Title 42, JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE

In accordance with section 18 of Article V of the Constitution of Pennsylvania, the Court of Judicial Discipline shall consist of eight persons selected as provided in this chapter.

(a) General rule.--The Court of Judicial Discipline shall consist of: (1) Two judges of the Superior Court, the Commonwealth Court or the courts of common pleas in regular active service appointed by the Supreme Court. (2) A magisterial district judge appointed by the Supreme Cou…

The Court of Judicial Discipline shall appoint staff and prepare and administer its own budget as provided by law and undertake actions needed to ensure its efficient operation. All actions of the court, including disciplinary action, shall require approval by a majority vote of …

The Court of Judicial Discipline shall be a court of record with all the attendant duties and powers appropriate to its function as provided by section 18 of Article V of the Constitution of Pennsylvania. The court shall comply with the procedures set forth in section 18 of Artic…

The regular sessions of the Court of Judicial Discipline shall be held at the seat of government and elsewhere as provided by rule of court.

Members of the Court of Judicial Discipline and the staff of the court shall be absolutely immune from suit for all conduct in the course of their official duties, and no civil action or disciplinary complaint predicated on testimony before the court may be maintained against any…

The Supreme Court shall exercise general supervisory and administrative authority over the unified judicial system and in aid thereof shall have the powers specified in Subchapter B (relating to specific powers of the governing authority of the system).

(a) General rule.--Subject to the provisions of subsection (b), the Supreme Court and all agencies or units of the unified judicial system when exercising the power to adopt general rules or other orders in the nature of regulations pursuant to the authority of the Supreme Court …

The Supreme Court and all other agencies and units of the unified judicial system when exercising the powers to recommend or adopt general rules or other orders in the nature of regulations shall be an agency within the meaning of the act of July 19, 1974 (P.L.486, No.175), refer…

(a) General rule.--The Supreme Court may from time to time delegate to any agency or unit of the unified judicial system such of the supervisory and administrative powers of the court, including the powers specified in this subchapter, as may be specified by general rule. (b) Exc…

(a) General rule.--The governing authority shall have the power to prescribe and modify general rules governing: (1) Practice, procedure and the conduct of all courts, magisterial district judges and all officers serving process or enforcing orders of any court or magisterial dis…

The governing authority shall exercise general supervisory and administrative authority over all courts and magisterial district judges. (Nov. 30, 2004, P.L.1618, No.207, eff. 60 days) 2004 Amendment. See section 29 of Act 207 in the appendix to this title for special provisions …

(a) General rule.--Except as provided in subsection (b), the governing authority shall exercise general supervisory and administrative authority over the personnel of the system, including the power to: (1) Standardize the qualifications for employment, and all titles, salaries a…

(a) General rule.--(Repealed). (b) Procedure.--(Repealed). (c) Counties of the first class.-- (1) The following fees shall be received by the clerks of orphans' courts of counties of the first class: (i) The following fees shall be charged for the filing of accounts of guardians …

(a) Civil cases.--Subject to subsection (f), the costs to be charged by magisterial district judges in every civil case, except as otherwise provided in this section, shall be as follows: $30.00 $40.00 $50.00 $75.00 $45.00 $55.00 $75.00 $22.50 $10.00 $ 5.00 Such costs shall inclu…

(a) Division of costs.--In every case of summary conviction in which the evidence is not sufficient to convict and the defendant is dismissed, there shall be no costs imposed if the prosecutor is a police officer engaged as such in the employ of this Commonwealth or of any of its…

(a) Imposition.--A person who is placed on probation without verdict pursuant to section 17 of the act of April 14, 1972 (P.L.233, No.64), known as The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act, or who receives Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition or who pleads guilty…

(a) Increasing existing fees.-- (1) In counties of the second class A and the third through eighth class, including home rule counties of the same class, the clerk of courts may increase any fee or charge that exists as of the effective date of this section with the approval of t…

(a) Imposition.--Following the adoption of a countywide booking center plan, a person may, in addition to any other fines, penalties or costs imposed by law, be required by the court to pay a booking center fund fee of no more than $300 if the person: (1) Is placed on probation w…

(a) Development.-- (1) A court in a county that has developed and adopted a countywide booking center plan may impose the fee established under section 1725.5 (relating to booking center fee). (2) A county with a criminal justice advisory board shall develop the plan in conjuncti…

(a) General rule.--In addition to any other fee authorized by law, a person who files a petition for expungement under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122 (relating to expungement) or a petition for an order for limited access under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122.1 (relating to order for limited access) shall …

(a) Standards for costs.--The governing authority shall prescribe by general rule the standards governing the imposition and taxation of costs, including the items which constitute taxable costs, the litigants who shall bear such costs, and the discretion vested in the courts to …

