ORDER OF COURT 

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA 
 
WESTERN DISTRICT 

No.  23 WM 2020 

) 
) 
) 
) 
) 
) 

   

 

 
IN RE: AMENDED  
FIFTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT 
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS 
PLAN  
 
 

AND NOW, this 6th day of May, 2020, consistent with the Order of the 

Supreme  Court  of  Pennsylvania  dated  April  28,  2020,  this  Court  having 

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

Court amends its previous Emergency Operations Orders and now orders that 

the actions set forth below be taken pursuant to Pa.R.J.A. No. 1952(B)(2).  All 

provisions of this Order apply through June 1, 2020.   

This Court has extended its declaration of a judicial emergency through 

June 1, 2020.  Therefore, the judicial emergency in the Fifth Judicial District, 

which began on March 16, 2020, will continue through June 1, 2020. 

 

I. 

Time Calculations and Deadlines 

•  The  suspensions  of  time  calculations  and  deadlines,  subject  to 

constitutional 

limitations,  as 

indicated 

in  this  Court’s  previous 

Emergency  Operations  Orders,  began  on  March  16,  2020  and  will 

continue through  June  1,  2020,  absent  further  order  of  court.    This 

suspension will have lasted 78 days.  

1 

   

   

 

  Time  calculations  and  deadlines  were  suspended  during  the  judicial 

emergency so that they did not continue to run during that time. Upon 

conclusion of the judicial emergency, new deadlines shall be calculated 

by  adding  the  time  period  of  the  suspension  (days  during  which  time 

calculations  were  suspended  due  to  the  judicial  emergency)  to  the 

original  deadline.  For  example,  if  the  original  deadline  was  March  19, 

2020, and the period of suspension under the judicial emergency was 

78 days, the new deadline would be June 5, 2020 (78 days after March 

19th).  If, however, the deadline expired before the judicial emergency 

began, that deadline would not be extended by the judicial emergency.    

  •

 

 

 

•  Postponements  or  continuances  resulting  from  the  judicial  emergency 

shall be considered court postponements and shall constitute excludable 

time, subject to constitutional limitations for purposes of the application 

of Rule 600.  See Commonwealth v. Bradford, 46 A.3d 693 (Pa. 2012) 

and Commonwealth v. Mills, 162 A. 3d 323 (Pa. 2017).   

•  Attorneys and litigants shall NOT use the judicial emergency to secure 

strategic  advantage  in  litigation,  including  by  dilatory  conduct.  

Individual judges may determine, on a case-by-case basis, whether a 

failure to meet a deadline was not directly the result of or affected by 

the  judicial  emergency,  (such  as  in  routine  discovery  matters)  and 

whether  the  deadline  should  have  been  met  during  the  judicial 

emergency.  The judge may then take any action deemed appropriate 

to address the situation. 

•  Jury  trials  in  both  the  Criminal  and  Civil  Divisions  remain  suspended 

consistent with the April 28, 2020 Order of the Pennsylvania Supreme 

 

Court. 

2 

 

 

 

 

 

 

•  The  local  judicial  emergency  in  the  Fifth  Judicial  District  has  been 

extended through June 1, 2020.  Therefore, no court proceedings in the 

Fifth Judicial District relating to the dispossession of residential property, 

either in the Magisterial District Courts or the Court of Common Pleas, 

will occur before June 2, 2020.  Further, any existing Order or Writ of 

Possession issued with respect to residential property in the Fifth Judicial 

District is stayed until June 2, 2020, and therefore cannot be executed 

or enforced until June 2, 2020.  

II.  Public Access to Court Facilities 

•  Until  further  Order  of  Court,  the  Family  Law  Center  is  closed  to  the 

 

public. 

•  Until June 1, 2020, the Civil Division courtrooms and offices located on 

the 7th and 8th floors of the City-County Building are closed to the public.  

The Housing Court Help Desk, located on the first floor of the City County 

Building, is also closed. 

•  Until  June  1,  2020,  the  Orphans’  Court  Division,  located  in  the  Frick 

Building, is closed to the public. 

•  Until June 1, 2020, the Criminal Division courtrooms and offices, located 

in the Allegheny County Courthouse, are closed to the public. 

