Rule 1920.55-2.Hearing Officer’s Report. Notice. Exceptions. Final Decree.
Adopted September 11, 1995 · Last amended October 19, 2021 · Last verified June 30, 2026
In one sentenceRule 1920.55-2 has the divorce hearing officer file a report on the record, with notice to the parties and a right to file exceptions, before the court enters a final decree.
(a)After conclusion of the hearing, the hearing officer shall:
(1)file the record and the report within:
(i)twenty days in uncontested actions; or
(ii)thirty days from the last to occur of the receipt of the transcript by the hearing officer or close of the record in contested actions; and
(2)immediately serve upon counsel for each party, or, if unrepresented, upon the party, a copy of the report and recommendation and written notice of the right to file exceptions.
(b)Within 20 days of the date of receipt or the date of mailing of the hearing officer’s report and recommendation, whichever occurs first, any party may file exceptions to the report or any part thereof, to rulings on objections to evidence, to statements or findings of fact, to conclusions of law, or to any other matters occurring during the hearing. Each exception shall set forth a separate objection precisely and without discussion. Matters not covered by exceptions are deemed waived unless, prior to entry of the final decree, leave is granted to file excep- tions raising those matters.
(c)If exceptions are filed, any other party may file exceptions within 20 days of the date of service of the original exceptions. The court shall hear argument on the exceptions and enter a final decree.
(d)If no exceptions are filed, the court shall review the report and, if approved, shall enter a final decree.
(e)No Motion for Post-Trial Relief may be filed to the final decree.
Plain-English Summary
This is the default route from a hearing officer to a decree. After the hearing, the officer files the record and a report within the rule's deadlines, and the parties are notified. A party who disagrees may file exceptions, which the court reviews; if none are filed or after they are decided, the court enters the final decree. The exceptions step gives the parties a check on the officer's recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you challenge a divorce hearing officer's report?
By filing exceptions within the time the rule allows; the court reviews them before entering the final decree.
Official Note
Explanatory Comment. —1995 The amendments created alternative procedures for appeal from the recommendation of a master in divorce. Rule 1920.55-1 states that, if the court chooses to appoint a master, the exceptions proce- dure set forth in Rule 1920.55-2 will be used unless the court has, by local rule, adopted the alterna- tive procedure of Rule 1920.55-3. Explanatory Comment—2006 The time for filing exceptions has been expanded from ten to twenty days. The purpose of this amendment is to provide ample opportunity for litigants and counsel to receive notice of the report and recommendation, to assure commonwealth-wide consistency in calculation of time for filing and to conform to applicable general civil procedural rules.
Amendment History
The provisions of this Rule 1920.55-2 adopted September 11, 1995, effective January 1, 1996, 25 Pa.B. 4097; amended August 8, 2006, effective immediately, 36 Pa.B. 4709; amended May 6, 2015, effective July 1, 2015, 45 Pa.B. 2457; amended October 19, 2021, effective January 1, 2022, 51 Pa.B. 6764. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (397006).
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:hearing officer exceptionsdivorce final decree procedureexceptions to report divorce