Skip to main content
Bernstein Burkley
  • Practice Areas
    • Overview
    • Bankruptcy & Restructuring
    • Business and Corporate Transactions
    • Creditors’ Rights
    • Litigation
    • Oil & Gas and Energy
    • Real Estate
    • Real Estate & Commercial Finance
  • Our Attorneys
  • About Us
    • Our Approach
    • History
    • Law Lists
    • Professional Memberships
    • Careers
  • Resources
    • Bernstein’s Dictionary of Bankruptcy Terminology
    • Links
    • Five Minute Legal Master videos
    • Blog
    • Legal Publications
  • News
    • Cases Archive
    • Firm News
    • In the News
    • Industry News
  • Contact
CALL - 412 456 8100
Connect
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
Bernstein Burkley
  • Practice Areas
    • Overview
    • Bankruptcy & Restructuring
    • Business and Corporate Transactions
    • Creditors’ Rights
    • Litigation
    • Oil & Gas and Energy
    • Real Estate
    • Real Estate & Commercial Finance
  • Our Attorneys
  • About Us
    • Our Approach
    • History
    • Law Lists
    • Professional Memberships
    • Careers
  • Resources
    • Bernstein’s Dictionary of Bankruptcy Terminology
    • Links
    • Five Minute Legal Master videos
    • Blog
    • Legal Publications
  • News
    • Cases Archive
    • Firm News
    • In the News
    • Industry News
  • Contact
Blog
Blog

Has Anyone Else Experienced this?

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Bob Bernstein

I had an interesting interaction at motions court a few weeks back. I had planned to present preliminary objections to an answer filed by a corporation which was entered pro se by one of the principal’s of the corporation. However, a few days before the argument the defendant hired an attorney and an appearance was entered, likely in response to my PO’s.

I wanted to notify the clerk that the argument would no longer be needed, and he told me that the argument would be canceled, but that as a matter of course, a corporation can file pro se in cases valued at less than $10,000 (I may be wrong on the exact threshold he mentioned by a bit, but my $9,000 and change case was under it.

This was a bit of a shock to me, and I have not actually heard about this happening in practice. I also checked the case law to see if there was an opinion somewhere that backed this up, but I have found nothing that establishes a threshold for when a corporation must hire representation.

If someone has had this happen in a collection action, please let me know in the comments, as I would really like to know.

Share on:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn

One thought on “Has Anyone Else Experienced this?”

  1. Shawn McClure says:
    May 31, 2012 at 12:03 pm

    This is common practice at the magistrate level. I have been involved with magistrate matters where a corporation is represented by an officer of the corporation. Magisterial District Judge’s Rule 207 sets forth who can represent a party in a magistrate hearing, and allows for representation by, among others, an officer. Our course Common Pleas Court is a different venue and there is no such rule. In fact, Pennsylvania case law holds opposite. I would have to think that case law controls.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Dictionary of Credit Terminology
  • Bernstein’s Dictionary of Bankruptcy Terminology
  • Links
  • Five Minute Legal Master videos
  • Legal Publications
  • All Posts
  • Blog
  • Press Releases
  • Uncategorized

Archives

Bernstein Burkley

Copyright © 2025 Bernstein-Burkley

Links
  • Disclaimer
  • Knowledge Base
  • Privacy Center
  • Site Map

Bernstein-Burkley, P.C.

Phone: 412.456.8100

Fax: 412.456.8135

Email: info@bernsteinlaw.com

Connect

We use cookies to give you the best online experience. By agreeing you accept the use of cookies in accordance with our cookie policy.

I accept My Preferences
Close Popup