Rule 3021.Verdict. Order. Judgment. Entry in Judgment Index.
Adopted December 19, 2003 · Last amended November 2, 2007 · Last verified June 30, 2026
In one sentenceThe prothonotary must immediately enter in the judgment index every verdict or order for a sum of money, every order for equitable relief, and every judgment, noting the amount where there is one along with the parties, case number, and time of entry.
(a)The prothonotary shall immediately enter in the judgment index
(1)a verdict or order for a specific sum of money with the notation ‘‘ver- dict’’ or ‘‘order.’’ The entry shall state the amount of the verdict or order; Official Notice: See also Rule 3027(a) governing the entry by the prothonotary of a writ of revival.
(2)an order for equitable relief, interlocutory or final; and
(3)a judgment, whether entered by the court, on order of court or on praecipe of a party. The entry shall state the amount of the judgment if for a sum certain.
(b)In all cases, the entry in the judgment index shall state the names of the parties, the number of the case, and the date and time of entry in the judgment index.
Plain-English Summary
This rule tells the prothonotary what to record in the judgment index and when. As soon as they are rendered, a verdict or order for a specific sum of money (marked “verdict” or “order” with the amount), an order for equitable relief whether interlocutory or final, and a judgment however entered all go into the index.
Every entry states the names of the parties, the case number, and the date and time of entry. The time stamp is not a formality: as the rules that follow show, lien priority can turn on exactly when an entry was made.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the judgment index?
A court record of judgments against named persons; entry there creates and publicizes the lien on the person's real property.
Why must these be entered in the index?
Indexing is the step that fixes the lien and warns later purchasers and lenders.
Official Note
Official Note: Section 8142(e) of the Judicial Code, 42 Pa.C.S. § 8142(e), requires the prothonotary to ‘‘note on the dockets in such office where each verdict, judgment, order, instru- ment or writ creating a lien against real property is entered, the time it was recorded, rendered, left for filing, or issued.’’ The rule presumes a channel of communication between the court and prothonotary so that the prothonotary may ‘‘immediately’’ docket a judgment entered by the court.
Amendment History
This Rule 3021 adopted December 19, 2003, effective July 1, 2004, 34 Pa.B. 22; amended Novem- ber 2, 2007, effective January 1, 2008, 37 Pa.B. 6201. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (316406) and (307569).
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