Imposition of Supervision Fee and Probation/Parole Supervision Fee Guidelines Establishment

Overview

The Blair County Court of Common Pleas has adopted a local rule establishing guidelines for the imposition of supervision fees. This order, effective June 27, 2018, mandates a monthly fee for offenders placed on probation, parole, or other forms of supervision within the 24th Judicial District of Pennsylvania.

Key Financial Details

• Monthly Fee Amount: $40. 00 per month.
• Collection: Fees are assessed by the Clerk of Courts.
• Fund Distribution: The Blair County Treasurer administers a "Blair County Adult Probation Supervision Fund. " This fund receives one-half of the total supervision fee funds collected. The remaining balance is remitted to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Applicability

The fee applies to any offender in Blair County placed on:

• Probation
• Parole
• Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (A. R. D. )
• Probation Without Verdict (P. W. O. V. )
• Intermediate punishment

This applies to supervision through standard or specialty courts.

Payment and Waiver Rules

• Full Term Assessment: Fees are assessed for the full term of supervision. If paid in advance, they are non-refundable and cannot be applied to other court fees if supervision is terminated early.
• Multiple Cases: A single fee is imposed on individuals with multiple cases, based on the total number of months of supervision under all sentences.
• Absconding: If an offender absconds, fees continue to accrue until the maximum expiration date of the sentence.
• Transfers: Fees are not assessed for supervision transferred to another state.

Waivers and Reductions

The Court may waive part or all of the fee if the offender is unable to pay, based on factors such as:

• Inability to obtain employment despite diligent efforts.
• Being a student in school, college, or vocational training.
• Having an employment handicap (verified by examination).
• Age preventing employment.
• Responsibility for dependents causing undue hardship.
• Plea agreements contemplating early termination of supervision.
• Other extenuating circumstances determined by the Court.

Administrative Directives

The Blair County District Court Administrator is ordered to:

1. File a copy of the rules with the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts via email.
2. File paper and electronic copies with the Legislative Reference Bureau for publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
3. Publish the rules on the Blair County Court website (www. blairco. org).
4. Incorporate the rules into the set of local rules on the website within 30 days of publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
5. Keep a copy available for public inspection in the Office of Prothonotary of Blair County.

The rule becomes effective 30 days after publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin and upon publication on the Blair County website.