Philadelphia legal documents, drafted for Pennsylvania law
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Filing in Philadelphia County
Your documents follow Pennsylvania law. Where and how you file depends on your court, and Philadelphia County sets its own local procedures and fees.
Clerk of the Philadelphia Family CourtFind help by topic
Start with the issue you are facing. Explore what you can prepare and the Pennsylvania requirements to consider.
Pennsylvania rules at a glance
Six rules that shape most Pennsylvania matters. Know these first, then open the guide or document for your situation; the pins spread them over the map so they are easy to read.
Divorce
- Divorce residency6 months
- Generally, at least one spouse must have been a genuine Pennsylvania resident for at least six months immediately before filing.
- Source: 23 Pa.C.S. § 3104
- Mutual consent90 days
- With both spouses' consent, a no-fault divorce can generally be granted once 90 days have passed since the case began. Without consent, the spouses generally must have lived separate and apart for at least one year.
- Source: 23 Pa.C.S. § 3301
Landlord & tenant
- Notice for unpaid rent10 days
- Generally, a written notice to quit for unpaid rent must give the tenant at least 10 days to leave, unless the lease shortens or waives it.
- Source: Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951
- Security deposits30 days
- Generally, a written list of damages and the rest of the deposit are due within 30 days after the lease ends. A landlord who misses the deadline generally loses the right to keep any of it.
- Source: Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951
Civil disputes
- Small claims limit$12,000
- Magisterial district judges, and in Philadelphia the Municipal Court, generally hear civil claims for money of up to $12,000, excluding interest and costs.
- Source: 42 Pa.C.S. § 1515
Business formation
- LLC filing fee$125
- The Department of State fee for filing an LLC's Certificate of Organization is $125. Most for-profit LLCs also pay $7 for each annual report.
- Source: 15 Pa.C.S. § 153
Checked against Pennsylvania statutes and official pages, October 2026. Laws change, and your facts, court, and local rules can change what applies. Confirm current law or ask an attorney before relying on a figure.
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Start from where your matter is based. Each page links to that county’s court clerk for local filing.
From your answers to your first draft.
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- Tell me what happened.
- My landlord kept my deposit after I moved out.
- Which Pennsylvania county is this in?
- Philadelphia County
- What would you like this document to do?
- Get the deposit back and an explanation of any deductions.
- Security deposit requestFirst draft ready to review
I am writing to request the return of my security deposit and an itemized list of any deductions.
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12. Security deposit. Landlord will refund the deposit, less deductions for damage beyond normal wear and tear1, with a written list of any damages, within 30 days after the lease ends or Tenant surrenders the premises.
Does carpet wear from two years of normal living count as damage?
18. Default. If rent is late, Landlord may end the lease by giving Tenant written notice to quit allowing at least ten days to leave2; if Tenant does not pay or leave within that time, Landlord may file an eviction action.
Can my lease waive the ten-day notice to quit?
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