at trial in support of claims made against the requesting party or in support of defenses raised to the requesting party’s claims. The report shall reflect the best information available to the party producing the report at the time it is produced.
(3)The report shall be signed by the expert and shall comply with the requirements of Rule 4003.5.
(c)While a request for the production of an expert report may be filed with the court, an expert report produced pursuant to these rules is discovery material that shall not be filed except as provided by Rule 4002.1.
End
Plain-English Summary
This rule sets the general framework for exchanging expert reports in medical malpractice. A party may request production of expert reports as provided by the companion rules, specifying who is directed to respond and who is requesting, and a party served with a request must respond.
The reports themselves are substantial. A report produced under these rules must encompass all issues in the liability phase — including professional negligence and causation — be signed by the expert, and comply with the expert-discovery rule. While a request may be filed with the court, the report itself is discovery material that is not filed of record.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are expert reports exchanged in a medical malpractice case?
A party requests production, the served party responds, and a produced report must cover all liability-phase issues, be signed by the expert, and comply with the expert-discovery rule.
Official Note
Official Note:Rule 4003.5 governs the discovery of expert testimony and trial preparation material.
Official Note:Rule 4002.1 governs filing discovery material.
Amendment History
The provisions of this Rule 1042.27 adopted March 29, 2004, effective immediately, 34 Pa.B. 1926.
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:expert report requestsproduction of expert reportsmedical malpractice discovery