Philadelphia Courts Resumption of Proceedings Updates

The Philadelphia Courts have recently issued several orders regarding the resumption of court proceedings. On May 21, the courts amended the May 15 President Judge Administrative Order No. 33 of 2020 that contains guidance on the rescheduling of cases, filing procedures, time requirements, and more. President Judge Administrative Order No. 35 of 2020 was also issued on May 21. Order No. 35 of 2020 offers additional instructions for the Criminal Division.

Order No. 33 extended the suspension of jury trials through September 8, 2020. It states, “Civil and Criminal Jury Trials are suspended through September 8, 2020. Jury duty is cancelled through September 8, 2020. Jurors summoned before September 8, 2020 do not need to report for jury duty.”

Unless counsel are otherwise notified, the court has also canceled with intent to reschedule “all in person criminal, civil, orphans’ court, municipal court and traffic court trials, hearings, and conferences scheduled through July 6, 2020.”

The court also issued President Judge Administrative Order No. 34 of 2020 on May 15. The Order provides updates specific to Philadelphia Family Court. For Family Court, “all matters that were given a date certain by notice issued prior to March 16, 2020 for any date from March 17, 2020 through December 31, 2020, are hereby administratively canceled and will be rescheduled. This does not apply to cases designated as protracted, which remain as scheduled."  The order includes additional information related to Domestic Relations and Juvenile matters, as well as updates about time requirements and filing.

For the full orders, see the Philadelphia Courts Coronavirus Information page.