Rule 509 Requests

Rule 509 (Right-to-know) Procedures

Pursuant to the Right-To-Know Law (Act 3 of 2008), a person may request financial records from an entity of the Unified Judicial System including trial courts and court departments. Pennsylvania Rule of Judicial Administration 509 governs the implementation of Act 3 within the Unified Judicial System. Rule 509 governs requests under the Right-To-Know Law for the Court of Common Pleas, the Magisterial District Courts, the Office of the Westmoreland County Court Administrator, the Westmoreland County Law Library, the Westmoreland County Adult Probation and Parole Department, the Westmoreland County Domestic Relations Section, and the Westmoreland County Juvenile Probation Department.

Filing a Request

Requests for financial records from any of the above entities must be submitted on a Rule 509 Request Form. Rule 509 Request Forms for any of the above mentioned entities may be submitted by email.

Any request for the court, the magisterial district judges, the court administrator, or the law library should be emailed at the above email address or mailed or faxed to the Court Administrator’s Office as follows:
Court Administrator
2 N Main St
Greensburg, PA 15601

Fx: (724) 830-3680

Rule 509 Request Forms may also be mailed or faxed to the specific department from which the information is being requested at the address / fax listed on the unified judicial system offices page or at the address listed on that entity's home page. “Attn: Right-To-Know Officer.”

Fees

You may be charged 25 cents per page plus actual mailing expenses for financial records unless the number of pages requested are four or less, in which case the department may decide to waive fees.

Processing Requests

Upon receipt, the entity receiving the request will time stamp the request and forward the request to the departmental right-to-know officer. The right-to-know officer will process the request within five working days of the time stamped on the request and respond in writing. This response time may be extended for up to 30 days. Released records will be redacted pursuant to AOPC directive.

Appeal
Rule 509(c)(5) permits a requestor to appeal a denial within 15 days of the mailing date of the right-to-know officer’s written response. Appeals will be emailed, mailed, or faxed to the court administrator, who will decide the appeal.
Court Administrator
2 N Main St
Greensburg, PA 15601

Fx: (724) 830-3680

There is no appeal form. The appeal may be drafted in paragraph format explaining the requested relief and making reference to the original request.

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