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PA Bulletin, Doc. No. 14-1722

THE COURTS

Title 255—LOCAL
COURT RULES

BUCKS COUNTY

Community Accountability Program; Administrative Order No. 73

[44 Pa.B. 5456]
[Saturday, August 16, 2014]

Order

 And Now, this 28th day of July, 2014, so as to permit the diversion of non-violent criminal matters to a panel of local citizens for consideration of alternative dispositions, it is hereby ordered and directed as follows:

 1. Community Accountability Panels shall be chosen from among citizens of the local community.

 2. Panel members shall be appointed by order of the Court, and shall meet at regularly scheduled times throughout the year.

 3. Individual defendants shall be referred to the panels by the police upon approval by the District Attorney.

 4. If the defendant is approved for the program, the Magisterial District Judge shall continue the preliminary hearing or summary proceeding to permit the defendant's participation.

 5. To qualify for referral, a defendant must meet the following qualifications:

 A. Be charged with a non-felony offense;

 B. Sign the referral agreement; and

 C. Comply with conditions imposed by Community Accountability Panel.

 6. All costs associated with the Community Accountability Panel program shall be borne by the defendant, unless waived by the referring Magisterial District Judge with the agreement of the District Attorney.

 7. Upon completion of all conditions imposed by the Community Accountability Panel, and the payment of all costs, the subject complaint or citation shall be dismissed by the Magisterial District Judge, and all records of the charges shall be expunged from the system, except that the District Attorney shall retain a record of the defendant's participation in the program.

 8. Should the defendant fail to complete the program, then the preliminary hearing or summary trial will be held before the Magisterial District Judge and the case will proceed through the normal criminal case process.

 This Order shall take effect on September 1, 2014.

By the Court

JEFFREY F. FINLEY, 
President Judge

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 14-1722. Filed for public inspection August 15, 2014, 9:00 a.m.]


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