(a) The caption shall contain the name of the original defendant and any terre- tenant against whom the plaintiff seeks to revive the lien of the judgment.
Rule 3026.Parties. Generally.
Adopted October 1, 1964 · Last amended December 19, 2003 · Last verified June 30, 2026
In one sentenceIn a revival, the caption names the original defendant and any terre-tenant against whom the creditor seeks to revive the lien, and where the judgment has changed hands it names the original plaintiff together with the real party in interest.
Full Text of Rule 3026
(b) If the judgment has been assigned or transferred, the caption shall contain the name of the original judgment plaintiff and the name of the real party in interest.
Plain-English Summary
This rule fixes who appears in the caption of a revival proceeding. On the defense side, it names the original judgment defendant and any terre-tenant — a later owner of land the lien reached — against whom the creditor wants the lien revived.
On the plaintiff side, if the judgment has been assigned or transferred, the caption names both the original judgment plaintiff and the real party in interest now entitled to enforce it. Naming the right parties matters because, under the rules that follow, a revival binds only those who are made parties.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the parties to a revival?
The judgment creditor and the persons against whom the lien is to be continued, as the rule specifies.
Why does party identity matter in revival?
A lien is revived only as to parties properly before the court, so naming them correctly is essential.
Official Note
Official Note: The terms ‘‘plaintiff’’ and ‘‘defendant’’ as used in the rules governing judg- ment liens and revival of judgments refer generally to the judgment creditor and judgment debtor, respectively. Thus, a defendant who holds a judgment against the plaintiff on a counter- claim would be a plaintiff for the purpose of these rules. See also Definition Rule 3101(a).
Official Note: See Rule 3026.2 governing terre-tenants as parties and Rule 3026.3 govern- ing revival against a terre-tenant. As to joinder of personal representatives of a deceased defendant, see Section 3382 of the Probate, Estates and Fiduciaries Code, 20 Pa.C.S. § 3382.
Amendment History
The provisions of this Rule 3026 adopted October 1, 1964, effective April 1, 1965; amended April 18, 1975, effective immediately, 5 Pa.B. 1820; amended December 19, 2003, effective July 1, 2004, 34 Pa.B. 22. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (213387).
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: parties revival generally