The amendments promulgated November 20, 1978, effective April 15, 1979, shall apply to all actions pending on April 15, 1979.
Rule 4024.Effective Date. Pending Actions.
Adopted December 14, 1979 · Last amended January 4, 1980 · Last verified June 30, 2026
In one sentenceThis rule fixes the effective date of the 1978 discovery amendments, applying them to all actions pending on April 15, 1979.
Full Text of Rule 4024
Plain-English Summary
This short transitional rule sets when the major 1978 revision of the discovery chapter took effect. The amendments promulgated November 20, 1978, effective April 15, 1979, apply to all actions pending on that date — not just to cases filed afterward.
Making the new rules reach pending cases brought the whole docket onto the same modern discovery procedure at once, rather than running two systems in parallel for years.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the 1978 discovery amendments take effect?
They were promulgated November 20, 1978, effective April 15, 1979.
Do they apply to cases already pending?
Yes. They apply to all actions pending on April 15, 1979.
Amendment History
The provisions of this Rule 4024 rescinded November 20, 1978, effective April 16, 1979, 8 Pa.B. 3551, readopted December 14, 1979, effective January 5, 1980, 10 Pa.B. 34, amended January 4, 1980, effective January 5, 1980, 10 Pa.B. 215. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (40176).
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: effective date discovery amendments