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PA Bulletin, Doc. No. 22-1854

THE COURTS

Title 255—LOCAL COURT RULES

CAMERON AND ELK COUNTIES

Consolidation of Domestic Relations Sections; No. 2022-886 (Elk County); No. 2022-1436 (Cameron County)

[52 Pa.B. 7365]
[Saturday, December 3, 2022]

 Whereas the Court of Common Pleas of the 59th Judicial District of Pennsylvania consists of two counties, Cameron County and Elk County; and

 Whereas the two counties have had separate Domestic Relations Sections; and

 Whereas Elk County Domestic Relations Section has approximately 84% and Cameron County Domestic Relations Section has approximately 16% of the total caseload of the two counties combined; and

 Whereas many Domestic Relations filings can be electronically filed from remote, offsite locations; and

 Whereas the Court believes that there will be significant cost savings if the Domestic Relations Sections are consolidated as a result of having one staff serving two locations and allowing the Court to manage the offices more efficiently and simply, thus allowing the Court time to attend to other Court duties; and

 Whereas the Court believes that there will be significant benefit if the Domestic Relations Sections are merged, allowing the Court to manage the office more efficiently and better serving the citizens of the 59th Judicial District by a Domestic Relations Section that provides improved stability, consistency, uniformity and customer service; and

 Whereas it is necessary to act forthwith to consolidate the Domestic Relations Sections of the 59th Judicial District:

Administrative Order of Court

Domestic Relations Section Consolidation

 And Now, October 28th, 2022, It Is Hereby Ordered And Decreed that:

 1. Effective with the close of business on December 31, 2022, the Domestic Relations Sections of Elk County and Cameron County shall cease to exist.

 2. Effective January 1, 2023, there is hereby established the ''Domestic Relations Section of the 59th Judicial District for Elk and Cameron Counties.''

 3. For the purposes of payroll, benefits, and personnel policy, all employees of the Domestic Relations Section of the 59th Judicial District for Elk and Cameron Counties shall be considered employees of Elk County effective January 1, 2023.

 4. Each county (Elk and Cameron) shall contribute to the unreimbursed expenses of operating the Domestic Relations Section of the 59th Judicial District for Elk and Cameron Counties as directed and authorized by 42 Pa.C.S.A. 3544(b). Specifically, for 2023, Elk County shall be responsible for 80% of the unreimbursed expenses while Cameron County shall be responsible for 20% of the unreimbursed expenses. This apportionment shall be re-evaluated in September, 2023, for 2024 and shall thereafter be re-evaluated every three (3) years or at the direction of the President Judge upon request by either Boards of Commissioners.

 5. The Treasurer of Cameron County in coordination with the Cameron County Director of Domestic Relations is directed to close the Cameron County IV-D Account and the Incentive Account as of December 31, 2022, and deliver the balances therein to the Director of the Domestic Relations Section of the 59th Judicial District for Elk and Cameron Counties for deposit in the account hereafter created.

 6. The Treasurer of Elk County in coordination with the Elk County Director of Domestic Relations is directed to cause the Elk County IV-D Account, the Incentive Account and the Elk County Domestic Relations Investment CD held by PNC Bank to be titled in the name of the Domestic Relations Section of the 59th Judicial District for Elk and Cameron Counties.

 7. The Domestic Relations Section of the 59th Judicial District for Elk and Cameron Counties shall present one Monthly Statement of Expenditures to the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services for reimbursement of Title IV-D Child Support Enforcement Program costs for providing Title IV-D services under the United States Social Security Act in the Domestic Relations Section of the 59th Judicial District for Elk and Cameron Counties.

 8. The Title IV-D Cooperative Agreement between the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services and Elk and Cameron Counties and the Court of Common Pleas of the 59th Judicial District are hereby merged and incorporated into the provisions of the existing Title IV-D Cooperative Agreement between the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services and the County of Elk and the Court of Common Pleas of the 59th Judicial District.

 9. The Domestic Relations Section of the 59th Judicial District for Elk and Cameron Counties shall receive from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services a monthly reimbursement payment, quarterly incentive payments and Federal Fiscal year-end reconciliation for Title IV-D services provided on behalf of the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services by the Domestic Relations Section of the 59th Judicial District for Elk and Cameron Counties.

 10. Effective with the close of business on the December 31, 2022, the Maintenance of Effort (MOE) for Cameron County will cease to exist. The Domestic Relations Section of the 59th Judicial District for Elk and Cameron Counties will use the Elk County MOE of $83,567.00.

 The District Court Administrator is respectfully directed to cause a copy of this Administrative Order of Court to be provided to the members of the Cameron County Board of Commissioners, the Chief Clerk of Cameron County, the Cameron County Sheriff, members of the Elk County Board of Commissioners, the Chief Clerk of Elk County, the Elk County Sheriff and the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Bureau of Child Support and Enforcement. In addition, a copy of this Administrative Order of Court shall be provided to all staff members of the Elk County Domestic Relations Section and the Cameron County Domestic Relations Section.

By the Court

SHAWN T. McMAHON, 
President Judge

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 22-1854. Filed for public inspection December 2, 2022, 9:00 a.m.]


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