(a) No record shall be made of the hearing in proceedings held pursuant to this rule.
Rule 1920.55-3.Hearing Officer’s Report. Notice. Hearing De Novo. Final Decree.
Adopted September 11, 1995 · Last amended October 19, 2021 · Last verified June 30, 2026
In one sentenceRule 1920.55-3 provides the alternative divorce procedure, in which a non-record hearing before the officer is followed, if a party requests, by a hearing de novo before the court and a final decree.
Full Text of Rule 1920.55-3
(b) After the conclusion of hearing, the hearing officer shall:
(1) file the report within:
(i) twenty days in uncontested actions; or
(ii) thirty days 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 demand a hearing de novo.
(c) Within 20 days of the date the hearing officer’s report is mailed or received, whichever occurs first, any party may file a written demand for a hear- ing de novo. If a demand is filed, the court shall hold a hearing de novo and enter a final decree.
(d) If no demand for de novo hearing is filed within the 20-day period, the court shall review the report and recommendation 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
Where a county adopts it, this rule runs hearing-officer matters through a non-record process. No record is made of the hearing before the officer, who files a report. A party who disagrees may demand a hearing de novo — a fresh hearing before the court — after which the court enters the final decree. The de novo right substitutes for exceptions on a record.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a hearing de novo in a divorce?
A fresh hearing before the court that a party may demand after the officer's non-record hearing.
Official Note
Explanatory Comment. —1995 The amendments create 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 procedure set forth in Rule 1920.55-2 will be used unless the court has, by local rule, adopted the alternative 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 1920.55-3 adopted September 11, 1995, effective January 1, 1996, 25 Pa.B. 4097; amended August 8, 2006, effective immediately, 36 Pa.B. 4709; amended October 19, 2021, effective January 1, 2022, 51 Pa.B. 6764. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (397007).
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 de novo divorcenon-record divorce hearingdivorce de novo procedure