Rule Text
(a) Special relief.—At any time after the filing of a petition for review, the court may, on application, order the seizure of property, dispose of seized property, issue a preliminary or special injunction, appoint a temporary receiver, or grant other interim or special relief required in the interest of justice and consistent with the usages and principles of law.
(b) Summary relief.—At any time after the filing of a petition for review in an appellate or original jurisdiction matter, the court may on application enter judgment if the right of the applicant thereto is clear.
Amendment history: The provisions of this Rule 1532 adopted May 16, 1979, effective September 30, 1979, 9 Pa.B. 1740, amended April 26, 1982, effective September 12, 1982, 12 Pa.B. 1536; amended July 7, 1997, effective in 60 days, 27 Pa.B. 3503; amended July 8, 2004, effective 60 days after adoption, 34 Pa.B. 3862; amended January 7, 2020, effective August 1, 2020, 50 Pa.B. 505. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (389963) to (389964).
Plain-English Summary (for reference only — not a substitute for the rule text above)
This summary is not the rule. The rule text controls.
When you file a petition for review in Pennsylvania, you can ask the court for immediate help while your case is still going on. The court can step in quickly to do things like seize property, issue an injunction to stop something from happening, or appoint someone to temporarily manage property or assets. This kind of relief is available when waiting for the full case to play out could cause harm.
The court can also grant summary relief, which is a faster path to winning your case outright. If your right to win is clear and obvious, the court does not have to wait for a full hearing and can rule in your favor right away.
Both types of relief require you to file a formal application with the court asking for what you need. The court then decides whether your situation calls for quick action.
Committee Notes
Paragraph (a) provides examples of specific types of interim relief that may be sought using the procedures set forth in Pa.R.A.P. 123. Thus, multiple forms of relief, including those in the alternative, may be combined in the same application, even though separate actions might otherwise be necessary under the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure. Compare Pa.R.A.P. 106 (original jurisdiction matters) with 42 Pa.C.S. § 708(e) (single form of action).
Paragraph (b) authorizes immediate disposition of a petition for review, similar to the type of relief envisioned by the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure regarding judgment on the pleadings and peremptory and summary judgment. However, such relief may be requested before the pleadings are closed where the right of the applicant is clear.
