IN THE  COURT  OF COMMON  PLEAS  OF'BUCKS  COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

EMERGENCY ORDER NO. 2O2O-02

IN RE: TEMPORARY  RESTRICTIONS
ON OPERATIONS OF
MAGISTERIAL  DISTRICT
COURTS WITHIN THE
SEVENTH  JUDICIAL
DISTRICT  DUE TO EXIGENT
CIRUMSTANCES CREATED
BY COVID-l9

" 

ORDER

AND  Now ,tti, //#ou, orr*Il]0,
The Govemor  of the Commonwealth  of Pennsylvania  has declared  the existence  of a
disaster  emergency  throughout the Commonwealth  to address  the threat posed  by the coronavirus
disease  2019 (covlD-l9).  The Governor  has  announced  on March l4,io2o,that he is expanding
CoVID-ig  mitigation  efforts to include Bucks  County.  An increased  number of confirmed cases
of CoVID-19 have been  reported  in Southeastern  Pennsylvania  in recent days.  The Centers for
Disease  Control and Prevention and State and local public health authorities have advised  that
precautions  be taken to avoid  exposure to the virus and to prevent  its spread, including
implementing  social distancing measures  such as avoiding large gatherings  and refraining  from
non-essential  travel. In light of these  and other recent developments with regard  to COVID-19 in
Bucks  County,  and to protect  public health, reduce  the size of public gatherings,  and reduce
unnecessary  travel within this county, while allowing the Magisterial  District Courts  to continue
to perform their constitutional  duties;

It is hereby oRDERED  that the following  precautionary  measures affecting  all

Magisterial District Court offices of the Seventh  Judicial  Dirt.i.t effective immediately.

1. Court Facilities Remain Open

All Magisterial  District Court  offices  will continue  to operate  subject to the precautions
and  restrictions described herein.

2. Acceptance  of Payments  for Fines, costs  or other Fees

The Magisterial District Judge  may in her or his discretion  refuse  to accept  in-person
payments  of fines, costs  or other  case  fees.  In such cases,  payments may be made online
using  a credit or debit  card or by mail  using  check  o. *on"y  order.

3. Criminal  Hearings

All Preliminary hearings in criminal  cases shall  be generally  continued to a date on or after
April 14,2020.

Per Order from the President  Judge, the operation of Rule  600 of Criminal  procedure  shall
be suspended from March 17 ,2020 to April 14,2020.

Bail decisions should also weigh heavily  the current threat  posed by covlD-19.

4.

Posting  of Bail

Bail shall be accepted by any Magisterial  District Court office. Bail may  be posted  in cash
or by any other  method  authorized  by rule.

5.

Traffic and Non-Traffic  Offense Hearings

All hearings concerning  Traffic  and Non-Traffic  offenses shall  be continued  to a date  on
or after April  14, 2020.

No Form DL-38 or any other form having  the effect of suspending  driving  privileges,
arrests warrants  or bench  warrants  shall  be i sued  in such cases.

6.

Civil Action Hearings

All civil  action hearings shall be continued  to a date on or after April 14, 2020.

7.

Landlord-Tenant (Actions for possession of Real property) Hearings

All Landlord Tenant  action hearings shall be continued to a date  on or after April 14, 2020.

Requests  for Orders of Possession  resulting from  judgements  entered  in Landlord-Tenant
Actions  may  be filed.  However, any execution  on an o.der  Possession is stayed to a date
on or after April 14, 2020,  effective immediately.

This Order will expire  on April 14,2020 unless  extended  by further Court Order.

BY THE  COURT:

, Jr] President  J