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Rule 1957.Decision. Post-Trial Relief.

Last verified June 30, 2026

In one sentenceRule 1957 lets the court decide a sexual violence or intimidation protection case on general findings, as long as it disposes of every claim for relief, requires the final order to match the Rule 1959(e) form, and bars post-trial motions.

Full Text of Rule 1957

Text sizeJump to: (a) (b)

(a) The decision of the court may consist of only general findings of sexual violence and/or intimidation, but shall dispose of all claims for relief. The court’s final order shall be rendered identical in content to the form set forth in Pa.R.C.P. No. 1959(e).
(b) No motion for post-trial relief may be filed to the final order.
End

Plain-English Summary

The court’s decision may consist of only general findings of sexual violence, intimidation or both; it need not make detailed findings. But it must dispose of all claims for relief. The final order must be identical in content to the form in Rule 1959(e), and no motion for post-trial relief may be filed to it.

That form records how the order was entered: by agreement, by agreement without an admission, after a hearing and decision, after a hearing the defendant did not attend despite proper service, or by default. Whatever the route, the form states that it is a final order subject to full enforcement. It lists the relief granted, such as a bar on any contact with the victim, and may add a surcharge when the order follows a contested proceeding or a hearing the served defendant didn’t attend. Rule 1930.2 supplies the reconsideration route in place of post-trial motions, and its Official Note cross-references this rule.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a sexual-violence protection order be challenged by a post-trial motion?

No. No motion for post-trial relief may be filed to the final order, which must dispose of all claims for relief. Rule 1930.2 separately allows a motion for reconsideration and sets how it affects the time to appeal.

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: PSVI decisionfinal protection order sexual violenceno post-trial PSVI