ND NOW, this 1st day of April, 2020, pursuant to Rule of Judicial Administration 

1952(A)  and  the  Pennsylvania  Supreme  Court’s  constitutionally-conferred  general 

supervisory  and  administrative  authority  over  all  courts  and  magisterial  district  judges, 

see PA.  CONST.  art.  V,  §10(a),  this  Court  DIRECTS  that the  general,  statewide  judicial 

emergency  declared  in  this  Court’s  Order  of  March  16,  2020,  is  EXTENDED  through 

April  30,  2020,  and  all  Pennsylvania  courts  SHALL  REMAIN  generally  CLOSED  TO 

THE PUBLIC through April 30, 2020, subject to the General and Specific Directives and 

Exceptions  set  forth  in  this  Court’s  Order  of  March  18,  2020,  as  modified  and 

supplemented herein. 

The Court further explains and DIRECTS as follows: 

On  March  16,  2020,  in  light  of  the  spread  of  the  COVID-19  virus,  this  Court 

deemed  it  necessary  to  declare  a  general,  statewide  judicial emergency  to  enable  the 

Pennsylvania  Judiciary  to  consider  --  on  a  district-by-district  basis  --  the  appropriate 

measures  to  be  taken  to  safeguard  the  health  and  safety  of  court  personnel,  court 

users,  and  members  of  the  public.    Via  separate  Order,  President  Judges  of  the 

ER CURIAM 

 A

SECOND SUPPLEMENTAL ORDER 

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA 
WESTERN DISTRICT 
 

   

: 
: 
: 

N RE: GENERAL STATEWIDE 
JUDICIAL EMERGENCY 

Nos. 531 and 532 Judicial 
Administration Docket 

 

  I

   

    P

 

 

 

intermediate  appellate  courts  were  afforded  authority  to  implement  emergency 

measures as well. 

On  March  18,  2020,  at  the  behest  of  Pennsylvania’s  Secretary  of  Health,  the 

Court issued an order directing that all Pennsylvania courts are generally closed to the 

public through at least April 3, 2020, subject to  certain General and Specific Directives 

and Exceptions  designed,  inter alia,  to  ensure  the  continuation  of  the  courts’  essential 

functions consistent with public health guidance provided by the  executive branch.  On 

March  24,  2020,  the  Court  issued  a  Supplemental  Order  expanding  the  non-exclusive 

list  of essential functions  to  include  commencement of a  civil  action,  by  praecipe for a 

writ of summons, for purposes of tolling a statute of limitations. 

Yesterday afternoon, the Secretary of Health urged the Supreme Court to extend 

the  statewide  closure  of  the  courts,  except  for  essential  services,  for  a  period  of 

approximately  one  additional  month  to  further  restrict  the  amount  of  person-to-person 

contact and mitigate the spread of COVID-19. 

Accordingly,  the  temporary,  general  closure  of  the  Pennsylvania  courts  to  the 

public  SHALL  REMAIN  IN  PLACE  through  April  30,  2020,  subject  to  the  General  and 

Specific  Directives  and  Exceptions  set  forth  in  the  March  18  Order,  subject  to  the 

modifications and clarifications set forth below. 

In addition, President Judges are AUTHORIZED to declare judicial emergencies 

in  their  judicial  districts  through  May  31,  2020,  or  for  part  of  that  period,  should  they 

deem it appropriate based on local conditions for the protection of the health and safety 

of  court  personnel,  court  users,  and  others.    Such  declarations,  as  well  as  all  local 

orders and directives, SHALL BE FILED with the Prothonotary for the Supreme Court in 

 
[531 & 532 Judicial Administration Docket - 2] 

 

the  Eastern,  Western,  or  Middle  District  Office,  as  appropriate  for  the  particular  local 

judicial district.  For convenience, such materials may be transmitted via electronic mail 

to:  Irene.Bizzoso@pacourts.us. 

