THE COURTS

Title 255—LOCAL COURT RULES

ARMSTRONG COUNTY

Adoption of New Local Court Rule—Local Rules of Criminal Procedure, Rule 576.1; No. CP-03-AD-0000019-2024

[54 Pa.B. 8467]
[Saturday, December 28, 2024]

Order of Court

 And Now, this 11th day of December, 2024, in compliance with Rule 103(d) of the Pennsylvania Rules of Judicial Administration, It Is Hereby Ordered And Decreed, that Armstrong County Local Rules of Criminal Procedure, Rule 576.1, is hereby adopted. Effective thirty (30) days after publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin the Armstrong County Court of Common Pleas adopts the following Local Rule of Criminal Procedure, Rule 576.1 Electronic Filing and Service of Legal Papers.

 The Armstrong County District Court Administrator is Ordered and Directed to do the following:

 1. File one (1) copy of this Order with the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts via email to adminrules@pacourts.us.

 2. Submit two (2) paper copies to the Legislative Reference Bureau for publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin and one (1) copy e-mailed in a Microsoft Word format only to bulletin@palrb.us.

 3. Publish this Rule on the Armstrong County Court website at www.accourts.com.

 4. Incorporate the local rule into the set of local rules on the Armstrong County website within thirty (30) days after the publication of the local rule in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

 5. File one (1) copy of the local rule in the office of the Armstrong County Prothonotary for public inspection and copying.

By the Court

JAMES J. PANCHIK, 
President Judge

Rule 576.1. Electronic Filing and Service of Legal Papers.

 A. The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts and the 33rd Judicial District of Armstrong County have agreed upon an implementation plan for electronic filing, as that term is defined in Pa.R.Crim.P. 576.1, in the 33rd Judicial District through the statewide system known as PACFile. This local rule supplements Pa.R.Crim.P. 576.1.

 B. Electronic filing through the PACFile System is voluntary, not mandatory. All electronic filings shall be in Portable Document Format (PDF).

 C. Attorneys and defendants proceeding without counsel who decline to participate in the PACFile System, or who are unable to electronically file or accept service of legal papers which were filed electronically, or are otherwise unable to access the PACFile System, shall be able to file legal papers in a physical paper format (a hard copy), in accordance with Pa.R.Crim.P. 576, and shall be served with a hard copy of legal papers which were electronically filed in accordance with Pa.R.Crim.P. 576.

 D. Legal papers include a pleading or other submission to the court, including motions, answers, notices, briefs, or other documents, of which filing is required or permitted, including orders, copies of exhibits, and attachments.

 E. Legal papers which may not be filed electronically are those excluded by Pa.R.Crim.P. 576.1(C)(1)—(6), plus:

 (1) confidential documents, including but not limited to drug and alcohol assessments, mental health evaluations and reports, and medical records;

 (2) oversized documents or documents that cannot be reduced to 8 1/2 × 11 inches;

 Legal papers that are not permitted to be filed electronically shall be maintained in a physical paper format.

 F. The following offices must be served in accordance with Pa.R.Crim.P. 576:

 (1) Sheriff;

 (2) Adult Probation;

 (3) Court Reporter;

 (4) Court Administrator (includes service of motions for continuance, which must be filed and served no later than 48 hours before the time set for the proceeding); and

 (5) Judge (if service upon a judge is required, or is provided as a courtesy).

 G. Counsel and unrepresented parties must adhere to the Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania and refrain from including confidential information in legal papers filed with the Clerk of Courts or the Court, whether filed electronically or in a paper format.

 H. Applicable filing fees shall be paid through procedures established by the Clerk of Courts and at the same time and in the same amount as required by statute, Court rule or order, or published fee schedule.

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 24-1851. Filed for public inspection December 27, 2024, 9:00 a.m.]

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