Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes

42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5103 (2026)

 Transfer of erroneously filed matters.

✓ current as of May 2026
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§ 5103.  Transfer of erroneously filed matters.

(a)  General rule.--If an appeal or other matter is taken to or brought in a court or magisterial district of this Commonwealth which does not have jurisdiction of the appeal or other matter, the court or magisterial district judge shall not quash such appeal or dismiss the matter, but shall transfer the record thereof to the proper tribunal of this Commonwealth, where the appeal or other matter shall be treated as if originally filed in the transferee tribunal on the date when the appeal or other matter was first filed in a court or magisterial district of this Commonwealth. A matter which is within the exclusive jurisdiction of a court or magisterial district judge of this Commonwealth but which is commenced in any other tribunal of this Commonwealth shall be transferred by the other tribunal to the proper court or magisterial district of this Commonwealth where it shall be treated as if originally filed in the transferee court or magisterial district of this Commonwealth on the date when first filed in the other tribunal.

(b)  Federal cases.--

(1)  Subsection (a) shall also apply to any matter transferred or remanded by any United States court for a district embracing any part of this Commonwealth. In order to preserve a claim under Chapter 55 (relating to limitation of time), a litigant who timely commences an action or proceeding in any United States court for a district embracing any part of this Commonwealth is not required to commence a protective action in a court or before a magisterial district judge of this Commonwealth. Where a matter is filed in any United States court for a district embracing any part of this Commonwealth and the matter is dismissed by the United States court for lack of jurisdiction, any litigant in the matter filed may transfer the matter to a court or magisterial district of this Commonwealth by complying with the transfer provisions set forth in paragraph (2).

(2)  Except as otherwise prescribed by general rules, or by order of the United States court, such transfer may be effected by filing a certified transcript of the final judgment of the United States court and the related pleadings in a court or magisterial district of this Commonwealth. The pleadings shall have the same effect as under the practice in the United States court, but the transferee court or magisterial district judge may require that they be amended to conform to the practice in this Commonwealth. Section 5535(a)(2)(i) (relating to termination of prior matter) shall not be applicable to a matter transferred under this subsection.

(c)  Interdivisional transfers.--If an appeal or other matter is taken to, brought in, or transferred to a division of a court to which such matter is not allocated by law, the court shall not quash such appeal or dismiss the matter, but shall transfer the record thereof to the proper division of the court, where the appeal or other matter shall be treated as if originally filed in the transferee division on the date first filed in a court or magisterial district.

(d)  Definition.--As used in this section "tribunal" means a court or magisterial district judge or other judicial officer of this Commonwealth vested with the power to enter an order in a matter, the Board of Claims, the Board of Property, the Office of Administrator for Arbitration Panels for Health Care and any other similar agency.

(Apr. 28, 1978, P.L.202, No.53, eff. 60 days; Dec. 20, 1982, P.L.1409, No.326, eff. 60 days; Nov. 30, 2004, P.L.1618, No.207, eff. 60 days)

 

2004 Amendment.  Act 207 amended subsecs. (a), (b) and (d). See section 29 of Act 207 in the appendix to this title for special provisions relating to construction of law.

Saved from Suspension.  Pennsylvania Rule of Civil Procedure for District Justices No. 1082, as amended April 25, 1979, provided that section 5103(a) shall not be deemed suspended or affected. Rules 1001 through 1082 relate to appellate proceedings with respect to judgments and other decisions of district justices in civil matters. Act 207 of 2004 changed justices of the peace to magisterial district judges. Rule 1082 can now be found in the Rules of Conduct, Office Standards and Civil Procedure for Magisterial District Judges.