 

Time Limitations and Deadlines 

Unless otherwise indicated herein or in the March 18 Order, all time calculations 

for purposes of time computation relevant to court cases or other judicial business, as 

well  as  time  deadlines,  ARE  NOW  SUSPENDED  through  April  30,  2020,  subject  to 

additional  orders.    This  suspension  SHALL  OVERLAP  with  suspensions  already 

granted by any President Judge, and any longer suspensions directed by an appellate 

or local court shall remain extant on their own terms.  In all events, any legal papers or 

pleadings  which  are  required  to  be filed between  March  19, 2020,  and  April  30,  2020, 

SHALL BE DEEMED to have been timely filed if they are filed by May 1, 2020, or on a 

later date as permitted by the appellate or local court in question. 

Statutes of Limitations 

This Court’s Order of March 24, 2020, expanding the list of essential functions of 

courts to include acceptance of a praecipe for a writ of summons, for purposes of tolling 

a  statute of  limitations,  SHALL  REMAIN IN FULL  FORCE  AND  EFFECT through  April 

30, 2020.  Additionally, if a court of original jurisdiction is closed to filings, the alternative 

mechanism  for  filing  of  an  emergency  praecipe  in  the  Superior  Court  shall  remain  in 

place, as set forth in the March 24, 2020 Order. 
 

 
[531 & 532 Judicial Administration Docket - 3] 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Children’s Fast Track Appeals 

This  Court’s  “Order  Regarding  Alternative  Filing  Procedure  for  Children’s  Fast 

Track  Appeals,”  dated  March  27,  2020,  SHALL  REMAIN  IN  FULL  FORCE  AND 

EFFECT  through  at  least  April  30,  2020.    This  Order  approved  the  Superior  Court’s 

provision  for  the  filing  of  emergency  filing  of  children’s  fast  track  appeals  upon  a 

certification that filing in the court of original jurisdiction is impractical due to the closure 

of court facilities.  
  

 
Advanced Communication Technology 

The  Court  continues  to  specifically  AUTHORIZE  AND  ENCOURAGE  use  of 

advanced  communication  technology  to  conduct  court  proceedings,  subject  only  to 

constitutional  limitations.    Advanced  communication  technology  includes,  but  is  not 

limited  to:  systems  providing  for  two-way  simultaneous  communication  of  image  and 

sound; closed-circuit television; telephone and facsimile equipment; and electronic mail.  

See Pa.R.J.A. No. 1952(A)(2)(e) & comment (citing Rule of Criminal Procedure 103 for 

the definition of advanced communication technology). 

Courts of Common Pleas 

As previously prescribed, any in-person hearings pertaining to essential functions 

SHALL BE HELD in courtrooms designated by the individual courts of common pleas to 

minimize person-to-person contact.   

Per the March 18 Order, unless otherwise required therein, any in-person pretrial 

conference,  case  management  conference,  status  conference,  diversionary  program, 

discovery motions practice, motions practice or other hearing, whether civil or criminal, 

were  postponed  until  a  future  date  to  be  set  forth  by  the  courts.    The  Court  further 

 
[531 & 532 Judicial Administration Docket - 4] 

 

 

 

 

directed  that,  to  the  extent  that  such  matters  could  be  handled  through  advanced 

communication  technology  consistent  with  constitutional  limitations,  they  may  and 

should  proceed.    The  effect  of  these  directives  is  now  EXTENDED  through  April  30, 

2020, unless a President Judge should direct otherwise upon sufficient notice. 

The  Court  NOW  CLARIFIES  that  it  expects  that  non-essential  matters  can 

continue to move forward, within the sound discretion of President Judges, so long as 

judicial  personnel,  attorneys,  and  other  individuals  can  and  do  act  in  conformity  with 

orders and guidance issued by the executive branch.  Here again, the Court continues 

to  specifically  AUTHORIZE  AND  ENCOURAGE  use  of  advanced  communication 

technology, subject only to constitutional limitations. 

Jurors SHALL NOT REPORT for jury duty through April 30, 2020. 

