Rule 1910.25-4.Civil Contempt. Alternative Procedure. Record Hearing. Report. Exceptions. Order.

Adopted May 31, 2000 · Last amended June 11, 2007 · Last verified June 30, 2026

In one sentenceRule 1910.25-4 provides the alternative support contempt procedure, in which a record hearing produces a report subject to exceptions before the court enters an order.

Full Text of Rule 1910.25-4

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(a) At the conclusion of the conference if an agreement has not been reached, the parties shall be given notice of the date, time, and place of a hearing if the conference and hearing have not been scheduled for the same date. The hearing on the record shall be conducted by a hearing officer who must be a lawyer.

(b) The hearing officer shall receive evidence, hear argument and file with the court a report containing a proposed order. A copy of the report shall be furnished to all parties at the conclusion of the hearing. The report may be in narrative form and shall include the officer’s recommendation with respect to the following matters, together with the reasons therefor:

(1) whether the respondent has willfullly failed to comply with the order for support,

(2) whether the respondent should be held in contempt, and

(3) whether sanctions or purge conditions should be imposed against the respondent.

(c) Within twenty days after the conclusion of the hearing, any party may file exceptions to the report or any part thereof, to rulings on objections, to statements or findings of fact, to conclusions of law, or to any other matters occurring during the hearing. Each exception shall set forth a separate objection precisely and without discussion. Matters not covered by exceptions are deemed waived unless, prior to the entry of the order, leave is granted to file exceptions raising those matters.

(d) If no exceptions are filed within the twenty-day period, the court shall review the report and, if approved, enter an order.

(e) If exceptions are filed, the court shall, no later than seventy-five days after the date the petition for contempt was filed, hear argument on the exceptions or hold a hearing de novo. The court shall enter an appropriate order.

End

Plain-English Summary

A county may handle support contempt through a record process instead. Under this rule, an unresolved case goes to a record hearing, after which the hearing officer files a report. A party may file exceptions, which the court reviews before entering the contempt order. The record and exceptions give the parties a reviewable alternative to the conference-summary route.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the alternative support contempt procedure?

A record hearing producing a report, subject to exceptions reviewed by the court before an order is entered.

Official Note

Official Note: Every effort should be made to ensure that cases are heard promptly, on the same day if possible.

Official Note: The sanction of imprisonment may be imposed only following an evidentiary hearing before a judge. See Rule 1910.25-5(a).

Amendment History

The provisions of this Rule 1910.25-4 adopted May 31, 2000, effective July 1, 2000, 30 Pa.B. 3155; amended June 11, 2007, effective immediately, 37 Pa.B. 2800. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (267753) to (267754).

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. Last verified June 30, 2026. · Official text

Also known as: contempt record hearingcontempt report exceptionsalternative contempt procedure