IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA 
 
ADMINISTRATIVE DOCKET 

   

 

 
IN RE: AMENDED  
FIFTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT 
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS 
PLAN  
 
 

) 
) 
)  No.  AD - 2020 - _________ - PJ 
) 
) 
) 

ORDER OF COURT 

AND NOW, this  18th day of March 2020, consistent with the Order of 

the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania dated March 16, 2020, this Court having 

declared a judicial emergency in the Fifth Judicial District of Pennsylvania, the 

Court  orders  the  following  actions  be  taken  pursuant  to  Pa.R.J.A.  No. 

1952(B)(2): 

  All time calculations  for the  purposes of time computation  relevant to 

court  cases  or  other  judicial  business,  as  well  as  time  deadlines,  are 

suspended subject to constitutional restrictions.    

  Additional uses of advanced communication technology to conduct court 

proceedings, is authorized subject to constitutional restrictions.    

  All  provisions  of  this  Order  apply  to  cases  scheduled  from  March  19, 

2020 through April 14, 2020.   

  Until further Order of Court, no inmates or juveniles will be transported 

from  state  correctional  facilities,  county  jails  or  prisons,  Shuman 

   

   

Detention Center, or Hartman Shelter.  Where the participation of the 

inmate  or  juvenile  is  required,  advanced  communications  technology 

  When  a  court  reporter  or  other  approved  form  of  recording  court 

proceedings  is  unavailable,  alternative  forms  of  recording  shall  be 

shall be employed.  

permitted. 

  Alternative methods of signing, delivery and service of court documents 

and orders shall be permitted. 

Civil Division 

 

  Jury and non-jury trials are suspended pending further Order of Court. 

  Effective  immediately  General  Motions  heard  by  the  General  Motions 
Judge  shall  be  restricted  to  Petitions  for  Injunctive  Relief  relating  to 
public health concerns such as taking of residential property, ejectment, 
eviction  and/or  other  public  health  issues  or  concerns  involving 
immediate and irreparable harm, or any other Emergency Motion. 

  All  Housing  Court  Motions  shall  be  restricted  to  Emergency  Motions 
relating to  matters involving public  health concerns,  including but not 
limited  to  evictions,  addressing  suspension  of  utilities,  and  or  other 
habitability issues involving public health concerns. 

  Discovery Motions are suspended pending further Order of Court. 

  Arbitration  hearings  including  landlord/tenant  arbitration  hearings  are 

suspended until further Order of Court. 
 

  Hearings before the Board of Viewers are suspended until further Order 

of Court 

  In any case especially assigned to a judge, all current proceedings are 

suspended until further Order from the assigned judge.   
 

 

 

 

 

  All  previously  scheduled  motions,  hearings,  and/or  oral  arguments, 
including  those  on  the  General  Argument  list,  are  suspended  until 
further Order of Court.  
 

  Calendar Control Motions are suspended until further Order of Court.    

 

  The Administrative Order at AD93 of 2020 regarding the continuation of 
cases scheduled for Allegheny County Sheriff’s Sale on April 6, 2020 is 
hereby incorporated into this Order. 
 

  The Administrative Order at AD94 of 2020 regarding the suspension of 
execution of Writs of Possession by the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office 
is hereby incorporated into this Order. 
 

Criminal Division 

  All  court  events,  except  as  indicated  below,  in  each  of  the  criminal 
division  courtrooms  are  suspended  until  further  Order  of  Court.  
Courtroom  staff  will  notify  all  litigants  prior  to  their  scheduled  events 
and propose a continuance date acceptable to all parties.   
 

  Daily motions court are limited to bail hearings, motions to lift detainers, 

  Summary  and  statutory  appeals  are  suspended  until  further  Order  of 

and other emergency matters.   
 

Court.   
   

  The  motions  counter  in  Room  534  is  closed  until  further  notice.    For 

emergency motions please contact the court at (412) 350-1229. 
 

  Defendants who wish to address warrants for failure to appear may do 

so by phoning (412) 350-1229.   
 

  Pretrial conference and formal arraignments are suspended until further 

Order of Court.   

amily Division 

  F

Adult Section 

  Scheduled  conferences  and  hearings  in  support,  custody,  equitable 
distribution, and divorce are suspended until further Order of Court. 
 

  Detention hearings shall be heard by video conference or teleconference 

  In cases where the juvenile is detained prior to the adjudicatory hearing, 
the  Court  may  schedule  the  adjudicatory  hearing  more  than  ten  days 
after the filing of the petition or the prehearing conference as deemed 
appropriate  by  the  judge,  but  the  Court  must  review  the  detention 
status  by  memo  every  10  days  until  the  adjudicatory  hearing  is  held.  
The attorney for the Juvenile and the attorney for the Commonwealth 
shall be provided the opportunity to provide input in writing and/or by 
telephone.  In all cases, the Court shall determine whether the continued 
detainment is constitutionally permissible.  
 

  Adjudicatory  and  dispositional  hearings  for  juveniles  who  are  not 

detained are suspended until further Order of Court. 
 

  Post-dispositional  review  hearings,  except 

for  post-dispositional 
proceedings  where  a  juvenile  is  detained  are  suspended  until  further 
Order of Court.   
 

  Post-dispositional  hearings  where  the  recommendation  is  to  close 
supervision  may  be  presented  by  memo,  for  the entry  of an  Order  to 
terminate supervision.   
 