Cross References.  Section 5103 is referred to in sections 708, 5503 of this title.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 407 cases (119 in the last 5 years), 1977–2026 · leading case: Oleski v. Dep't of Pub. Welfare, 822 A.2d 120 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2003).
Oleski v. Dep't of Pub. Welfare, 822 A.2d 120 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2003). · cites it 24× “He contends that the crux of this case is the application of 42 Pa.C.S. § 5103, sometimes known as the Pennsylvania Transfer Statute.”
Pollock, R. v. Nat'l Football League, 171 A.3d 773 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2017). · cites it 9× “On March 20, 2014, Plaintiffs transferred the action from federal to state court pursuant to 42 Pa.C.S. § 5103, More than two years passed with no docket activity until Plaintiffs filed a motion for *778 leave to file a second amended complaint.”
Davis v. Wells Fargo, U.S., 824 F.3d 333 (3rd Cir. 2016). · cites it 2× “1; see also 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5103 (b).) Unfortunately for Davis, he did not do so.”
Collins v. Greene Cnty. Mem'l Hosp., 615 A.2d 760 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1992). · cites it 24× “§ 5103, to transfer state claims from a federal district court to a court of common pleas following a judgment by the federal court on a federal claim and dismissal of the remaining state claims for lack of jurisdiction.”
Pace v. DiGuglielmo, 544 U.S. 408 (2005). · cites it 2× “See 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5103 (a) (2004) (instructing that, when a petition is filed in the wrong court, it is not to be stricken but transferred to the proper court).”
Est. of Ciuccarelli, 81 A.3d 953 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2013). · cites it 8× “If an appeal or other matter is taken to, brought in, or transferred to a division of a court to which such matter is not allocated by law, the court shall not quash such appeal or dismiss the matter, but shall transfer the record thereof to the proper division of the court,…”
Lafferty v. St. Riel, 495 F.3d 72 (3rd Cir. 2007). · cites it 3× “4 It further noted that this case was barred because it did not fall under exceptions to the state limitations period, 42 Pa. Cons.Stat. Ann. §§ 5103(a), (b)(1).”
Brown v. Pennsylvania Dep't of Corr., 81 A.3d 814 (Pa. 2013). · cites it 4× “AND NOW, this 20th day of November, 2013, the order of the Commonwealth Court is VACATED, and this matter is REMANDED to the Commonwealth Court for transfer to the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas, in accord with the provisions contained within 42 Pa.C.S. § 5103(a) and…”
Kelly v. Hazleton Gen. Hosp., 837 A.2d 490 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2003). · cites it 6× “On February 4, 2002, the district court dismissed her claim for want of jurisdiction, but suggested that she might pursue her state law claims in state court pursuant to 42 Pa.C.S. § 5103. ¶ 3 On February 20, 2002, Kelly filed a new complaint with the Court of Common Pleas of…”
City of Philadelphia v. Schweiker, 858 A.2d 75 (Pa. 2004). · cites it 2× “See 42 Pa.C.S. § 5103(a). After holding a hearing, the Commonwealth Court dismissed the matter for lack of jurisdiction, [7] prompting the City to seek an emergency stay and the exercise of King's Bench powers by this Court.”
Clean Air Council, M.M. deMarteleire & M.S. Bomstein v. Sunoco Pipeline, L.P., 185 A.3d 478 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2018). · cites it 2× “ronmental Rights Amendment claim hinges on the theory that Sunoco is exercising the powers of the Commonwealth government as a public utility, this Court, and not the trial court, has exclusive original jurisdiction over the claim, and the trial court, on remand, should transfer…”
Donna Lee McLaughlin v. Arco Polymers, Inc., a Corp. & Atl. Richfield Co., a Corp., 721 F.2d 426 (3rd Cir. 1983). · cites it 3× “and Atlantic Richfield Company (referred to jointly as ARCO) from an order transferring this case to the Court of Common Pleas of Beaver County, Pennsylvania pursuant to 42 Pa.Cons.Stat. Ann. § 5103(b). I. Plaintiff-appellee Donna Lee McLaughlin filed a complaint in federal…”
— 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5103(6) — 1 case
Law v. Fisher, 399 A.2d 453 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 1979).
— 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5103(B) — 1 case
— 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5103(a) — 206 cases
Lafferty v. St. Riel, 495 F.3d 72 (3rd Cir. 2007). “4 It further noted that this case was barred because it did not fall under exceptions to the state limitations period, 42 Pa. Cons.Stat. Ann. §§ 5103(a), (b)(1).”
Brown v. Pennsylvania Dep't of Corr., 81 A.3d 814 (Pa. 2013). “AND NOW, this 20th day of November, 2013, the order of the Commonwealth Court is VACATED, and this matter is REMANDED to the Commonwealth Court for transfer to the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas, in accord with the provisions contained within 42 Pa.C.S. § 5103(a) and…”
City of Philadelphia v. Schweiker, 858 A.2d 75 (Pa. 2004). “See 42 Pa.C.S. § 5103(a). After holding a hearing, the Commonwealth Court dismissed the matter for lack of jurisdiction, [7] prompting the City to seek an emergency stay and the exercise of King's Bench powers by this Court.”