•  Until  June  1,  2020,  the  Magisterial  District  Courts  are  closed  to  the 

public,  with  the  exceptions  set  forth  in  the  Magisterial  District  Courts 

section below. 

•  The  Pittsburgh  Municipal  Courts  Building  is  open  to  the  public  for  the 

matters and proceedings set forth in this Order. 

 

3 

  News  media  shall  be  permitted  into  the  Pittsburgh  Municipal  Court 

Building, but only in a manner that is consistent with public safety. 

 

 

o  Building  security  and  Sheriff’s  Deputies  assigned  to  the  Pittsburgh 

Municipal Court Building are authorized to deny admission or remove 

a person who is visibly ill or who is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-

19,  provided  that  they  provide  such  person  with  information 

(telephone  number  or  email  address)  to  enable  them  to  initiate, 

participate 

in, 

or 

complete 

necessary 

essential 

court 

business/functions during the judicial emergency.  

o  Only persons with essential court business are guaranteed admission 

into  the  Pittsburgh  Municipal  Court  Building,  subject  to  restrictions 

above. Friends and family members may be required to wait outside 

the  facility.    Sheriff’s  Deputies  shall  have  the  authority  to  limit  the 

number  of  persons  entering  or  remaining  in  a  court  facility  at  any 

given time to ensure public safety. 

II.  Methods 

for 

Conducting 

Proceedings, 

Transportation, 

Signatures, and Fingerprinting 

•  All  court  proceedings  will  be  conducted  by  Advanced  Communication 

Technology (ACT), primarily through Microsoft Teams, pursuant to the 

protocol for teleconference hearings issued by the Court.  Other audio 

or teleconference methods may be employed, pursuant to the protocol 

for teleconference hearings issued by the Court, with the approval of the 

Administrative  Judges.    See  attached  Protocol  for  Teleconference 

Hearings. 

  o

 

 

  I

 

4 

•  Any  existing  Orders  for  fingerprinting  and  the  requirement  for 

fingerprinting, except for admission into the Allegheny County Jail, are 

suspended during the judicial emergency. 

•  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 for court hearings. Transportation 

for  other  purposes  will  be  at  the  discretion  of  the  Allegheny  County 

Sheriff. Where the participation of the inmate or juvenile is required at 

a  court  hearing,  Advanced  Communication  Technology  shall  be 

employed.  

permitted. 

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

proceedings  is  unavailable,  alternative  forms  of  recording  shall  be 

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

and  orders  shall  be  permitted.    This  includes,  but  is  not  limited  to, 

facsimile  signatures,  electronic  signatures,  proxy  signatures,  and 

designated court employees authorized to sign on behalf of a judge after 

the judge has reviewed and approved the document for signature.  Pro 

se  litigants  completing  forms  at  Pittsburgh  Municipal  Court  may 

authorize court employees to sign documents, when necessary, for the 

safety of the litigants and court employees. Under such circumstances, 

the court employee will sign his/her name to the document indicating 

that  the  litigant  has  reviewed  the  document  and  that  all  of  the 

information  contained  therein  was  provided  by  the  litigant.    If  an 

employee must sign for a pro se litigant, he/she will do so in a manner 

allowing the litigant to see the employee sign the document.     

 

 

 

     

 

5 

IV.  Civil Division 

•  All  Civil  Division  proceedings  shall  be  conducted  by  Advanced 

Communication  Technology,  primarily  through  Microsoft  Teams, 

pursuant to the protocol for teleconference hearings issued by the Court.  

Other audio or teleconference methods may be employed, pursuant to 

the protocol for teleconference hearings issued by the Court, with the 

approval  of  the  Administrative  Judges.    See  attached  Protocol  for 

Teleconference Hearings. 

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

•  Consistent  with  this  Order,  the  following  matters  shall  be  conducted 

remotely through the use of Advanced Communication Technology:  

(1)  Calendar Control Motions,  

(2)  Discovery Motions, 

(3)  Housing Court Motions, 

(4)  General Motions (contested and uncontested),  

(5)  Oral arguments on Preliminary Objections,  

(6)  Oral arguments on Motions for Summary Judgment, or Judgment 

on the Pleadings, 

(7)  Conciliations relating to cases on the May 2020 Trial List, and 

(8)  All other matters scheduled by any individual judge relating to a 

case specifically assigned to that judge. 

