COVID-19 Magisterial District Judges Procedures Update November 24, 2020

Administrative Order for Magisterial District Courts

Issued by: Elizabeth Doyle, President Judge (Court of Common Pleas, Blair County) Effective Period: November 30, 2020, through December 11, 2020

In response to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in Blair County, the following restrictions and procedures are implemented for Magisterial District Courts to ensure public safety:

Filing and Payments

• No Walk-ins: There are no walk-in case filings or fine payments allowed during this period.

Court Hearings and Trials

• Remote Proceedings: Judges are to conduct summary trials, hearings, and conferences via Advanced Communication Technology (ACT) or continue matters to a later date.
• Allowed Platforms: ACT includes, but is not limited to, BlueJeans, Skype, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and telephone.
• Preliminary Hearings: These are restricted to incarcerated defendants only, barring extenuating circumstances.
• Emergency Matters: Emergency Protection From Abuse (PFA) orders, search warrants, arrest warrants, and preliminary arraignments will continue to be handled via ACT.
• In-Person Appearances: Any matter requiring an individual to appear in person must be scheduled in advance by appointment at the discretion of the respective Magisterial District Judge.

General Discretion

• Judges have the discretion to hear or continue other non-emergency matters as they see fit for their specific court.
• All previous administrative orders regarding the courts remain in effect.