Rule 1951. Continuity of operations and emergency action plans.
(a) Responsibility for Continuity of Operations and Emergency Action Plans.
(1) The Court Administrator shall establish minimum standards and procedures for continuity of operations and emergency action plans. The standards shall include procedures for periodic review, including the procedures for conducting exercises to ensure the efficacy of the plan.
(2) The president judge has primary responsibility for planning for the continuity of operations in the event of an emergency, and for implementing such plans in his or her judicial district.
Official Note
See also Pa.R.J.A. No. 1954.
(b) Continuity of Operations Plans.
(1) Pursuant to the standards and procedures established by the Court Administrator in paragraph (a)(1), the president judge, in conjunction with the district court administrator, the local court security committee, and any other relevant individuals designated by the president judge shall, in consultation with county emergency service agencies and other governmental entities, develop a plan to provide for the continuity of court operations during and following the occurrence of an emergency.
(2) The continuity of operations plan shall provide for the continuation or immediate resumption of court business by the most expeditious and practical means possible, consistent with continuity of operations standards as established by the Court Administrator.
(3) The president judge shall be responsible for ensuring that the continuity of operations plan is accurate and updated as needed.
(4) On an annual basis, the president judge shall review the continuity of operations plan in consultation with the local court security committee and shall certify on a form prescribed by the Court Administrator that the review has taken place and that the plan is accurate and meets the requirements established by the Court Administrator.
(c) Emergency Action Plans.
(1) Pursuant to the standards and procedures established by the Court Administrator in paragraph (a)(1), in conjunction with the district court administrator, the local court security committee, county emergency service agencies, and any other relevant parties, the president judge shall develop an emergency action plan for each court facility located in the judicial district to use in response to, during, and immediately following the occurrence of an emergency.
(2) Within one year after the effective date of this paragraph, and on an annual basis thereafter, the president judge shall review the judicial district’s emergency action plans in consultation with the local court security committee and shall certify in a form prescribed by the Court Administrator that the review has taken place, the plans meet the requirements established by the Court Administrator, and the relevant plans have been disseminated to all district court employees under the purview of the president judge.
Comment In an attempt to plan and prepare for a wide variety of emergencies that could occur in Pennsylvania, the Supreme Court adopted Rules of Judicial Administration Nos. 1950—1954. Rules 1951—1953 are designed to become operational only in the event of a significant emergency that causes or threatens the disruption of court operations. The Rules specify that the primary authority and respon-sibility for continuing court operations rests with the Supreme Court and with the president judges of Pennsylvania’s 60 judicial districts. Rule 1954 consolidates judicial security practices and directives developed over time.
Courts must respond appropriately in the event of an emergency, natural or man-made, to ensure the safety and security of staff and the public. These emergencies come in several forms: fire, weather-related events such as tornado or flash flood, toxic chemical discharges that affect air quality, active shooter events, and pandemics. Well-conceived and regularly updated continuity of operations plans and emergency action plans are essential to ensure that courts effectively serve the public both during and after such emergencies. Continuity of operations plans must provide for the continuation or immediate resumption of court business—or at least essential functions—during and immediately following an emergency. Emergency action plans should contain guidance (e.g., escape routes, emergency assembly locations, notification protocols) that court employees can follow in the event of an emergency.
Source The provisions of Rule 1951 are adopted December 28, 2009, effective immediately, 40 Pa.B. 218; amended March 16, 2021, effective January 1, 2022, 51 Pa.B. 1644. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (399006) to (399008) and (382567).
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