 

See the Court’s website for procedures relating to the above matters, 

including  Emergency  Operating  Procedures  for  all  judges  and  remote 

submissions of the Motions/Preliminary Objections identified above. 

 

 

 

 

6 

 

 

•  Notwithstanding the suspension of time calculations and deadlines set 

forth  in  Section  I  above,  individual  judges  are  hereby  invested  with 

substantial  discretion  with  the  enforcement  of  time  deadlines  which 

he/she  has  established  in  a  particular  case  when  handling  one  of  the 

matters  outlined  above  in  items  (1)  through  (8)  of  the  Civil  Division 

section of this Order.  

•  Until  further  Order  of  Court,  all  emergency  motions  and  Petitions  for 

Injunctive Relief involving public health,  safety, and/or risk for human 

life  matters  will  be  screened  by  sending  the  emergency  motion  or 

Petition for Injunctive Relief to civilpmcteam@alleghenycourts.us. 

•  If  deemed  to  be  an  emergency  under  the  guidelines  of  this  Order, 

argument  will  be  scheduled  by  the  Court  as  soon  as  possible.    Such 

emergency motions and/or Petitions for Injunctive Relief will be heard 

by  Advanced  Communication  Technology,  audio  or  teleconference, 

pursuant to the protocol for teleconference hearings issued by the Court. 

The method for the argument shall be coordinated in conjunction with 

scheduling argument thereon.  

•  The moving or petitioning party will be responsible for notifying all other 

parties of the date and time of the oral argument or hearing. 

•  If a party is unable to email his/her emergency motion or Petition for 

Injunctive  Relief  to  civilpmcteam@alleghenycourts.us,  the  party  may 

call (412) 439-7914 Monday through Friday between the hours of 9:00 

A.M.  and  3:00  P.M.  to  make  arrangements  to  have  the  emergency 

motion or Petition for Injunctive Relief screened.  Appointments for such 

screening will be made on a case-by-case basis.  

 

 

 

7 

 

 

 

•  Emergency motions and Petitions for Injunctive Relief will be addressed 

Monday through Friday between the hours of 10:00 A.M. and 2:00 P.M. 

•  Arbitration hearings, including landlord/tenant arbitration hearings, are 

suspended until further Order of Court. 

•  Conciliations  and  hearings  before  the  Board  of  Viewers  shall  be 

conducted remotely and consistent with this Order. 

•  In  any  case  specially  assigned  to  a  judge,  all  current  in-person 

proceedings are suspended until further Order from the assigned judge; 

however,  the  assigned 

judge  may  schedule  remote  hearings, 

conferences, and/or oral arguments on such matters so assigned.   

Criminal Division 

. 

  V

•  All  Criminal  Division  proceedings  shall  be  conducted  by  Advanced 

Communication  Technology,  primarily  through  Microsoft  Teams, 

pursuant to the protocol for teleconference hearings issued by the Court.  

Other audio or teleconference methods may be employed, pursuant to 

the protocol for teleconference hearings issued by the Court, with the 

approval  of  the  Administrative  Judges.    See  attached  Protocol  for 

Teleconference Hearings. 

•  Bail Hearings shall be conducted through videoconference.  If a hearing 

cannot be conducted through videoconference, the hearing shall be held 

by audio or teleconference. 

•  All  court  events  in  Criminal  Division  courtrooms,  except  as  indicated 

below, are suspended until further Order of Court.  Courtroom staff will 

8 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

notify  all  litigants  prior  to  their  scheduled  events  and  propose  a 

continuance date acceptable to all parties.   

•  Bail  hearings,  motions  to  lift  detainers,  and  other  emergency  matters 

will be addressed in daily motions court.  In addition to these emergency 

matters,  other  miscellaneous  motions  will  be  phased  into  the  daily 

motions  hearings  as  determined  by  Criminal  Division  Administration.  

Protocols for these motions will be posted on the Fifth Judicial District 

website  as  they  are  developed.    All  hearings  will  be  conducted  via 

Advanced Communication Technology. 