Clean Air Council, M.M. deMarteleire & M.S. Bomstein v. Sunoco Pipeline, L.P., 185 A.3d 478 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2018). “ronmental Rights Amendment claim hinges on the theory that Sunoco is exercising the powers of the Commonwealth government as a public utility, this Court, and not the trial court, has exclusive original jurisdiction over the claim, and the trial court, on remand, should transfer…”
O'HARE v. Cnty. of Northampton, 782 A.2d 7 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2001).
— 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5103(a)(2) — 1 case
Com. of PA v. J. Hanlon (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2023).
— 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5103(b) — 45 cases
Pollock, R. v. Nat'l Football League, 171 A.3d 773 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2017). “On March 20, 2014, Plaintiffs transferred the action from federal to state court pursuant to 42 Pa.C.S. § 5103, More than two years passed with no docket activity until Plaintiffs filed a motion for *778 leave to file a second amended complaint.”
Donna Lee McLaughlin v. Arco Polymers, Inc., a Corp. & Atl. Richfield Co., a Corp., 721 F.2d 426 (3rd Cir. 1983). “and Atlantic Richfield Company (referred to jointly as ARCO) from an order transferring this case to the Court of Common Pleas of Beaver County, Pennsylvania pursuant to 42 Pa.Cons.Stat. Ann. § 5103(b). I. Plaintiff-appellee Donna Lee McLaughlin filed a complaint in federal…”
Collins v. Greene Cnty. Mem'l Hosp., 615 A.2d 760 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1992). “§ 5103, to transfer state claims from a federal district court to a court of common pleas following a judgment by the federal court on a federal claim and dismissal of the remaining state claims for lack of jurisdiction.”
Oleski v. Dep't of Pub. Welfare, 822 A.2d 120 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2003). “He contends that the crux of this case is the application of 42 Pa.C.S. § 5103, sometimes known as the Pennsylvania Transfer Statute.”
Lafferty v. St. Riel, 495 F.3d 72 (3rd Cir. 2007). “4 It further noted that this case was barred because it did not fall under exceptions to the state limitations period, 42 Pa. Cons.Stat. Ann. §§ 5103(a), (b)(1).”
— 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5103(b)(1) — 16 cases
Collins v. Greene Cnty. Mem'l Hosp., 615 A.2d 760 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1992). “§ 5103, to transfer state claims from a federal district court to a court of common pleas following a judgment by the federal court on a federal claim and dismissal of the remaining state claims for lack of jurisdiction.”
Rousseau v. City of Philadelphia, 589 F. Supp. 961 (E.D. Pa. 1984).
Marcarelli v. Grocott (In re Grocott), 507 B.R. 816 (E.D. Pa. 2014).
Buchan, J. v. The Milton Hershey Sch., 208 A.3d 1081 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2019).
North Penn Transfer, Inc. v. ATD-Am. Co., 175 B.R. 168 (E.D. Pa. 1994).
— 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5103(b)(2) — 8 cases
Oleski v. Dep't of Pub. Welfare, 822 A.2d 120 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2003). “He contends that the crux of this case is the application of 42 Pa.C.S. § 5103, sometimes known as the Pennsylvania Transfer Statute.”
Collins v. Greene Cnty. Mem'l Hosp., 615 A.2d 760 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1992). “§ 5103, to transfer state claims from a federal district court to a court of common pleas following a judgment by the federal court on a federal claim and dismissal of the remaining state claims for lack of jurisdiction.”
Davis v. Commonwealth, 660 A.2d 157 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 1995).
C.M. Bradley v. West Chester Univ. (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2022).
Perry v. Commonwealth, 3 Pa. D. & C.5th 175 (2007).
— 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5103(c) — 19 cases
In Re Est. of Hall, 535 A.2d 47 (Pa. 1987).
Est. of Ciuccarelli, 81 A.3d 953 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2013). “If an appeal or other matter is taken to, brought in, or transferred to a division of a court to which such matter is not allocated by law, the court shall not quash such appeal or dismiss the matter, but shall transfer the record thereof to the proper division of the court,…”
Richardson v. Commonwealth, Dep't of Corr., 97 A.3d 430 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2014).
In Re C.S.M.F., 89 A.3d 670 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2014).
— 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5103(d) — 14 cases
Suburban Cable TV Co. v. Commonwealth, 570 A.2d 601 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 1990).
Dotterer v. Sch. Dist. of Allentown, 92 A.3d 875 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2014).
DiJohn v. Unemployment Comp. Bd. of Review, 687 A.2d 1213 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 1997).
Kallmann v. Carlisle Zoning Hearing Bd., 543 A.2d 1273 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 1988).
Conners v. Finnegan, 623 A.2d 891 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 1993).
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.