Philadelphia judges are threatening to appoint a “special master” to oversee sheriff sales in the city if Sheriff Rochelle Bilal does not resolve ongoing delays in processing deeds of properties won at auction. A court order requires Bilal to submit a detailed accounting of every sheriff sale since she took office in January 2020, as well as a plan for “promptly” handling post-sale payments and delivering deeds to the winning bidders. Bilal or a representative from her office must also appear at a public hearing before a judge in July to demonstrate why a special master, title agent or someone with similar expertise in real estate should not be brought in to oversee the auctions and help clear out an extensive backlog of unprocessed sales.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 5/13/2026