•  All bail and emergency motions for cases at the Court of Common Pleas 

level shall be filed through PACFile. All bail and emergency motions for 

cases at the Magisterial District Court level shall be filed by emailing the 

motion  (with  the  OTN  number  of  the  case  on  the  coversheet)  to 

DCRCriminal@AlleghenyCounty.us. A copy of any such motion (at either 

level) shall be emailed to PTS_Bail_Questions_Bin@alleghenycourts.us. 

•  All motions to lift detainers shall be filed through PACFile and emailed 

to the assigned judge and his/her staff.  Email addresses for Criminal 

Division  Judges  and  staff  are  located  on  the  Fifth  Judicial  District 

website. 

•  Additional  Court  proceedings  will  be  phased  in  using  Advanced 

Communication  Technology.  These  proceedings  may  include  motions 

filed  directly  with  the  assigned  Criminal  Division  judges,  preliminary 

hearings,  formal  arraignments,  plea  status  hearings,  ARD  hearings, 

Phoenix Docket pleas, EDP pleas, ICC hearings, Problem Solving Court 

Reviews, and other matters deemed appropriate by the Administrative 

Judge.  As proceedings are phased in and implemented, protocols and 

instructions will be posted on the Fifth Judicial District website. 

 

9 

•  All  attorneys  will  be  required  to  engage  in  a  Case  Status  Conference 

(CSC) for every case with the assigned judge and opposing counsel at 

least one week prior to the next scheduled court date. The CSC shall be 

conducted through Advanced Communication Technology.  Protocols for 

the CSC are posted on the Fifth Judicial District website. 

•  Pending  Orders  for  the  initiation  and/or  installation  of  Electronic 

Monitoring for criminal defendants are suspended, and no new orders 

for  Electronic  Monitoring  will  be  accepted  by  Adult  Probation  for 

supervision  during  the  judicial  emergency  until  further  notice.   

Defendants  with  current  orders  who  are  waiting  to  be  placed  on 

electronic  monitoring  will  be  placed  on  home  detention  without 

electronic  equipment.  The  Probation  Office  is  hereby  authorized  to 

impose additional conditions designed to ensure that defendants comply 

with home detention. Defendants currently on electronic monitoring will 

continue to be monitored during the judicial emergency. 

•  Summary  and  statutory  appeals  are  suspended  until  further  Order  of 

Court.   

•  The motions counter in Room 534 in the Allegheny County Courthouse 

is  closed  until  further  notice.    For  emergency  motions,  please  contact 

the Court at (412) 350-1229, Monday through Friday between 9:00 A.M. 

and 3:00 P.M. 

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

so by phoning (412) 350-1229, Monday through Friday between 9:00 

A.M. and 3:00 P.M.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10 

•  Pretrial  conferences  and  formal  arraignments  are  suspended  until 

further Order of Court.   

VI.  Family Division 

hild  Support,  Divorce,  Alimony,  and  Equitable  Distribution  of 

Property 

•  Until further Order of Court, child support payments will not be accepted 

in person.  Child supports payments may be made by credit card, check, 

and/or money order.  Payment coupons and instructions are available 

on the Fifth Judicial District website: www.alleghenycourts.us 

•  Child  and/or  spousal  support  and  Alimony  Pendente  Lite  conferences 

and hearings scheduled between March 16, 2020 and May 11, 2020 shall 

be  rescheduled  by  court  order  with  the  proceedings  being  scheduled 

effective June 8, 2020.  All conferences and hearings will be conducted 

telephonically until further notice.  A continuance Order and telephonic 

instructions will be sent by US Postal Mail and, when possible, by text 

message. 

•  Effective May 11, 2020, all scheduled conferences and/or hearings shall 

be  conducted  telephonically. 

  Litigants  will  receive  telephonic 

conference/hearing instructions via US Postal Mail and, when possible, 

by text message. 

proceeding. 

•  All evidence being submitted for support proceedings may be submitted 

by  text  message,  email,  or  fax  prior  to  or  during  the  course  of  the 

 

  C

 

 

 

 

 

 

11 

•  Exceptions to Hearing Officer Support Recommendations shall be filed 

electronically 

at 

alleghenysupporttexceptions@pacses.com. 

The 

complete  “Exceptions  Procedure”  shall  be  maintained  on  the  Fifth 

Judicial District website and is incorporated herein, by reference. 