  Post-dispositional proceedings involving a probation violation allegation 
or  failure  to  adjust  allegation  where  the  juvenile  is  detained  shall  be 
presented by video or teleconference.   

  With  the  consent  of  the  parties,  any  matter  may  be  presented  to  the 

Court by memo, without a hearing, for entry of an Order.   
 

  Juvenile  detention  hearings  shall  be  heard  by  videoconference  or 

teleconference.  

  Emergency motions will be addressed on a case by case basis.   

  Protection from Abuse matters will be heard as normal.  

as directed by the Court.   
 

rotection from Abuse 

  P

 

 

Juvenile Delinquency 
 

 

     

uvenile Dependency 

  Juvenile  dependency  matters,  with  exception  of  shelter  care  hearings 
and    adjudicatory  and  dispositional  hearings  where  the  child  is  in 
placement  including kinship care, congregate care,  or foster care,  are 
suspended until further Order of Court.  To the fullest extent possible, 
the hearings will be held by video or teleconference.   
 

  The Court shall continue to handle shelter care proceedings, pursuant 

to Pa. C.S. 6332.   

  The Court shall continue to issue orders for protective custody, pursuant 

to Pa. R.J.C.P. Rule 1210.   

  The Court shall continue to be available to issue orders for Authorization 
for  Medical  Treatment  of  a  Minor,  pursuant  to  18  Pa.  C.P.S.3201. 
   

Orphans’ Court Division 

  All  scheduled  conferences  and  hearings  are  suspended  until  further 

Order of Court.   
 

  Emergency Motions will be heard daily at 9:30 a.m.   

  Emergency hearings shall be scheduled by the Motions Judge  

  Involuntary civil commitment hearings will continue as scheduled at the 

17 hospital/community hearing sites.   

agisterial District Courts 

  All cases in the Magisterial District Courts are postponed.     

  Execution of Orders for eviction or possession of residential properties 

in Allegheny County are stayed.   

  All  time  calculations  relevant  to  Magisterial  District  Court  proceedings 
located in the Pennsylvania Rules of Conduct, Office Standards for Civil 
Procedure for Magisterial District Judges and the Pennsylvania Rules of 
Criminal Procedure shall be suspended.   
 

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  The  Magisterial  District  Courts  shall  operate  in  accordance  with  the 
Magisterial  District  Courts’  COVID-19  Plan.    Eight  Magisterial  District 
Courts and Pittsburgh Municipal Court Arraignment Division will remain 
open  to  the  public  for  designated  operations.    All  other  Magisterial 
District Courts are closed to the public.  See attached MDC COVID-19 
plan.   

BY THE COURT: 

_____________________, P. J. 
KIM BERKELEY CLARK 
PRESIDENT JUDGE 

 

 

 
 
 
 

   

 
 
 
 
 

MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT COURTS 
COVID-19 PLAN 

ight Magisterial District Courts will be open to the public for specific designated operations.    The eight open 
Magisterial District Courts will cover designated operations for the Magisterial District Courts listed in their Area.  
All other Magisterial District Courts are closed to the public.  Designated operations include arraignments, criminal 
case filings and subsequent processing, issuance of search warrants and Emergency Protection from Abuse 
petitions. 

AREA A - Pittsburgh Municipal Court, Arraignment Division will remain open for all functions. 

AREA B – MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT COURT 05-2-02 DESIGNATED OPEN COURT AND WILL ADDRESS DESIGNATED 
OPERATIONS FOR THE FOLLOWING COURTS: 

AREA C – MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT COURT 05-3-03 DESIGNATED OPEN COURT AND WILL ADDRESS DESIGNATED 
OPERATIONS FOR THE FOLLOWING COURTS: 

AREA D – MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT COURT 05-2-28 DESIGNATED OPEN COURT AND WILL ADDRESS DESIGNATED 
OPERATIONS FOR THE FOLLOWING COURTS: 

05-2-12  

05-3-02  

05-2-01 

05-2-40  

05-2-42 

05-3-04  

05-2-05  

05-2-04 

05-2-03  

05-2-32  

 

05-3-10  

05-2-27  

05-2-36  

05-2-31  

05-3-12   

05-2-38 

05-2-35 

AREA E – MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT COURT 05-2-08 DESIGNATED OPEN COURT AND WILL ADDRESS DESIGNATED 
OPERATIONS FOR THE FOLLOWING COURTS: 

05-2-11  

05-2-47  

05-2-10  

 

05-2-06  

05-2-07 

AREA F – MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT COURT 05-3-09 DESIGNATED OPEN COURT AND WILL ADDRESS DESIGNATED 
OPERATIONS FOR THE FOLLOWING COURTS  

05-2-26  

05-3-05  

05-2-13 

05-2-14  

05-2-15  

05-2-16 

05-2-18  

05-2-17  

 

05-2-22  

05-2-19  

05-3-14 

AREA G – MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT COURT 05-2-20 DESIGNATED OPEN COURT AND WILL ADDRESS DESIGNATED 
OPERATIONS FOR THE FOLLOWING COURTS 

AREA H – MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT COURT 05-3-06 DESIGNATED OPEN COURT AND WILL ADDRESS DESIGNATED 
OPERATIONS FOR THE FOLLOWING COURTS 

05-3-17  

05-2-43  

05-2-25  

 

05-3-13  

05-2-21  

05-2-23 

    E