CLEARFIELD – Clearfield County President Judge Fredric J. Ammerman and Judge Paul E. Cherry issued an administrative order Friday generally closing county court facilities to the public.
The order was issued in accordance with the Wednesday, March 18 order of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania with regards to the general statewide judicial emergency.
The county’s order went into effect at the close of business yesterday (March 19), and will last through at least Friday, April 3
The order is subject to the following directions and exceptions:
Unless otherwise indicated, all time calculations for purposes of time computation relative to court cases or other judicial business, as well as time deadlines, are suspended through April 3, subject to any additional orders of the court.
The order notes that any legal papers or pleadings, which are required to be filed between March 19, and April 3, will be deemed to have been timely filed if they are filed by April 6.
Under the order, Clearfield County Court facilities, including the offices of Magisterial District Judges, will be closed to the public as to non-essential functions.
The following constitute essential functions of the court system for which the court facilities will remain open:
- Emergency bail review and habeas corpus hearings;
- Probation office detention and bench warrant hearings;
- Bench warrant hearings pursuant to Rule of Criminal Procedure 150 (includes Domestic Relations);
- Juvenile delinquency detention;
- Juvenile emergency shelter and detention hearings;
- Temporary protection from abuse hearings;
- Indirect criminal contempt hearings;
- Emergency petition for child custody or other such emergency petitions pursuant to any provision of the Juvenile Act;
- Emergency petitions for Guardianship;
- Civil Mental Health reviews;
- Emergency equity civil matters (injunctions and stays); and
- Any pleading or motion relating to public health concerns and involving immediate and irreparable harm;
- and any other function deemed to be essential by the Judges of Clearfield County.
“All court calendars, scheduling notices, subpoenas or other court orders compelling the appearance of any attorney, litigant or other participant in any non-essential case are hereby continued and postponed until further order of the court,” the order states.
Jury and non-jury trials – both criminal and civil- are suspended and continued, and will be scheduled for a date in the future. Jury selection scheduled April 2, is continued until Thursday, April 16, according to the order.
The order concluded, stating that: “The court will attempt to handle non-essential matters to all extent possible by telephone or other communication technology.”