Berks Cnty. C.P. Criminal Rules Rule 117

Coverage: Issuing Warrants; Preliminary Arraignments and Summary Trials;

and Setting and Accepting Bail.

A. All Magisterial District Judge Offices shall be open for business Mondays

through Fridays, excluding legal holidays, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM unless a

change to these business hours is approved by the President Judge.

Magisterial District Judges shall be available during these hours for all court

business.

B. Reading Central Court, a centralized preliminary hearing court designated as

Magisterial District 23-0-02, shall be open every Friday beginning at 8:30 AM

until preliminary hearings are completed, excluding legal holidays, in the

Berks County Courthouse.

1. The Magisterial District Judges of Magisterial Districts 23-1-02, 23-1-03,

23-1-04, 23-1-05, 23-2-01 and 23-3-09 shall serve in Reading Central

Court on a rotating basis in accordance with the schedule prepared by

Special Courts Administration. If a Magisterial District Judge is unable to

serve when scheduled for whatever reason, it shall be his/her

responsibility to find a replacement and to notify Special Courts

Administration.

C. The Berks County Central Arraignment Court (BCCAC), an after hours court

designated as Magisterial District 23-0-01, shall be open Mondays through

Fridays, 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM the following day, each Saturday 9:00 AM to

Sunday 6:00 AM, each Sunday 9:00 AM to Monday 6:00 AM, and all legal

holidays from 9:00 AM to 6:00 AM the following day.

1. All Magisterial District Judges and/or Senior Magisterial District Judges

on temporary assignment in the Twenty-Third Judicial District shall be

scheduled in the BCCAC in accordance with the schedule prepared by

Special Courts Administration and approved by the President Judge.

2. A Magisterial District Judge or Senior Magisterial District Judge

scheduled in the BCCAC shall be available to provide coverage for

emergency petitions brought under the Protection from Abuse Act or the

Older Adult Protective Services Act, the issuance of search warrants

pursuant to Pa.R.Crim.P. 203 and arrest warrants pursuant to Pa.R.Crim.P.

513, accepting bail, and providing the services required by Pa.R.Crim.P.

117(A)(2)(a), (b), (c), and (d). If a Magisterial District Judge is unable to

serve when scheduled for whatever reason, it shall be his/her

responsibility to find a replacement and to notify Special Courts

Administration and the Communications Center.

D. All Magisterial District Judges shall be scheduled for countywide emergency

duty in accordance with an emergency duty schedule prepared by Special

Courts Administration and approved by the President Judge.

1. The Magisterial District Judge on emergency duty shall provide

continuous coverage for the issuance of search warrants pursuant to

Pa.R.Crim.P. 203 and arrest warrants pursuant to Pa.R.Crim.P. 513 when

the Magisterial District Judge Offices and the Berks County Central

Arraignment Court are closed. If a Magisterial District Judge is unable to

serve when scheduled for whatever reason, it shall be his/her

responsibility to find a replacement and to notify Special Courts

Administration and the Communications Center.

E. Magisterial District Judges and the Clerk of Courts shall be authorized to

accept bail in accordance with the provisions and subject to the limitations of

the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure.

Effective February 15, 2010

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ACCELERATED REHABILITATIVE DISPOSITION