Access to state courts remains limited through June 1; evictions suspended through May 11
The state Supreme Court has extended a state of emergency through June 1 due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
At the request of Dr. Rachel Levine, secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the courts have been operating on a limited basis to guard the safety of court personnel, court users and the public.
Last week, Washington County President Judge Katherine B. Emery extended the local judicial emergency to May 29.
“We believe our court’s order is consistent with the requirements set by the Supreme Court,” Court Administrator Patrick Grimm wrote in response to an email inquiry Tuesday.
“We intend to remain on the same path to ending the local judicial emergency at the end of the month – barring any serious change in local conditions,” he said. “In the meantime, we are working on plans to address opening more widely to the public the courthouse, family court center and magisterial district courts.”
Details will be released later.
The Supreme Court directed common pleas and magisterial district courts to conduct proceedings through phone lines, video, fax and email “to the extent that constitutional requirements can be satisfied.”
Attorneys are also encouraged to use the same technologies.
Civil and criminal jury trials are suspended, and in the case of prosecutions, the time elapsed due to the emergency is generally excluded from the defendant’s right to a speedy trial.
“Attorneys should counsel their clients that the public health emergency can in no way be used” to secure a strategic advantage in litigation, the Supreme Court ordered.
Depositions from doctors, nurses or other health care professionals who are involved in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic are suspended while the emergency order remains in effect.
The Supreme Court also empowers president judges to exercise emergency powers, but any declaration extending beyond June 1 must outline the reasons behind the extension.
Previous restrictions on ejecting or evicting a tenant for failure to pay rent or other money is extended until May 11 under the Supreme Court’s latest emergency order.