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Philadelphia City Hall Courts Exhibit Requirements

Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County

Get court-compliant exhibit stamps for Philadelphia City Hall Courts in under 2 minutes.

Philadelphia City Hall Courts exhibit facts at a glance
  • Philadelphia City Hall Courts is the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County, located at 1400 John F. Kennedy Boulevard.
  • Plaintiff exhibits use the P-1, P-2, P-3 prefix and defendant exhibits use D-1, D-2, D-3, unlike the plain numbers/letters convention used in most other states.
  • Pennsylvania Rule of Civil Procedure 4009.1 combines with Philadelphia Local Rules to govern exhibit format and exchange.
  • The statewide PACFile e-filing portal allows documents up to 500 MB, but Philadelphia County practice keeps individual exhibit files under 5 MB each.
  • Philadelphia requires every filed PDF page to be exactly 8.5 inches wide, a stricter formatting rule than most Pennsylvania counties enforce.
  • The Commerce Program handles complex business disputes and has its own exhibit-formatting expectations beyond the general civil rules.
  • Mass tort litigation is frequently consolidated and heard at Philadelphia City Hall, which can mean higher-volume, multi-party exhibit exchanges.
  • SEPTA's Broad Street Line stops within walking distance of City Hall, making it accessible without downtown parking.
Philadelphia CountyPACFile5 MB per exhibit file (Philadelphia County practice; the statewide PACFile portal cap is 500 MB) limit

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Filing Essentials

E-Filing SystemPACFile
File Size Limit5 MB per exhibit file (Philadelphia County practice; the statewide PACFile portal cap is 500 MB)
Preferred FormatPDF
Plaintiff MarkingExhibit P-1, P-2, P-3...
Defendant MarkingExhibit D-1, D-2, D-3...
Primary RulePa. R. Civ. P. 4009.1 / Philadelphia Local Rules
Clerk's Office: Mon-Fri 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM

The clerk's counter operates Mon-Fri 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM. Electronic filings through PACFile generally have a later effective cutoff than the physical counter -- verify the exact time before relying on it for a same-day deadline.

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Local Tips for Philadelphia City Hall Courts

  • Historic City Hall building; Commerce Program handles complex business disputes and mass tort litigation is frequently heard here
  • SEPTA Broad Street Line accessible
  • Philadelphia County practice is among the strictest in the state: all PDF pages must be exactly 8.5 inches wide, and exhibit files should stay under 5 MB each even though the statewide PACFile portal allows up to 500 MB
  • Use an exhibit separator page between each exhibit when assembling a combined PDF for filing

Location & Access

1400 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19107

Paid parking in Center City. SEPTA accessible.

Security screening at the main entrance. Budget extra time during the morning rush, especially on Monday.

Common Mistakes at Philadelphia City Hall Courts

  • 1.Using wrong exhibit label format (P-1/D-1 required)
  • 2.Missing Commerce Program-specific rules
  • 3.Waiting until the clerk's office closes to discover a file format problem with PACFile

Free Pennsylvania Exhibit Guide

Get the complete statewide requirements with:

  • All Philadelphia County courthouse rules
  • E-filing format requirements
  • Common mistakes to avoid

Free Pennsylvania Exhibit Guide

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Court-rule updates and exhibit-prep tips, by state

Every year, Pennsylvania courts reject exhibits for:

  • Wrong marking convention
  • Missing electronic bookmarks
  • Non-compliant file formats

This guide prevents those mistakes.

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Philadelphia City Hall Courts Exhibit FAQs

How do plaintiffs and defendants mark exhibits differently at Philadelphia City Hall Courts?

Plaintiffs typically use Exhibit P-1, P-2, P-3... while defendants use Exhibit D-1, D-2, D-3..., under Pa. R. Civ. P. 4009.1 / Philadelphia Local Rules. Individual departments can vary this convention, so confirm with the assigned judge's standing orders before trial.

What e-filing system does Philadelphia County use, and what's the size limit?

Philadelphia City Hall Courts files through PACFile, capped at 5 MB per exhibit file (Philadelphia County practice; the statewide PACFile portal cap is 500 MB) per document. Documents should be submitted in PDF format for best compatibility.

What's the most common exhibit mistake attorneys make at Philadelphia City Hall Courts?

Using wrong exhibit label format (P-1/D-1 required). Building in extra time to double-check formatting before the filing deadline avoids most rejections.

What's one local filing quirk to know before showing up at Philadelphia City Hall Courts?

Historic City Hall building; Commerce Program handles complex business disputes and mass tort litigation is frequently heard here.

Does ExhibitPrep produce exhibits that comply with Philadelphia City Hall Courts requirements?

Yes. ExhibitPrep supports the Exhibit P-1, P-2, P-3... / Exhibit D-1, D-2, D-3... marking conventions used at Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County and exports PDF files within the 5 MB per exhibit file (Philadelphia County practice; the statewide PACFile portal cap is 500 MB) limit for PACFile.

Last updated: 2026-03. Always verify current requirements with the court.