Rule 205.6.Confidential Information and Confidential Documents. Certification.

Adopted January 5, 2018 · Last amended December 1, 2021 · Last verified June 30, 2026

In one sentenceRule 205.6 requires anyone filing a document to comply with the Unified Judicial System’s Case Records Public Access Policy — certifying compliance and, where needed, using a Confidential Information Form or Confidential Document Form to keep protected information out of the public record.

Full Text of Rule 205.6

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Unless public access is otherwise constrained by applicable authority, any attorney, or any party if unrepresented, who files a document pursuant to these rules with the prothonotary’s office shall comply with the requirements of Sections 7.0 and 8.0 of the Case Records Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania (Policy) including a certification of compliance with the Policy and, as necessary, a Confidential Information Form or a Confidential Document Form in accordance with the Policy.

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Plain-English Summary

This rule ties court filings to the statewide public-access policy. An attorney, or an unrepresented party, who files a document must follow Sections 7.0 and 8.0 of the Case Records Public Access Policy, which govern how confidential information and confidential documents are handled.

Compliance has two pieces. The filer certifies that the filing follows the Policy, and, where the Policy requires, files a Confidential Information Form or a Confidential Document Form so that sensitive material — things like Social Security numbers and financial account numbers — is shielded while the rest of the filing stays public.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I protect confidential information in a filing?

Follow the Case Records Public Access Policy. Certify compliance and, where the Policy requires, file the confidential material on a Confidential Information Form or as a Confidential Document so it is not part of the public record.

Official Note

Comment. Applicable authority includes but is not limited to statute, procedural rule or court order. The Case Records Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania (Policy) can be found on the website of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania at https://www.pacourts.us/public-records. Sections 7.0(D) and 8.0(D) of the Policy provide that the certification shall be in substantially the following form: I certify that this filing complies with the provisions of the Case Records Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania that require filing confidential information and documents differently than non-confidential information and documents. The Confidential Information Form and the Confidential Document Form can be found at https:// www.pacourts.us/public-records.

Amendment History

The provisions of this Rule 205.6 adopted January 5, 2018, effective January 6, 2018, 48 Pa.B. 475; amended June 1, 2018, effective July 1, 2018, 48 Pa.B. 3519; amended December 1, 2021, effective January 1, 2022, 51 Pa.B. 7619. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (392596).

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: confidential informationpublic access policyredactionconfidential document form