Rule 1915.3-3.Report of Child Abuse and Protective Services.

Last verified June 30, 2026

In one sentenceRule 1915.3-3 has the court determine whether a participant in a custody case has a history of child abuse or protective-services involvement, and defines the terms for that inquiry.

Full Text of Rule 1915.3-3

Text sizeJump to: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g)

(a) General Rule. A court shall determine whether a participant in a child custody action has a history of child abuse or involvement with protective services.

(b) Definitions. The following definitions shall apply to this rule:

(1) ‘‘Participant’’ shall include any party, child, or member of a party’s household identified on the Criminal Record or Abuse History Verification, as required by Pa.R.Civ.P. 1915.3-2.

(2) ‘‘County agency’’ shall have the same meaning as set forth in Pa.R.J.C.P. 1120 (defining ‘‘county agency’’).

(3) ‘‘Form’’ shall be the form found at Pa.R.Civ.P. 1915.3-4.

(c) Submission. Whenever a party has disclosed a history of child abuse or involvement with protective services pursuant to Pa.R.Civ.P. 1915.3-2, or the court or its designee believes that further inquiry is warranted, the court shall confirm or identify all participants on the form in Pa.R.Civ.P. 1915.3-4 and transmit the form for completion to the county agency with notice to the parties.

(d) Return. The county agency shall complete the form for all participants and return it to the court no later than 14 days or the time specified by the court after receiving the submission.

(e) Dissemination. Upon receipt of the completed form, the court shall promptly docket and disseminate it to the parties.

(f) Confidentiality. The completed form shall be confidential and not publicly accessible. Further dissemination by the recipients of the form is in violation of 23 Pa.C.S. Ch. 63 (Child Protective Services Law).

(g) Witnesses. The parties may subpoena with leave of court, or the court may otherwise order, the county agency to provide a witness or witnesses to attend and testify about any child abuse history or protective services disclosed on the form.

End

Plain-English Summary

The court must look beyond what the parties volunteer. This rule directs the court to determine whether any participant in a custody action has a history of child abuse or involvement with protective services, and defines the terms that guide the inquiry. The information helps the court craft a custody arrangement that keeps the child safe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the court check for a history of child abuse in custody cases?

Yes. The court determines whether a participant has a history of child abuse or protective-services involvement.

Official Note

Comment. : This rule is intended to implement 23 Pa.C.S. § 5329.1. As used in subdivision (a), a ‘‘child custody action’’ is intended to include any action where custody may be awarded, including a protection from abuse action. For subdivision (c), the court may use Part I (Participant) of each party’s Criminal Record or Abuse History Verification (‘‘Verification’’), as provided in Rule 1915.3-2, in lieu of completing the ‘‘participant’’ section of the form. The court shall indicate the request for information by checking the box at the top of the first page of the Verification. For subdivision (g), see Pa.R.Civ.P. 1930.5 (discovery in domestic relations matters) and Pa.R.E. 614 (court’s calling or examining a witness). Given the sensitive nature of the record, see Pa.R.Civ.P. 1930.1 (form of caption and applicability of the Case Records Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania). Rule 1915.25(c) suspends 23 Pa.C.S. § 6339, insofar as it is inconsistent with this rule.

Amendment History

The provisions of this Rule 1915.3-3 added April 25, 2025, effective July 1, 2025, 55 Pa.B. 3342.

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: child abuse history custodyprotective services custodycustody abuse inquiry