Magisterial District Courts, Philadelphia Municipal Court, Philadelphia 
Arraignment Court Magistrates and Pittsburgh Municipal Court, 
Arraignment Division 

All  Magisterial  District  Courts,  Philadelphia  Municipal  Court,  Philadelphia 

Arraignment  Court  and  Pittsburgh  Municipal  Court,  Arraignment  Division,  SHALL 

REMAIN CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC, except for essential functions, and subject to the 

additional Directives and Exceptions set forth in this Court’s March 18 Order, including 

modifications to the regimen for the acceptance of payments   
 

Guidance to Legal Professionals 

Guidance has been provided by the executive branch explaining that members of 

the  legal  profession  “may  continue  physical  operations  .  .  .  as  required  to  allow 

attorneys to participate in court functions deemed essential by a president judge per the 

Pennsylvania  Supreme  Court's  order  of  March  18,  2020,  or  similar  federal  court 

directive,  and  lawyers  may  access  their  offices  to  effectuate  such  functions  and 

 
[531 & 532 Judicial Administration Docket - 5] 

 

 

 

directives.”   MARCH  24,  2020  --  INDUSTRY  OPERATION  GUIDANCE,  Uploaded by Governor 

Tom  Wolf,  https://www.scribd.com/document/452553026/UPDATED-2-30pm-March-24-

2020-Industry-Operation-Guidance (last visited April 1, 2020). 

Paragraph 13 of the Governor’s Frequently Asked Questions additionally advises 

that businesses that are otherwise required to suspend in-person operations may “retain 

essential  personnel  to  process  payroll  and  insurance  claims,  maintain  security,  and 

engage in similar limited measures on an occasional basis,” subject to the caveat that 

“telework (i.e.  working from home) should be employed whenever possible, and social 

distancing must be observed.” 

https://www.scribd.com/document/452553495/UPDATED-7-30pm-March-31-2020-Life-

Sustaining-Business-FAQs (last visited April 1, 2020).   

 

Dispossession of Property 

 

Subject  to  further  orders  of  this  Court,  the  directives  contained  in  the  March  18 

Order  concerning 

the  dispossession  of  a 

residence 

--  under 

the  heading 

"Landlord/Tenant"  --  are  hereby  extended  through  April  30,  2020.    It  is  noted,  as  a 

clarification, that the intent of this provision is that, in view of the economic effects of the 

COVID-19 pandemic, during this timeframe no officer, official, or other person employed 

by  the  Pennsylvania  Judiciary  at  any  level  shall  effectuate  an  eviction,  ejectment,  or 

other  displacement  from  a  residence  based  upon  the  failure  to  make  a  monetary 

payment.  Such payments include rent and loan payments, as referenced in the March 

18 Order; they also include property tax payments.  As such, this temporary prohibition 

encompasses, inter alia, dispossessions predicated on a mortgage foreclosure, a failure 

to  pay  rent,  or  a  failure  to  pay  property  taxes.    Finally,  and  again  subject  to  further 

orders,  any  execution  on  an  order  of  possession  is  also  stayed  for  the  same  period, 

namely, through April 30, 2020. 

 
[531 & 532 Judicial Administration Docket - 6] 

 

Prompt Trials 

Extending  the  prior  directive  from  the  March  18  Order,  Rule  of  Criminal 

Procedure  600(C)  is  hereby  SUSPENDED  in  all  judicial  districts  at  least  through  April 

30,  2020.    The  purport  of  this  directive  is that  the  time  period  of  the  statewide  judicial 

emergency  and  continuing  through  April  30,  2020,  SHALL  BE  EXCLUDED  from  the 

time  calculation  under  Rule  600(C).    Nothing  in  this  Order,  however,  or  its  local 

implementation,  shall  affect  a  criminal  defendant’s  right  to  a  speedy  trial  under  the 

United States and Pennsylvania Constitutions – albeit that the circumstances giving rise 

to this Order and the suspension may be relevant to the constitutional analysis. 

his Court will continue to post on the Unified Judicial System website its Orders 

concerning the operations of the Unified Judicial System during the COVID-19 situation. 

  T

A True Copy Patricia Nicola
As Of 04/01/2020
  
  
   
Attest: ___________________
Chief Clerk
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

 
[531 & 532 Judicial Administration Docket - 7]