Waiting

• Be patient with the lawsuit process. After the hearing, there may be a lengthy wait before you receive any decision from the Court. But a jury verdict will be announced as soon as the jury is ready.
• Keep all of your paperwork.
• If the Court awards you money (in a Judgment), and the defendant doesn't pay it, you must file additional paperwork (Writ of Execution) to try to collect the money awarded to you.

What if I am dissatisfied with the judge's ruling or jury's verdict?

• There are procedures that must be followed if you disagree with a judge's ruling or a jury's verdict and seek to have it reversed, or undone. Sometimes this involves filing papers with the Clerk's Office and sometimes it requires appealing the case to a higher court. You must follow these procedures to preserve your rights. Often, the judge or Clerk of Court will explain what type of filing is necessary. If you have questions, ask the judge or contact the Clerk of Court's office.
• Yes, you can appeal the decision on your case to a higher court (appellate court). Either side in a civil case can appeal both the ruling and the amount of damages. Note that you cannot appeal the Court’s decision simply because you are not satisfied with it. As a rule, there has to be a legal error at trial for success on appeal.
• Be careful. There are deadlines for the filing of appeals or objections which must be met or the decision will become final. Rarely is there any opportunity to file an appeal after the deadline has passed.

What if something makes me suspect bias or unethical behavior on the part of the judge or an attorney?

• The Judicial Discipline process addresses unethical or improper conduct by a judge. More information about the Judicial Discipline process can be found on our website.
• Disagreement with a judge's decision or ruling CANNOT form the basis for a complaint against the judge with the Judicial Conduct Board. Instead, you will have to present a motion or file an appeal as described above.
• If you are concerned that an attorney involved in the litigation has acted unethically or improperly, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania oversees the attorney discipline process through the Disciplinary Board. For more information about this process click here.
• The Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania’s (UJS) policy on non-discrimination and equal opportunity guarantees that “all individuals having business with the UJS are treated in a dignified, civil, respectful, and nondiscriminatory manner.”  More information is available here. 
• Court users doing business with Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania’s (UJS) in a court facility who have complaints or concerns regarding discrimination should follow procedures outlined here. 

 
 Disclaimer: PMC does not provide legal advice or represent clients in court or other legal proceedings. This guide is created solely to help individuals navigate the courts. It does not serve as a substitute for legal advice and should not be interpreted as such.
 
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