Pa. O.C. Rule 5.1. Method.

(a) by service upon the attorney appearing of record for such person; or

(b) if there is no such attorney, by personal service, delivery at the residence of such person or by mail, if his residence is known; or

(c) if his residence is not known, by publication once a week during three successive calendar weeks in the legal periodical, if any, and in a newspaper of general circulation published at or near his last known residence within the county; or

(d) in such other manner as the court shall direct.

Pa. O.C. Rule 5.2. Method. Person Under Incapacity.

[Amended November 24, 1975, effective January 1, 1976.]

[Committee Comment: See the comment to Rule 3.3.]

Pa. O.C. Rule 5.3. Time for Notice.

Pa. O.C. Rule 5.4. Return of Notice.

Pa. O.C. Rule 5.5. Charities; Notice to the Attorney General.

(a) the caption of the case;

(b) a description of the nature of the proceeding;

(c) the date, time and place when the matter is to be heard by the court to the extent then known;

(d) the name of the decedent, settlor, incompetent or minor, if not disclosed by the caption;

(e) a copy of the will or other instrument creating the charitable interest;

(f) the name and address of any specific charity which may be affected by the proceeding;

(g) if the charitable interest is a present interest, a description and the approximate market value of that interest;

(h) if the charitable interest is a future interest and the estimated present value of the property involved exceeds $25,000, a brief description thereof including the conditions precedent to its vesting in enjoyment and possession, the names and ages of persons known to have interests preceding such charitable interest, and the approximate market value of the property involved;

(i) a description of any unresolved claim and any material question of interpretation or distribution likely to be submitted for adjudication which may affect the value of the charitable interest;

(j) the names and addresses of all fiduciaries;

(k) the name and address of counsel for the fiduciary; and

(l) the name and address of counsel for any charity who has received notice or has appeared for it and the name of the charity which he represents.

Proof of service of the above notice by registered or certified mail or an acknowledgement of such notice received from the Attorney General or his deputy shall be filed of record in every proceeding involving a charitable interest prior to the entry of any decree.

Unless the Orphans' Court directs otherwise by local rule adopted after the effective date hereof, no notice to the Attorney General or his designated deputy shall be required with respect to a pecuniary legacy to a charity in the amount of $25,000 or less which has been or will be paid in full.

[Note: Adopted January 26, 1968, effective February 1, 1968. Amended November 24, 1975, effective January 1, 1976.]

[Committee Comment: The words "or his designated deputy" are added to conform with the wording in the initial paragraph and for further identification of the person to whom notice is usually most appropriate. The change from $10,000 to $25,000 avoids a nuisance for all parties in instances where services of the Attorney General are not required.
This is an adaptation from rules presently in effect in a number of counties which in turn were derived from informal recommendations made by Mr. Justice McBride when he was Attorney General, published in Fiduciary Review, April 1958. That same article lists many non-accounting type proceedings in which notice would also be required.
Reproduction and mailing costs for the sender, as well as voluminous filing problems for the Attorney General seem to render it inadvisable to require submission of a copy of the account, pleadings, or other documents with the initial notice. The 15-day period should be adequate to enable the Attorney General to request and obtain a copy thereof in any proceeding where he deems further consideration desirable. The rule has been drafted with the objective that it be adaptable to a printed form of charitable notice. A number of counties have already adopted printed forms with considerable success.
There has not be complete unanimity among practitioners with regard to the scope of the doctrine announced in Pruner Estate, 390 Pa. 529, 136 A.2d 107, 1957. Despite the fact that the reported opinion referred only to charitable trusts and despite the distinction drawn between a charitable trust and an outright legacy to charity in Craig Estate, 356 Pa. 564, 52 A.2d 650, 1947, it is thought that the underlying principles of parens patriae should be equally applicable to an outright pecuniary legacy to a named charity. On the other hand it seems useless to demand notice of a small pecuniary legacy which has or will be paid in full.
This notice is not intended to supplant or obviate the required application for leave of the Attorney General to institute cy pres proceedings for pre-1948 trusts under the provisions of the Act of 1855, P.L. 328, as amended.]

Pa. O.C. Rule 5.6 Notice to Beneficiaries and Intestate Heirs

(1) every person, corporation, association, entity or other party named in decedent's will as an outright beneficiary whether individually or as a class member;

(2) the decedent's spouse and children, whether or not they are named in, or have any interest under, the will;

(3) where there is an intestacy in whole or in part, to every person entitled to inherit as an intestate heir under Chapter 21 of the Probate, Estate, and Fiduciaries Code;

(4) the appointed guardian of the estate, parent or legal custodian of any beneficiary who is a minor child under the age of eighteen (18) years;

(5) the appointed guardian of the estate or, in the absence of such appointment, the institution or person with custody of any beneficiary who is an adjudicated incapacitated person;

(6) the Attorney General on behalf of any charitable beneficiary whose interest exceeds $25,000 or which will not be paid in full;

(7) the Attorney General on behalf of any governmental beneficiary or in default of the other heirs of the estate;

(8) the trustee of any trust which is a beneficiary; and

(9) such other persons and in such manner as may be required by any local rule of court.

