Service & Pretrial Procedure

Service

Within 10 days after the Petition and Verification have been filed with the Prothonotary, or after you have received by mail the time-stamped copies from the court, mail one time-stamped copy of the Petition and Verification to each of the parties listed below.

Note: Service can be by First Class mail or Certified mail

Mail one to each of the following:

  • Washington County Board of Tax Assessment Appeals
    95 W. Beau Street
    Suite 525
    Washington, PA 15301

  • Washington County Court Administrator
    Washington County Courthouse
    1 S. Main Street
    Suite 1003
    Washington, PA 15301

  • The School District in which the property is located.
  • The City, Township, or Borough in which the property is located.

Certificate of Service

The Certificate of Service form must be filed with the Washington County Prothonotary within twenty days of service of the appeal.

Pretrial Procedures

Residential

Within ninety days of the filing of the appeal, the parties shall exchange appraisal reports. Failure to provide an appraisal within the time period may preclude that party from presenting any evidence of valuation at trial.

A Conciliation Conference will be scheduled by the Court Administrator after one hundred and twenty (120) days from the filing of the appeal. All counsel and the parties, or a designated representative, shall be present. The property owner, or their designated representative, shall have full authority to settle.

If no settlement is reached at the Conciliation Conference the hearing before a master may be the same day.

Commercial

Discovery requests shall be propounded within forty-five days of the filing of appeal. Responses to discovery shall be furnished within forty-five days of the date of the requests. The parties shall exchange appraisal reports within 150days of the filing of the appeal. Failure to provide an appraisal within the time period may preclude that party from presenting any evidence of valuation at trial.

Pretrial Memorandum

Each party shall file a Pretrial Memorandum within 180 days of the filing of the appeal. The Pretrial Memorandum shall set forth the following:

  1. The contended assessed value of the subject real estate;
  2. The names of all witnesses to be called at the hearing
  3. A list of all exhibits intended to be introduced at the hearing
  4. Any pre-trial motions, with supporting legal authority
  5. A summary of any legal issues
  6. A copy of any appraisal to be presented at the hearing

A Conciliation Conference will be scheduled by the Court Administrator within 180 days of the filing of the appeal. All counsel and the parties, or a designated representative, shall be present. The property owner, or their designated representative, shall have full authority to settle.

If no settlement is reached at the Conciliation Conference the hearing before a master may be the same day.