STATE

• Supreme Court
  • slip opinion:
    Allen v. Casey, 36 E.D.1996 (Pa. June 17, 1997)
  • electronic format:
    Rohaza v. Bemme, 359 W.D.1997, l 997 Pa LEXIS 2100 (Pa. Oct. 10, 1997)
  • reported:
    Commonwealth v. Ngow, 539 Pa. 294, 652 A.2d 305 (1995)

• Superior Court
  Pennsylvania Superior Court Reports ceased publication with volume 456 (April 1997). The official cite to all Superior Court opinions is to the Atlantic 2d.
  • slip opinion:
    Russ v. Tomlin, 3833PHL1996 (Pa.Super. July 3, 1997)
    New Universal Citation - effective Jan. 1, 1999
    Jones v. Smith, 1999 Pa Super 1

  • electronic format:
    Rue v. K-Mart Corp., 2531PHL1995, 1996 WL 313416 (Pa.Super. June 12, 1996)
    New Universal Citation - effective Jan. 1, 1999
    Jones v. Smith, 1999 Pa Super 1

  • reported:
    Craft v. Hetherly, 700 A.2d 520 (Pa.Super. 1997)

• Commonwealth Court
  Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court Reports ceased publication with volume 168. Beginning September 1, 1995, Commonwealth Court opinions are only reported in the Atlantic 2d. The official cite to all Commonwealth Court opinions is to the Atlantic 2d. This also applies retrospectively to all Commonwealth Court opinions since 1970 when the Court was first established.
  • slip opinion:
    Worth v. Smeal, 486 C.D.1997 (Pa Cmwlth Oct. 31, 1997)
  • electronic format:
    Eljer Industries v. Workmen's Compensation Appeal Board (Johnson), 1434 C.D.1994, 1995 WL 59584, 1995 Pa Commw LEXIS 90 (Pa Cmwlth. Feb 13, 1995)
  • reported:
    Smith v. Roe, 643 A.2d 842 (Pa.Cmwlth.1995)

• Courts of Common Pleas
  Cite to the legal reporter of the county, if it is available; and to Pa. District and County Reports (Pa. D. & C.) if therein. The county reporters are very selective and only a small percentage of county trial level opinions are published (about 5% in Philadelphia County). The lower court opinions are not considered to have precedent in Pennsylvania state courts and in this sense they are considered not to be official; and therefore are referred to as "Side Reports." Although the decisions of a common pleas court are not binding on any other court in the Commonwealth; these decisions do enjoy limited persuasiveness in cases where neither the Supreme nor the Superior Court has decided the issue.
  • slip opinion:
    Foti v. Palmieri, No. 95-8526 (C.P.Bucks, June l 7, 1997)
  • reported:
    Kiyak v. Kiyak, 79 Del. Co. Rep. 5 (1992)
  • reported:
    Kostin v. Mehlbaum, 24 Pa. D. & C. 4th 30 (C.P.Dauphin, 1995)