Rule 1910.7.Pleading by Defendant Not Required. Question of Jurisdiction or Venue or Statute of Limitations in Paternity.

Last amended June 1, 2018 · Last verified June 30, 2026

In one sentenceRule 1910.7 relieves a support defendant of having to file a responsive pleading, while providing how to raise objections to jurisdiction, venue, or the statute of limitations in a paternity claim.

Full Text of Rule 1910.7

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(a) An answer or other responsive pleading by the defendant shall not be required, but if the defendant elects to file a pleading, the domestic relations office conference required by the order of court shall not be delayed.

(b) If defendant raises a question of jurisdiction or venue or in paternity cases the defense of the statute of limitations, the court shall promptly dispose of the question and may, in an appropriate case, stay the domestic relations office conference.

End

Plain-English Summary

Support cases move quickly to a conference, so a defendant need not file an answer or other responsive pleading. This rule preserves that streamlined path while setting out how a defendant raises threshold objections — to the court's jurisdiction, to venue, or to the statute of limitations in a paternity claim — so those issues are decided without bogging the case down in formal pleadings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a support defendant have to file an answer?

No. A responsive pleading is not required, though the defendant may file one.

Official Note

Official Note: See Pa.R.C.P. No. 1930.1(b). To the extent this rule applies to actions not governed by other legal authority regarding confidentiality of information and documents in support actions or that attorneys or unrepresented parties file support-related confidential information and documents in non-support actions (e.g., divorce, custody), the Case Records Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania shall apply.

Amendment History

The provisions of this Rule 1910.7 amended January 5, 2018, effective January 6, 2018, 48 Pa.B. 477; amended June 1, 2018, effective July 1, 2018, 48 Pa.B. 3520. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (390083).

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: support no answer requiredjurisdiction venue supportpaternity statute of limitations