•  Masters’  conciliations  regarding  complex  support  and/or  equitable 

distribution  scheduled  after  May  4,  2020  will  be  rescheduled  as  a 

conciliation by teleconference. 

•  Masters’ hearings scheduled after May 4, 2020 shall be converted to a 

conciliation. 

•  Masters’ conciliations and hearings scheduled between March 16, 2020 

and May 4, 2020 will be rescheduled as a conciliation by teleconference. 

•  Masters’  Rules  and  Procedures  are  posted  to  the  Fifth  Judicial  District 

website and are made applicable by this Order. 

•  The Court shall continue to review and grant divorces, administratively, 

when  all  required  documents  are  filed  with  the  Department  of  Court 

•  Any matter may be presented to the Court by motion, without a hearing, 

pursuant to the judges’ procedures on the website, for entry of an Order.   

•  For emergency matters involving child support, please call (412) 350-

1500, Monday through Friday between 9:00 A.M. and 3:00 P.M. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Records. 

 

Custody 

 

 

 

•  Custody  motions  will  be  addressed  on  a  case-by-case  basis.      For 

custody motions for new cases or cases without a judicial assignment, 

12 

please 

contact 

the 

Court 

by 

email 

at 

emergencycustody@alleghenycourts.us  

•  Any matter may be presented to the Court by motion, without a hearing, 

for entry of an Order, pursuant to the assigned judge’s procedures on 

the Fifth Judicial District website. 

•  Please call (412) 350-1500, Monday through Friday between 9:00 A.M. 

and  3:00  P.M.  for  questions  concerning  other  emergency  custody 

 

matters.  

Protection from Abuse 

•  Until  further  Order  of  Court,  all  Temporary  Protection  from  Abuse 

matters  will  be  addressed  at  the  Pittsburgh  Municipal  Court  Building, 

660  First  Avenue,  Pittsburgh,  PA  15219.    Temporary  Protection  from 

Abuse Hearings shall be conducted generally through videoconference. 

If a hearing cannot be conducted through videoconference, the hearing 

shall be held by audio or teleconference. 

•  Temporary Protection from Abuse Petitions will be addressed between 

the hours of 8:00 A.M. and 2:00 P.M, Monday through Friday. 

•  Emergency Protection from Abuse Petitions will be addressed from 2:00 

P.M.  until  8:00  A.M.,  Monday  through  Friday,  and  24  hours  Saturday 

•  Final Protection from Abuse Hearings are suspended until further Order 

and Sunday. 

 

of Court.   

13 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

•  Temporary Orders for Protection from Abuse shall remain in effect until 

15  days  after  the  end  of  the  judicial  emergency  unless  otherwise 

indicated in the Temporary Order. 

•  Until  further  Order  of  Court,  Indirect  Criminal  Contempt  (ICC) 

Complaints will not be accepted by private petition.  

•  ICC  Police  Complaints  will  be  accepted  and  bail  hearings  will  be  held 

before  a  Magisterial  District  Judge  using  Advanced  Communication 

Technology.    If  a  defendant  is  detained,  a  bail  hearing  shall  be  held 

before the judge assigned to hear the Temporary PFA Petitions.    

•  Hearings on ICC Complaints are suspended until further Order of Court. 

•  Effective  Thursday,  March  26,  2020,  Monday  through  Friday  between 

9:00  A.M.  and  3:00  P.M.,  please  call  (412)  350-1500  for  questions 

concerning Protection from Abuse. 

uvenile Matters  

  J

•  All 

Juvenile  proceedings 

shall  be 

conducted  by  Advanced 

Communication  Technology,  primarily  through  Microsoft  Teams, 

pursuant to the protocol for teleconference hearings issued by the Court.  

Other audio or teleconference methods may be employed, pursuant to 

the protocol for teleconference hearings issued by the Court, with the 

approval  of  the  Administrative  Judges.    See  attached  Protocol  for 

Teleconference Hearings. 

•  The Court shall continue to issue Orders for protective custody, pursuant 

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

14 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

•  Each  day,  one  judge  will  be  assigned  to  handle  all  essential  juvenile 

matters,  regardless  of  judge  assignment.  One  hearing  officer  will  be 

assigned to hear Detention Hearings, and another hearing officer will be 

assigned  to  hear  Shelter  Care  Hearings.  One  or  more  Juvenile  Court 

Judges of Record shall be assigned daily to hear cases assigned to that 

judge and as scheduled by the assigned judge. 

