Rule 4003.7 has been a part of the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure since 1997. Twenty years have passed since its adoption, but uncertainty still abounds. Under what circumstances and at what stage of the proceedings may a party obtain information regarding the wealth of a defendant for purposes of a punitive damages claim?

The text of the rule itself seems fairly straightforward. It states: “A party may obtain information concerning the wealth of a defendant in a claim for punitive damages only upon order of court setting forth appropriate restrictions as to the time of the discovery, the scope of the discovery, and the dissemination of the material discovered.”

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