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Rule 1161.Enforcement of Personal Liability. Conformity to Civil Action.

Adopted March 30, 1960 · Last amended December 16, 1983 · Last verified June 30, 2026

In one sentenceAn action to recover an amount due on a ground rent personally follows the ordinary civil-action rules, and execution on the resulting judgment follows the rules for enforcing money judgments.

Full Text of Rule 1161

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(a) An action in personam to recover any amount due on a ground rent shall be in accordance with the rules governing a civil action.
(b) Execution upon a judgment in such action shall be in accordance with the rules governing the enforcement of judgments for the payment of money.
End

Plain-English Summary

This rule covers the personal side of enforcing a ground rent — a periodic payment charged on land. An in personam action to recover the amount due proceeds under the rules for a civil action, like any suit for money owed.

A judgment in that action is then executed under the rules governing the enforcement of judgments for the payment of money. Treating the personal claim as an ordinary money action keeps ground-rent collection on familiar procedural footing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is a personal claim for unpaid ground rent handled?

As an ordinary civil action, with execution under the rules for enforcing money judgments.

What is a ground rent?

A recurring payment owed to the holder of a ground-rent interest in land.

Official Note

Official Note: See Execution Rules 3101 to 3149, 3231, 3241, 3249, 3250, 3251 to 3253.

Amendment History

The provisions of this Rule 1161 adopted March 30, 1960, effective November 1, 1960; amended December 16, 1983, effective July 1, 1984, 13 Pa.B. 3999. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (15707).

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: ground rent personal liabilityrecover unpaid ground rentin personam ground rent