TITLE 42. JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE 

PART IV. FINANCIAL MATTERS 
CHAPTER 35.  Budget and Finance 
General Principles 

The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, pursuant to general authority set forth by Art. V, 

§ 10 of the Pennsylvania Constitution, and 42 Pa.C.S. § 1721, has authorized the Court 
Administrator of Pennsylvania to promulgate regulations in accordance with all applicable 
statutory provisions pertaining to the distribution and disbursement of all fines, fees, costs, 
reparations, restitution, penalties and other remittances imposed and collected by the 
Criminal Division of the Courts of Common Pleas, Philadelphia Municipal Court, and any 
other entity on behalf of the Court using the Common Pleas Criminal Court Case 
Management System (CPCMS). 

These regulations, as amended, are effective immediately. 

I. 

Schedule for Standard Distribution of Funds Collected by the Criminal Division of the 
Courts of Common Pleas, Philadelphia Municipal Court, and any other entity on 
behalf of the Court Using the Common Pleas Criminal Court Case Management 
System (CPCMS). 

A. 

All fines, fees, costs, reparations, restitution, penalties and other remittances 
imposed and collected by the Criminal Division of the Courts of Common 
Pleas, Philadelphia Municipal Court and any other entity on behalf of the 
Court using the CPCMS shall be distributed in the following prioritized order: 

1. 

2. 

3. 

The collection agency fee provided for in 42 Pa.C.S. Section 9730.1 
shall be paid first, but only in cases wherein the private collection 
agency has secured the funds from the defendant or a third party and 
the payment is made to the court.  No more than 25% of each 
payment secured from the defendant by the private collection agency 
may be applied towards this fee.   

The Crime Victim Compensation Fund and Victim Witness Services 
Fund shall be paid, but only in cases in which the defendant has been 
sentenced to incarceration, probation or is admitted into an accelerated 
rehabilitative disposition program (see 18 P.S. § 11.1101).  Otherwise, 
these costs shall be distributed in accordance with subsection (A)(6) of 
these regulations. 

At least 50% of any additional payment shall go to restitution until it is 
paid in full (see 42 Pa.C.S. § 9728(g.1)).  When restitution is ordered to 
more than one recipient at the same time, the court shall set the priority 
of payment as follows, in accordance with 18 Pa.C.S. § 
1106(c)(1)(ii)(A)-(D): 

i. 

the victim; 

   

4. 

5. 

ii. 

iii. 

iv. 

the Crime Victim’s Compensation Board; 

any other governmental agency which has provided 
reimbursement to the victim as a result of the defendant’s 
criminal conduct;  

any insurance company which has provided reimbursement to 
the victim as a result of the defendant’s criminal conduct. 

Judicial Computer Project/Access To Justice (JCS/ATJ) Fee (see 42 
Pa.C.S. § 3733(a.1)).     

Electronic monitoring fees, offender supervision fees (as set forth in 18 
P.S. § 11.1102(c)), alcohol highway safety school fees (see 75 Pa.C.S. 
§ 1548(b)), service fees (such as sheriff’s fees set forth in 42 P.S. § 
21101 et. seq., and constable’s fees set forth in 42 Pa.C.S. § 2950), 
transcript fees (see Pa.R.J.A. No. 5000.7), witness fees (as provided 
for in 42 Pa.C.S. § 5903), and other similar fees shall be paid based 
upon a pro-rated formula, unless the fees are prioritized by court order 
or the judicial district.  The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania 
Courts may preclude a fee from being classified as an “other similar 
fee”.  The amount of the payment allocated to each outstanding item 
shall be determined by dividing the outstanding balance for the 
individual item by the combined total of the outstanding balances for all 
items.  The resulting number is then multiplied by the amount of the 
payment to determine how much of the payment shall be allocated to 
the outstanding balance of the individual item involved. 

For example, a defendant owes $80.00 in electronic monitoring 
fees, $10.00 in offender supervision fees, and $10.00 in service 
fees, for a total of $100.00 in outstanding fees.  Defendant makes a 
payment of $10.00 in his/her case.  To determine the amount to be 
allocated to electronic monitoring fees, divide the outstanding 
balance of the electronic monitoring fee ($80.00) by the combined 
total outstanding balances of all items ($80.00 + 10.00 + 10.00 = 
$100.00).  The result in this example is .8 (80/100).  Multiply the 
resulting figure by the amount of the payment to determine the 
allocation to electronic monitoring fees, which in this example is 
$8.00 (.8 x $10.00= $8.00). 

6. 

All other fines, fees, costs, reparations, penalties and other remittances 
except for judgment or satisfaction fees shall be distributed based 
upon a pro-rated formula.  Specifically, the amount of the payment 
allocated to each outstanding item shall be determined by dividing the 
outstanding balance for the individual item by the combined total of the 
outstanding balances for all items.  The resulting number is then 
multiplied by the amount of the payment to determine how much of the 

7. 

payment shall be allocated to the outstanding balance of the individual 
item involved. 

For example, a defendant owes $80.00 in costs, $10.00 in fines, 
and $10.00 in fees, for a total of $100.00 in outstanding costs, fines 
and fees.  Defendant makes a payment of $20.00 in his/her case.  
To determine the amount to be allocated to the fines, divide the 
outstanding balance of the fines ($10.00) by the combined total 
outstanding balances of all items ($80.00 + 10.00 + 10.00 = 
$100.00).  The result in this example is .1 (10/100).  Multiply the 
resulting figure by the amount of the payment to determine the 
allocation to the fines, which in this example is $2.00 (.1 x $20.00= 
$2.00). 

Fees charged by the clerk of courts, prothonotary, other entity in 
the county responsible for the distribution and disbursement of all 
fines, fees, costs, reparations, restitution, penalties, or other 
remittances, or the Clerk of Philadelphia Municipal Court  for the 
entry or satisfaction of a civil judgment related to a criminal 
proceeding, as set forth in 42 Pa.C. § 1725, 42 P.S. §§ 21010, 
21042, and 21071 shall be paid last.  The amount of the payment 
allocated to each fee shall be determined by dividing the outstanding 
balance for the individual fee by the combined total of the outstanding 
balances for both fees.  The resulting number is then multiplied by the 
amount of the payment to determine how much of the payment shall 
be allocated to the outstanding balance of the individual fee involved. 

For example, a defendant owes $60.00 in judgment fees and $40.00 
in satisfaction fees for a total of $100.00 in outstanding fees.  
Defendant makes a payment of $10.00 in his/her case.  To 
determine the amount to be allocated to judgment fee, divide the 
outstanding balance of the judgment fee ($60.00) by the combined 
total outstanding balances of all items ($60.00 + 40.00 = $100.00).  
The result in this example is .6 (60/100).  Multiply the resulting figure 
by the amount of the payment to determine the allocation to 
judgment fee, which in this example is $6.00 (.6 x $10.00= $6.00).   

B. 

Each payment shall be applied to a single case, unless otherwise ordered by 
the court. 

II. 

III. 

The county probation department or other agent designated to collect all fines, fees, 
costs, reparations, restitution, penalties and other remittances pursuant to 42 Pa.C.S. 
§ 9728, shall use the Common Pleas Criminal Court Case Management System 
when performing collection related activities. 

Nothing in these regulations shall be applicable to the collection and/or distribution of 
any filing fee which is authorized by law.  Filing fees shall include but not be limited to 
the clerk of courts automation fee set forth in 42 Pa.C.S. Section 1725.4(b).