CLEARFIELD – Amid the ongoing COVID-19 emergency, Clearfield County’s judges are clarifying a provision on county court operations from a Pennsylvania Supreme Court Order dated April 28.
The provision reads: “Beginning May 4, unless otherwise provided by a local emergency order, Pennsylvania courts generally shall be open to conduct all court business.”
According to a letter from President Judge Fredric J. Ammerman and Judge Paul E. Cherry, the county will now move forward with nearly all previously-scheduled court proceedings.
This includes, but is not limited to:
- protection from abuse hearings,
- emergency custody hearings,
- alleged incapacitated person hearings,
- custody trials,
- arbitrations,
- preliminary objections,
- adoptions,
- termination of parental rights hearings,
- estate hearings/arguments,
- custody conferences,
- custody mediations,
- civil settlement conferences,
- Children and Youth courts,
- truancy court,
- juvenile delinquency courts,
- criminal colloquy court (both incarcerated and non-incarcerated),
- criminal revocation court (both incarcerated and non-incarcerated),
- criminal sentencing court (both incarcerated and non-incarcerated),
- criminal special sentencing court (both incarcerated and non-incarcerated),
- criminal motions court (both incarcerated and non-incarcerated),
- criminal non-jury trials (bench trials),
- civil non-jury trials,
- custody pre-trial conferences,
- civil pre-trial conferences,
- petitions/motions for special relief,
- Domestic Relations support/enforcement/De Novo hearings,
- criminal pre-sentence (“kicked” pleas) conferences,
- bench warrant hearings,
- emergency bail review hearings,
- habeas corpus hearings,
- Gagnon I hearings,
- emergency petitions for guardianship,
- motions to compel discovery,
- petitions for bifurcation,
- criminal/civil status conferences,
- criminal omnibus pre-trial motions,
- Post-Conviction Relief Act petitions/hearings,
- election matters and
- commencement of civil actions.
The judges said it’s the intention of Court Administration to contact all individuals who will have their court proceeding continued or modified for telephonic/video-teleconferencing.
It was also noted that Clearfield County will proceed with May 1 truancy court before Ammerman, and it will be done with “robust use of advanced communication technologies.”
The judges said that criminal jury selection as well as both criminal and civil jury trials will be cancelled/continued through June 1, 2020.
Criminal preliminary hearings for the next two weeks will continue to be for incarcerated individuals only, according to the judges’ letter.
Beginning May 18, 2020, hearings will be held for both incarcerated and non-incarcerated individuals. This, the judges said, will allow for non-incarcerated individuals to receive proper notice.
Court Administrator F. Cortez Bell III said any individuals who have been scheduled for civil, criminal or other court proceedings should appear consistent with their scheduling order or notice.
“All proceedings will be conducted with appropriate social distancing and individuals should appear with appropriate facial masks in order to be admitted to the courthouse,” he said.
The judges added that the county will be conducting additional cleaning of the courthouse as well as its courtrooms and any utilized equipment.
And consistent with state Supreme Court guidance, the county will continue – when possible – with the use of advanced technologies to the extent that constitutional requirements can be satisfied.
Those who have any questions should please contact their attorney for further information or Court Administration at 814-765-2641, Ext 5010, to confirm that their proceeding is still scheduled.