Rule 3181.Conformity to rules governing enforcement of judgments for payment of money.
Adopted March 30, 1960 · Last amended March 13, 2007 · Last verified June 30, 2026
In one sentenceEnforcing a mortgage-foreclosure judgment against real property follows the money-judgment execution rules for a long list of topics, and a combined proceeding against personal and real property also follows the sheriff’s interpleader rules.
(a)The procedure for the enforcement of a judgment against real property shall be in accordance with the rules governing the enforcement of judgments for the payment of money with respect to the following:
(1)Commencement and Issuance of Writ:—Rules 3103(a), 3103(e), and 3105.
(2)Substitution, Reissuance and Expiration of Writ:—Rules 3106(a) 3106(b) and 3106(d).
(10)Sheriff’s Deed, Distribution of Proceeds:—Rules 3135 and 3136.
(11)Sheriff’s Expenses and Fees, Recovery as Costs, Abandonment of Writ for Nonpayment:—Rule 3138.
(12)Sheriff’s Return:—Rules 3139(a)(1), 3139(c) and 3139(d).
(b)The procedure for the enforement of a judgment against both personal and real property as provided by Rule 3180(b) shall be in accordance with
(1)the rules governing the enforcement of judgments for the payment of money as provided by subdivision (a) and
(2)Rule 3201 et seq. governing sheriff’s interpleader.
Plain-English Summary
This rule conforms mortgage-foreclosure enforcement to the general execution machinery, listing the specific topics it borrows.
For enforcing a judgment against real property, the procedure tracks the money-judgment rules on commencing and issuing the writ, substitution and reissuance, security for the sheriff, supplementary relief, abandonment of levy, notice of sale and postponement, sale of property in more than one county, setting aside a sale, lien-creditor purchasers, the sheriff’s deed and distribution, the sheriff’s expenses and fees, and the sheriff’s return.
For a combined proceeding reaching both personal and real property, enforcement follows both those money-judgment rules and the sheriff’s interpleader rules, which sort out claims that levied personal property belongs to someone other than the defendant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does mortgage-foreclosure enforcement use its own procedure?
No. It conforms to the money-judgment execution rules for a list of topics covering the writ, the sale, the deed, distribution, and the sheriff’s return.
What governs a combined personal-and-real-property proceeding?
Both the money-judgment rules and the sheriff’s interpleader rules.
Official Note
Official Note:Rule 3201 et seq. govern the procedure when tangible personal property lev- ied upon is claimed to be the property of a person other than the defendant in the execution.
Amendment History
The provisions of this Rule 3181 adopted March 30, 1960, effective November 1, 1960; amended March 5, 1997, effective July 1, 1997, 27 Pa.B. 1441; amended March 13, 2007, effective June 1, 2007, 37 Pa.B. 1411. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (255378) to (255379).
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:conformity rules mortgage foreclosuremortgage execution procedure