RulesofCivilProcedure.com Civil Procedure · Every State

Rule 239.4.Briefs. Local Rule 210.

Adopted October 24, 2003 · Not amended since adoption · Last verified June 30, 2026

In one sentenceA court that wants to impose requirements on the form and content of briefs must do so through a local rule, numbered Local Rule 210, so that those requirements are published and easy to find.

Full Text of Rule 239.4

Text size

A court may impose requirements governing the form and content of a brief. A court which imposes such requirements must promulgate a local rule, numbered Local Rule 210, listing those requirements.
End

Plain-English Summary

This rule channels any local brief requirements into a single, predictably numbered place. A court may regulate the form and content of briefs, but only by promulgating a local rule numbered Local Rule 210 that lists those requirements.

Fixing the number means a lawyer practicing in an unfamiliar county knows exactly where to look for that court’s briefing rules. It is part of a larger scheme that standardizes how local procedural requirements are numbered and published so they do not trap the unwary.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a county set its own briefing rules?

Yes, but only through a local rule numbered Local Rule 210 governing the form and content of briefs.

Amendment History

The provisions of this Rule 239.4 adopted October 24, 2003, effective 9 months after the date of the Order, 33 Pa.B 5506.

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. This rule has not been amended since its adoption. Last verified June 30, 2026. · Official text
Also known as: local rule 210brief requirementslocal briefing rules