(b) Definition of Beneficiary. "Beneficiary" shall be deemed to include any person who may have an interest by virtue of the Pennsylvania anti-lapse statute, 20 Pa.C.S. § 2514.

(c) Manner of notice. Notice shall be given by personal service or by first-class, pre-paid mail to each person and entity entitled to notice under subdivision (a)(1)-(9) address is known or reasonably available to the personal representative.

(d) Certification of notice. Within ten (10) days after giving the notice required by subdivision (a) of the Rule, the personal representative or the personal representative's counsel shall file with the Register or Clerk a certification in the form set forth in Rule 5.7(b) that notice has been given as required by this Rule. No fee shall be charged by the Register or Clerk for filing the certification required by this subdivision.

(e) Failure to file certification. Upon the failure by the personal representative or the personal representative's counsel to file the certification on a timely basis, the Register shall, after ten (10) days prior written notice to the delinquent personal representative and his counsel, notify the Court of such delinquency.

[Official Note: The 1998 amendment to subdivision (e) is not intended to limit the inherent power of the Court to impose sanctions upon a delinquent personal representative or counsel.]

(f) Effect of notice. This Rule shall not alter, diminish or confer existing rights.

(g) Copies of rule. The Register shall deliver a copy of Rules 5.6 and 5.7 to each personal representative and counsel at the time letters are granted.

[Official Note (to the 1998 amendment): It is not the intention of the Rule to require notice beyond the degree of consanquinity entitling a person to inherit under Chapter 21 of the Probate, Estates and Fiduciaries Code.]

[Editor's Note (from 29 Pa.B. 327): The form of Notice and Certification following Rule 5.6 is rescinded and new Rule 5.7 is adopted to replace the form of Notice and Certification. Rule 5.7 is printed in regular type to enhance readability.]

[Adopted April 30, 1992, effective for decedents dying on or after July 1, 1992. Amended December 23, 1998, 29 Pa.B. 327, effective for decedents dying on or after January 1, 1999.]

Pa. O.C. Rule 5.7 Form of Notice to and Certification of Notice to Beneficiaries and Intestate Heirs

                         IMPORTANT NOTICE

                  NOTICE OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION

         Whether you will receive any money or property will
        be determined wholly or partly by the decedent's will.
        If the decedent died without a will, whether you will
         receive any money or property will be determined by
                 the intestacy laws of Pennsylvania.

BEFORE THE REGISTER OF WILLS, COUNTY OF __________, PENNSYLVANIA

In re Estate of ________________________, deceased,
No. ________ of ________

TO: ____________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________
(Name and Address)


   Please take notice of the death of decedent and the grant of
letters to the personal representative(s) named below.

   The Decedent, ________________________, died on the _________
day of _______________, 20___, at _____________________ County,
Pennsylvania.

   The Decedent died testate (with a Will); or

   The Decedent died intestate (without a Will).

   The personal representative of the Decedent is ______________
___________________________(name, address and telephone number).

   If the Decedent died testate, the will has been filed with the 
Office of the Register of Wills of ______________________ County 
(address and telephone number).

   If the Decedent died intestate, a Petition for the Grant of 
Letters of Administration was filed with the Office of the 
Register of Wills of ____________________ County (address and 
telephone number).

   A copy of the Will or Petition may be obtained by contacting 
the Register of Wills and paying the charges for duplication.


Date_______________________   Signature_________________________
                              Name______________________________
                              Address___________________________
                              __________________________________
                              Telephone_________________________
                      Capacity:   _____ Personal Representative
                                  _____ Counsel for personal
                                        representative

(b) Form of Certification of Notice.

               CERTIFICATION OF NOTICE UNDER RULE 5.6(a)

Name of Decedent:_______________________________________________
Date of Death:__________________________________________________
Will No._______________ Admin. No.______________________________

To the Register:

  I certify that notice of estate administration required by 
Rule 5.6(a) of the Orphans' Court Rules was served on or mailed 
to the following beneficiaries of the above-captioned estate on 
____________:

Name                          Address

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

Notice has now been given to all persons entitled thereto under
Rule 5.6(a) except _____________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

Date_______________________   __________________________________
                              Signature
                              Name______________________________
                              Address___________________________
                              __________________________________
                              Telephone(    )___________________
                      Capacity:   _____ Personal Representative
                                  _____ Counsel for Personal
                                        Representative