Rule 236.Notice by Prothonotary of Entry of Order or Judgment.

Adopted October 4, 1973 · Last amended December 29, 2008 · Last verified June 30, 2026

In one sentenceRule 236 requires the prothonotary to give immediate written notice of the entry of an order or judgment to each party’s attorney of record or to an unrepresented party, with special handling for confession judgments, and provides that a failure to give notice does not affect the lien of the judgment.

Full Text of Rule 236

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

(a) The prothonotary shall immediately give written notice of the entry of

(1) a judgment entered by confession to the defendant by ordinary mail together with a copy of all documents filed with the prothonotary in support of the confession of judgment. The plaintiff shall provide the prothonotary with the required notice and documents for mailing and a properly stamped and addressed envelope; and

(2) any other order or judgment to each party’s attorney of record or, if unrepresented, to each party. The notice shall include a copy of the order or judgment.

(b) The prothonotary shall note in the docket the giving of the notice and, when a judgment by confession is entered, the mailing of the required notice and documents.

(c) Failure to give the notice or when a judgment by confession is entered to mail the required documents, or both, shall not affect the lien of the judgment.

(d) The prothonotary may give the notice required by subdivision (a) or notice of other matters by facsimile transmission or other electronic means if the party to whom the notice is to be given or the party’s attorney has filed a written request for such method of notification or has included a facsimile or other electronic address on a prior legal paper filed in the action.

End

Plain-English Summary

This rule makes sure parties learn when an order or judgment is entered. The prothonotary must immediately give written notice of the entry of any order or judgment to each party’s attorney of record, or to an unrepresented party, and include a copy of the order or judgment. A judgment entered by confession triggers added notice and a copy of the supporting documents.

The prothonotary records the notice in the docket. A failure to give the notice does not affect the lien of the judgment, and notice may be given electronically where the party agrees.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who tells the parties a judgment was entered?

The prothonotary, who must immediately give written notice of the entry of an order or judgment to each party’s attorney of record, or to an unrepresented party, with a copy of the order or judgment, and note the notice in the docket.

Does it matter if the prothonotary fails to give notice?

The failure does not affect the lien of the judgment, though the date of notice can matter for calculating appeal and other deadlines.

Official Note

Official Note: See Rules 1012 and 1025 as to the requirement of an address on an appearance and a pleading.

Official Note: Except as provided by subdivision (a)(1) relating to the entry of a judgment by confession, Rule 236 does not prescribe a particular method of giving notice. Methods of notice properly used by the prothonotary include, but are not limited to, service via United States mail and courthouse mail. Subdivision (d) governs facsimile transmission and other electronic means if the prothonotary chooses to use such a method. A facsimile or other electronic address set forth on letterhead is not a sufficient basis under this rule to authorize the prothonotary to give notice electronically. Notice by facsimile transmission or other electronic means is applicable not only to orders and judgments under subdivision (a) but also to ‘‘other matters’’ such as the scheduling of a conference, hearing or trial or other administrative matters. Where the technology involved provides an acknowledgment for the mailing or the receipt of the notice, the prothonotary should retain that acknowledgment as part of his or her file. See Rule 205.4 governing filling and service of legal papers by electronic means other than facsimile transmission. See Rule 440(d) governing service of legal papers other than original process by facsimile transmission.

Amendment History

The provisions of this Rule 236 adopted October 4, 1973, effective December 1, 1973, amended March 9, 1977, effective April 10, 1977, 7 Pa.B. 839; amended March 11, 1991, effective July 1, 1991, 21 Pa.B. 1274; amended June 3, 1994, effective September 1, 1994, 24 Pa.B. 3017; amended November 28, 2000, effective January 1, 2001, 30 Pa.B. 6421; amended April 29, 2003, effective September 1, 2003, 33 Pa.B. 2356; amended December 16, 2003, effective July 1, 2004, 34 Pa.B. 9; amended June 12, 2006, effective July 1, 2006, 36 Pa.B. 3085; amended December 29, 2008, effective immediately, 39 Pa.B. 304. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (302438) and (331697).

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: notice of entry of judgmentprothonotary noticedocket notice