The Supreme Court has adopted new Orphans’ Court rules for adoption proceedings. “Order Amending Rule 1.5 and Rescinding and Replacing Rules 15.1 through 15.9 of the Pennsylvania Orphans’ Court Rules, Pennsylvania Orphans’ Court Forms 15.6, 15.8 and 15.9, and Paragraph (F) of the Index to the Appendix of the Forms of the Pennsylvania Orphans’ Court Rules; No. 874 Supreme Court Rules Doc.” (7/22/2021), 51 Pa.B. 4267 (8/7/2021).

These new rules were proposed by the Orphans’ Court Procedural Rules Committee in 2016.  “Proposed Rescission of Rules 15.1 through 15.9 and Replacement with the New Rules of Chapter XV,” 46 Pa.B. 332 (1/16/2016).

In a separate order, the Supreme Court vacated all local adoption rules effective July 1, 2022, unless rules “deemed necessary” by the local president judge are submitted for review by the Orphans’ Court Procedural Rules Committee by February 1, 2022. “Review and Vacatur of Local Orphans’ Court Rules; No. 875 Supreme Court Rules Doc.” (7/22/2021), 51 Pa.B. 4313 (8/7/2021).