Rule 1920.54.Hearing by Hearing Officer. Report. Related Claims.

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

In one sentenceRule 1920.54 governs the hearing officer's report on related claims — counsel fees and costs, alimony, and division of property — referred along with the divorce.

Full Text of Rule 1920.54

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

(a) If claims for counsel fees and costs and expenses have been referred to a hearing officer pursuant to Pa.R.C.P. No. 1920.51(a), the hearing officer’s report shall contain a separate section captioned ‘‘Counsel Fees and Costs and Expenses.’’ The report may be in a narrative form stating the reasons for the recommendation and shall include a proposed order stating:

(1) the amount;

(2) by and for whom it shall be paid; and

(3) the effective date of the order.

(b) If a claim for alimony has been referred to a hearing officer, the report shall contain a separate section captioned ‘‘Alimony.’’ The report shall conform to the requirements of subdivision (a) and, in addition, shall set forth:

(1) the findings required by Section 3701(a) of the Divorce Code,

(2) the relevant factors considered under Section 3701(b) of the Divorce Code,

(3) the nature, amount, duration and manner of payment of alimony, if any, and

(4) the reason or reasons for the recommended denial or award of alimony.

(c) If a claim for the determination and distribution of existing property rights and interests between the parties has been referred to a hearing officer, the report shall contain a separate section captioned ‘‘Division of Property.’’ The section shall be divided into two parts:

(1) one captioned ‘‘Marital Property,’’ listing all property to be designated as such and including a proposed equitable distribution thereof with a discussion of the relevant factors considered under Section 3502(a) of the Divorce Code; and

(2) one captioned ‘‘Nonmarital Property,’’ listing all property to be designated as such.

End

Plain-English Summary

Economic claims often travel with a divorce. When claims for counsel fees and costs and expenses are referred to a hearing officer, this rule governs the report the officer files on them, so those related claims are decided on the same record and recommendation as the rest of the case.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are counsel-fee claims handled by the divorce hearing officer?

Yes, where they are referred to the officer; this rule governs the report on those related claims.

Amendment History

The provisions of this Rule 1920.54 amended March 30, 1994, effective July 1, 1994, 24 Pa.B. 1943; amended November 8, 2006, effective February 6, 2007, 36 Pa.B. 7113; amended May 6, 2015, effective July 1, 2015, 45 Pa.B. 2457; amended July 30, 2018, effective January 1, 2019, 48 Pa.B. 4960; amended October 19, 2021, effective January 1, 2022, 51 Pa.B. 6764. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (397004) to (397005).

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: hearing officer related claimscounsel fees hearing officerdivorce cost claims report