The cost of a forensic rape examination or other physical examination conducted for the purpose of gathering evidence in any criminal investigation and prosecution under 18 Pa.C.S. Ch. 31 (relating to sexual offenses) and the cost to provide medications prescribed to the victim t…

(a) General rule.--In any criminal prosecution of an offense related to an incident involving domestic violence, of any type or grade, whether the charges were filed by private criminal complaint, by the police or by the district attorney, no fees, costs or fines associated with …

The governing authority shall have power to: (1) Review the tentative budget request of the system prepared by the Administrative Office pursuant to section 3522 (relating to preparation of tentative budget request), to make such modifications therein as in its judgment are neces…

(a) General rule.--The governing authority shall have power on application to identify the several conferences or associations which are the most broadly representative of each of the following groups: (1) Judges of the courts of common pleas, community courts and Philadelphia Mu…

The governing authority shall have power by general rule or by order to provide for the organization and convening on a regular or special basis of a Judicial Conference of Pennsylvania, institutes and joint councils on sentencing, and such other informational and educational con…

The governing authority shall have power by general rules or by order to establish and discontinue boards, councils, commissions, committees or other bodies composed of personnel of the system and other persons to consider, report or take action on any subject specified in such g…

(a) Base salaries.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary: (1) A person who is elected or appointed to a term as a justice of the Supreme Court, judge of the Superior Court, judge of the Commonwealth Court, judge of a court of common pleas, judge of the Phila…

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court shall have exclusive jurisdiction to hear any challenge to or to render a declaratory judgment concerning the constitutionality of this subchapter. The Supreme Court is authorized to take such action as it deems appropriate, consistent with the Supr…

The Supreme Court shall appoint and may remove a Court Administrator of Pennsylvania. Cross References. Section 1901 is referred to in section 102 of this title; section 101 of Title 2 (Administrative Law and Procedure).

A reference in any statute to the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts shall be deemed a reference to the Court Administrator of Pennsylvania who shall, either personally, by deputy, by other duly authorized personnel of the system, or by duly authorized agent, exercise t…

The Supreme Court may appoint such subordinate administrators and staff as may be necessary and proper for the prompt and proper disposition of the business of all courts and magisterial district judges. (Nov. 30, 2004, P.L.1618, No.207, eff. 60 days) 2004 Amendment. See section …

(a) Establishment of criminal charge information system.--The Administrative Office shall establish and maintain an information system to enable a parent who is a party to a custody proceeding or order to have access to information about the criminal charges filed against the oth…

(a) Transition.--Effective on a date established by the Supreme Court, the offices of district court administrators, deputy court administrators, special courts administrators, associate and assistant court administrators and similar positions as currently designated by the Admin…

2017 Expiration. Section 1906 expired June 30, 2017. See Act 79 of 2012.

(a) Continuation.--The Court Administrator of Pennsylvania shall continue the program to defray the costs imposed on counties by the rules of judicial administration for facilities and staff for senior judges assigned to the courts of common pleas. (b) Availability.--Grants shall…

The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts may develop and implement annual and ongoing education and training programs for judges, including magisterial district judges, regarding the laws of this Commonwealth relating to deteriorated real property and the economic impact …

(a) Program.--The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts may develop and implement an ongoing education and training program for judges, magisterial district judges and relevant court personnel, including guardians ad litem, counsel for children, masters and mediators regar…

(a) General rule.--In accordance with section 18 of Article V of the Constitution of Pennsylvania, the Judicial Conduct Board shall be an independent board within the Judicial Branch and shall consist of 12 persons selected as provided in this subchapter. (b) Seal.--The Judicial …

(a) General rule.--The Judicial Conduct Board shall consist of: (1) A judge of the Superior Court or the Commonwealth Court in regular active service appointed by the Supreme Court. (2) A magisterial district judge, who need not be a member of the bar of this Commonwealth, appoin…

Annually, the Judicial Conduct Board shall elect a chairperson. The board shall act only with the concurrence of a majority of its members.

The Judicial Conduct Board shall appoint a chief counsel and other staff, prepare and administer its own budget as provided by law, exercise supervisory and administrative authority over all board staff and board functions, establish and promulgate its own rules of procedure, pre…

The Judicial Conduct Board shall exercise the powers and perform the duties vested in and imposed upon the board by section 18 of Article V of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and Chapter 33 (relating to discipline, removal and retirement of judicial officers) and any other power…

Members of the Judicial Conduct Board and its chief counsel and staff shall be absolutely immune from suit for all conduct in the course of their official duties. No civil action or disciplinary complaint predicated upon the filing of a complaint or other documents with the board…