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Commonwealth Court Issues Notices Outlining COVID-19 Protocols for Oral Argument Sessions and Single-Judge Proceedings

News Article

September 14, 2021

As Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court prepares for a return to in-person proceedings, the Court has issued updated COVID-19 protocols.

According to the notices issued by the Court:

Monthly oral argument sessions will be held in-person, with remote public access available through a live web stream for the remainder of 2021. Argument sessions originally scheduled for Pittsburgh (Oct.) and Philadelphia (Nov.) will be held in Harrisburg in the Pennsylvania Judicial Center on Oct. 18-22 and Nov. 15-19. Links to the remote proceedings will be made available on the Court website and Twitter page @CommCtofPA. The Court plans to resume regular argument sessions in Harrisburg, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh in 2022.

In-person, single-judge proceedings will follow many of the same protocols and procedures as the upcoming Sept. oral argument sessions announced in July with the exception that public access via in-person or by live stream to these proceedings will be at the discretion of the assigned judge.

In addition, the assigned judge in a single-judge proceeding may supplement the general COVID-19 protocols with a decorum order, specific to the scheduled proceeding.

As provided in the Court’s notices, all persons attending in-person proceedings must follow COVID-19 protocols in the Pennsylvania Judicial Center which follows CDC guidance, strongly recommending wearing a mask in indoor settings and observing social distancing.

More information about the Commonwealth Court including upcoming argument schedules is available here.

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Media Contact – Stacey Witalec, 717-877-2997