Rule 1920.53.Hearing by Hearing Officer. Report.

Last amended October 19, 2021 · Last verified June 30, 2026

In one sentenceRule 1920.53 sets what a hearing officer's report and recommendation must contain after a divorce or annulment claim is referred for hearing.

Full Text of Rule 1920.53

Text sizeJump to: (a) (b) (c)

In an action for divorce or annulment that has been referred to a hearing officer, the hearing officer’s report and recommendation shall include findings of fact, conclusions of law, and a recommended disposition of the case or issue.

(a) The findings of fact shall include, as appropriate for the circumstances and issues before the hearing officer:

(1) the method and date of service of process;

(2) the manner and date of service of the notice of the hearing officer’s hearing or the hearing officer’s efforts to notify the parties;

(3) the date and place of marriage;

(4) information relating to any prior marriage of the parties and proof of dissolution of such prior marriage;

(5) the residences of the parties at the time of the marriage and subsequent thereto, the actual length of time the parties have resided in the Commonwealth, and whether the residence requirement of Section 3104(b) of the Divorce Code has been met;

(6) the age and occupation of the parties;

(7) the initials and age of the children of the parties, if any, and with whom the children reside;

(8) the grounds upon which the action is based;

(9) defenses to the action, if any;

(10) whether the court should grant or deny the divorce, annulment, or other relief on the basis of the complaint, the counterclaim, if filed, or a motion requesting relief; and

(11) other relevant facts related to the appointment.

(b) The conclusions of law shall include a discussion of the law as it relates to the facts, as well as the legal conclusions reached by the hearing officer.

(c) If a divorce or an annulment is recommended, the hearing officer shall attach a proposed decree to the report and recommendation.

End

Plain-English Summary

When a divorce or annulment claim is referred to a hearing officer, the officer's findings come back to the court in a formal report. This rule sets what that report and recommendation must contain — the findings of fact, the conclusions of law, and the proposed disposition — so the court and the parties can review the basis for the recommended result.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a divorce hearing officer produce?

A report and recommendation with findings of fact and a proposed disposition.

Amendment History

The provisions of this Rule 1920.53 amended September 11, 1995, effective January 1, 1996, 25 Pa.B. 4097; amended June 3, 2019, effective October 1, 2019, 49 Pa.B. 3059; amended October 19, 2021, effective January 1, 2022, 51 Pa.B. 6764. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (397003) to (397004).

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: divorce hearing officer reporthearing officer recommendationdivorce master report