3/20/2020 - PRESS RELEASE: Courts Closed Execpt for Limited Emergency Matters

On March 18, 2020, Chief Justice of the Pennsylvania  Supreme Court Thomas Saylor, issued an Order declaring all courts within the Commonwealth  to be closed as of the close of business, March 19, 2020 up to and through April 3, 2020.
 

On March 19, 2020, President Judge Shawn D. Meyers issued a Supplemental Judicial Emergency Order which confirms the 39th Judicial District to be under a state of "judicial emergency" and that the courts of the 39th Judicial District are closed effective at the close of business March 19, 2020 and up to and through April 3, 2020, subject to very limited emergency exceptions.  While county/non-court offices within courthouses and other county facilities will remain open subject to the rules of access established by the county/non-court office, the courts, which include the Courts of Common Pleas and Magisterial District Judge courts, are closed.
 

Parties who have matters scheduled during the period of March 20, 2020 and April 3, 2020 should contact their attorney or Court Administration at (717) 261-3848 to determine if their matter is still on the docket of cases to be heard.
 

Anyone wishing to make payments at a Magisterial District Judges' court cannot do so in person, but may make payment by mail, electronically, online, by phone or as may be permitted by the Magisterial District Judge.
 

Filing offices have alternate means for the filing of documents in order to substantially reduce direct interaction with staff, including drop boxes in the lobby of the courthouses, filing via email, and delivery of filings through the United States Postal Service. Only parties and their counsel to emergency matters will be admitted for proceedings. All others who only have business of a non-emergency nature with the court will be denied access to the courts. Jury trials, both criminal and civil, as well as jury selection scheduled during the emergency period are canceled.
 

President Judge Meyers, the entire board of Judges and Court Administration appreciate the cooperation that has been provided by County government, the Board of Commissioners, the various public and private offices affected and the members of the bar associations of both counties who have joined together with the community at large to insure all reasonable efforts are made to preserve and protect the public safety while still assuring access to the courts.
 

President Judge Meyers asks that all members of the public and the attorneys who practice in the Commonwealth act in ways that are not only ordered by Chief Justice Saylor's order, but also according to its spirit during community efforts to stop the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Please minimize unnecessary travel to and from the courts and offices in which courts are housed so as to limit exposure to third parties. Please keep space between yourself and others when in the courthouse and facilities that house courts. When possible communicate via paper mail service, telephone, email or other electronic means so as to limit person to person contact. Please stay home if you are sick and practice good hygiene.
 

The Court, in conjunction with the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts, and local County Governments in the 39th Judicial District will continue to closely monitor developments on the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).
 

For up-to-date information, visit:
CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html
Department of Health: https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/disease/Pages/Coronavirus.aspx
 

Together as a community we can decrease the spread of the coronavirus.
 

For more information, please contact Mark Singer, District Court Administrator for the 39th Judicial District, at msinger@franklincountypa.gov or (717) 261-3848

 

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