•  Detention  hearings  will  be  heard  by  a  hearing  officer  on  Mondays, 

Wednesdays,  and  Fridays.      Hearing  officer  recommendations  will  be 

sent to the daily assigned judge for approval and entry of an order. 

•  Shelter Care Hearings will be heard five days a week.  Walk-in Shelter 

Care Hearings will not be permitted.  Hearing officer recommendations 

will be sent to the assigned judge for approval and entry of an order.  

•  Emergency  motions  will  be  heard  on  Tuesdays  and  Thursdays.  All 

Motions  shall  be  filed  through  PACFile  with  a  copy  e-mailed  to 

juvenilemotions@alleghenycourts.us,  the  probation  officer,  and  the 

caseworker. 

•  For  emergency  matters  involving  delinquency,  please  contact  the 

Juvenile Probation Department at (412) 350-1501. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

•  In cases where the juvenile is detained prior to the adjudicatory hearing, 

the  Court  may  schedule  the  adjudicatory  hearing  more  than  10  days 

after the filing of the petition or the pre-hearing conference, as deemed 

appropriate  by  the  hearing  officer  or  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 

 

15 

provide  input  in  writing  and/or  through  Advanced  Communication 

Technology.    In  all  cases,  the  Court  shall  determine  whether  the 

continued detainment is necessary to ensure the safety of the public and 

is constitutionally permissible.  

•  Permanency  Review  Hearings  shall  be  scheduled  and  heard  within  six 

months  of  the  last  review  hearing  for  children  in  kinship  care,  foster 

care,  or  other  out-of-home  placement.    Permanency  Review  Hearings 

may be heard by a judge or hearing officer. 

•  Termination of Parental Rights Hearings shall be scheduled and heard 

by the assigned judge.  

assigned judge. 

•  Adoption Hearings shall be scheduled and heard as determined by the 

•  Post-dispositional  hearings,  where  the  recommendation  is  to  close 

supervision,  may  be  presented  by  memo  for  the  entry  of  an  Order  to 

terminate supervision.   

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

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

•  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. 

•  Effective, June 1, 2020, all Juvenile Court matters will be heard by the 

assigned judges according the scheduling protocol in effect prior to the 

judicial emergency. Matters may continue to be heard through Advanced 

Communication Technology, as the interest of public safety dictates. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16 

 

 

 

•  All  Orphans’  Court  matters  shall  be  conducted  by  Advanced 

Communication  Technology,  primarily  through  Microsoft  Teams, 

pursuant to the protocol for teleconference hearings issued by the Court.  

Other audio or teleconference methods may be employed, pursuant to 

the protocol for teleconference hearings issued by the Court, with the 

approval  of  the  Administrative  Judge.    See  attached  Protocol  for 

Teleconference Hearings. 

•  At the discretion of the judge assigned to the matter, a conference may 

be held via teleconference or Microsoft Teams.    

•  The following types of Petitions/Motions may be filed at the Department 

of  Court  Records  Wills/Orphans’  Court  Division  for  transmittal  to  the 

appropriate judge:  

1)  Settlement  Petitions  involving  minors,  incapacitated  persons,  or 

 

 

  (

(2)  Petitions  requesting  the  issuance  of  a  Citation  or  Rule  to  Show 

(3)  Petitions requesting the scheduling of a hearing, including but not 

limited  to,  termination  of  parental  rights,  adoptions,  and 

Decedent’s Estates;  

Cause; 

guardianships;  

(4)  Petitions or motions that are consented to in writing by all counsel 

of record and/or by all unrepresented parties in interest;  

(5)  Petitions or motions that are contested will be specially scheduled 

by  the  Motions  Judge  via  audio  or  video  (include  contact 

information,  including  email  addresses,  for  all  counsel  or 

VII.  Orphans’ Court Division 

 

unrepresented parties); 

(6)  Petition to Settle a Small Estate; and  

 

17 

(7)  Petitions for Allowance involving minors or incapacitated persons.   

•  All  emergency  motions  will  be  heard  by  audio  or  teleconference.  

Effective  Thursday,  March  26,  2020,  emergency  motions  shall  be 

emailed to emergencyorphansmotions@alleghenycourts.us.   

•  Involuntary Civil Commitment hearings will continue as scheduled and 

will be conducted by audio or teleconference. 

III. Magisterial District Courts 

•  All  Magisterial  District  Courts  are  closed  to  the  public.  Pittsburgh 

Municipal Court Arraignment Division will remain open to the public for 

Emergency Protection from Abuse Petitions. 

•  Police  agencies  are  to  follow  the  Revised  Magisterial  District  Courts 

COVID-19  Plan  for  the  filing  of  criminal  complaints,  ICC  complaints, 

arrest  warrants,  and  search  warrants.    See  attached  Revised  MDC 

COVID-19 plan.   

•  All cases in the Magisterial District Courts are postponed.     

•  Magisterial District Judges will be available remotely to handle essential 

designated operations which include: 

o  Criminal  Complaint  filing,  arrest  warrant  requests,  and  cases 

o  Bail Hearings and Bail Hearings on ICC Complaints filed by police, 

initiated by on-view arrests only,  

o  Search Warrant issuance, 

and 

18 

 

 

 

 

 

  V

 

 

 

o  Preliminary Hearings with incarcerated individuals. 

 

•  All new criminal cases that are filed during the pendency of this order 

shall be scheduled after June 1, 2020. 

•  There will be no identification process at time of arrest, unless processed 

through  the  Allegheny  County  Jail.  Defendants  will  be  assigned  a 

fingerprint appointment for a later date. 

•  Summary  cases  will  be  docketed  in  the  Magisterial  District  Judge 

Computer System beginning May 25, 2020. 

•  Constables that serve arrest warrants for misdemeanor/felony cases are 

to instruct defendants to turn themselves in or contact the police agency 

that requested the warrant.  

•  Defendants  shall  pay  their  court-ordered  financial  obligations—costs, 

fines,  and  fees—electronically,  through  Court  Payment  Services  at 

alleghenytix.com  and  through  the  Pennsylvania  ePay  system  at 

ujsportal.pacourts.us.   

•  Magisterial  District  Judges  may  sua  sponte  revise  individual  payment 

plans to reduce the minimum payment requirement.   

•  Facsimile  signatures  are  to  be  used  for  documents  generated  in  the 

Magisterial District Judge Computer System. 

  Police complaints, affidavits, and search warrant requests filed with an 

electronic signature shall be accepted by the Court. 

 

 

  •

 

 

 

 

 

 

19 

•  After  review  and  with  their  approval,  a  Magisterial  District  Judge  may 

permit  staff  to  sign  a  criminal  complaint  on  his/her  behalf.    The 

Magisterial District Judge shall utilize the procedures set forth below.    

o  The Magisterial District Judge shall review the criminal complaint 

and electronically notify the staff of their approval. 

o  A  record  of  this  permission  shall  be  attached  to  the  criminal 

o  The  form  of  signature  shall  be  Magisterial  District  Judge 

complaint. 

Name/Staff initials. 

•  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. 

•  Emergency Protection from Abuse Petitions will be addressed from 2:00 

P.M.  until  8:00  A.M.,  Monday  through  Friday,  and  24  hours  Saturday 

and  Sunday.    Until  further  Order  of  Court,  all  Protection  from  Abuse 

matters  will  be  addressed  at  the  Pittsburgh  Municipal  Court  Building, 

660 First Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.   

•  Until  further  Order  of  Court,  Indirect  Criminal  Contempt  (ICC) 

Complaints will not be accepted by private petition.  

•  ICC  Police  Complaints  will  be  accepted,  and  bail  hearings  will  be  held 

before  a  Magisterial  District  Judge  using  Advanced  Communication 

Technology.    If  a  defendant  is  detained,  a  bail  hearing  shall  be  held 

20 

 

 

 

 

 

before the judge assigned to hear the Temporary Protection from Abuse 

Petitions.  

•  All  proceedings  will  be  conducted  using  Advanced  Communication 

Technology, which includes audio or videoconference. 

BY THE COURT: 

 ______________________P. J. 
Kim Berkeley Clark 
President Judge  

 

21