Cumberland Cnty. C.P. Local Rules of Court Rule 456

(a) Central Booking is available during defined time periods to hold defendants with summary

warrants that police encounter during their normal course of duty or constables executing

warrants issued to them directly by a magisterial district judge.

(b) Defined hours: Sunday through Thursday during non-court hours. Central Booking will not

accept defendants with summary warrants on Friday, Saturday, and County holidays. At any

time during the defined hours that Central Booking may experience full capacity, police and/or

constables will be informed of a temporary suspension of acceptance of Summary Warrant

defendants over the 911 Police Radio System.

(c) This policy does not pertain to juvenile defendants with summary warrants. Juvenile

defendants with summary warrants will not be accepted at Central Booking.

(d) In the event that Central Booking is able to ascertain that the defendant has a medical or

medication issue that puts them at risk during holding, Central Booking will issue a Payment

Determination Hearing Notice and immediately release the defendant. An officer or constable

serving a summary warrant should ask the defendant if they require life-sustaining medication

over the period of time until the defendant might be released (the next day). If the defendant

indicates that they do require life-sustaining medication, the officer or constable should inform

Central Booking of this as soon as possible, so that Central Booking can make a release

determination, as described above.

(e) If the defendant suffers a medical episode while in Central Booking, the defendant will be

released to EMS.

(f) Central Booking will complete an Intake form on each defendant brought in on a summary

warrant so that updated contact information is collected.

(g) Warrant Procedures:

(1) Summary Warrants for Non-Payment:

(i) Per this policy, warrants not issued to a constable for service by an MDJ should be

verified on AOPC https://ujsportal.pacourts.us/ .

(ii) For verified active warrants, the defendant’s case attached to the warrant can be

located at https://ujsportal.pacourts.us/ by accessing ePay. You will need the

defendant’s first name, last name, and DOB. Select MDJ cases and the case

associated with the warrant.

(iii) The defendant must pay the amount necessary to bring the payment plan on the

warrant’s case up to date. If the delinquent payment amount cannot be made in

full at the time of service, the defendant may be transported to Central Booking.

(iv) For constables: A Fee bill must be attached to the warrant paperwork at Central

Booking in order to facilitate proper addition of fees to the defendant’s case.

Central Booking will forward the Fee bill to the magisterial district judge for review

and assessment.

(v) The defendant will be held at Central Booking until either a). A release amount as

defined in this policy can be paid, or b). the issuing magisterial district judge is

informed and makes a determination of action.

(vi) Release Policy: The Central Booking Center will release defendants immediately

when the following release amounts are met:

(vii) The release amount will be based on the delinquent payment amount as

determined through AOPC’s ePay system. If the full amount of the delinquent

payment plan is under $200, delinquent payment amount must be paid in full.

(viii) If the full amount of the delinquent payment plan is $200 or over, the minimum

amount of $200 or 50% of the total, whichever is greater, must be paid.

(ix) If the defendant has multiple summary warrants, the total of all warrants delinquent

payment plans will determine the release amount. If the total of all of the amounts

owed on all cases exceeds $1000.00, the defendant must pay a minimum of $500.

That amount should be put towards the oldest case first, next oldest, etc.

(x) A chart of release amounts is attached to this policy.

(xi) If the release amount is met, but bringing the payment plan into current status is

not equal to the full amount owed on the warrant, the defendant will be given a

Payment Determination Hearing Notice scheduling such hearing on a weekday

and time selected by each magisterial district judge for their cases. This date shall

be not less than 2 weeks following release (providing at least 10 days notice per

Rule 456).

(xii) Central Booking will email a copy of the receipt and the hearing notice, if

applicable, to the magisterial district judge to notify them of the payment and

release. The magisterial district judge shall clear the warrant.

(xiii) If the defendant is not able to make the release amount, Central Booking may still

collect a lesser amount towards the summary warrant total. The defendant will be

held until court hours the next morning and the issuing magisterial district judge is

informed and makes a determination of action.

(xiv) No defendant shall be committed without following the steps outlined in Title 42 Pa.

C.S. 4137 for sections (a3) and (a4). After issuance of a warrant, bail and a

contempt hearing shall be set. If imprisonment is a possibility, hearings should be

set on Public Defender day. For District Courts that regularly schedule hearings in

only the morning or afternoon on PD day, select a time that corresponds with the

Public Defender’s normal schedule (am or pm).

(2) Summary Warrants for Failure to Respond:

(i) Per this policy, warrants not issued to a constable for service by an MDJ should be

verified on AOPC https://ujsportal.pacourts.us/ .

(ii) Pursuant to Rule 431, the police officer or constable serving the warrant shall:

(A) Accept a signed guilty plea and the full amount of fines and costs if stated

on the warrant;

(B) Accept a signed not guilty plea and the full amount of the collateral on the

warrant if stated on the warrant; or

(C) If the defendant is unable to pay the full amount of fines and costs or the

defendant is unable to pay the collateral, transport the defendant to Central

Booking.

(iii) Signed plea paperwork shall be forwarded to the MDJ office. The magisterial

district judge shall clear the warrant.

(iv) For constables: A Fee bill must be attached to the warrant paperwork at Central

Booking in order to facilitate proper addition of fees to the defendant’s case.

Central Booking will forward the Fee bill to the magisterial district judge for review

and assessment.

(v) Release Policy: The Central Booking Center will release defendants immediately

when the following release amounts are met:

(A) For a guilty plea, after completing the plea paperwork the defendant will be

released.

(B) [Deleted]

(C) If the defendant has multiple summary warrants for Failure to Respond, the

total of all warrants’ fines and costs will determine the release amount. If

the total of all of the amounts owed on all cases exceeds $1000.00, the

defendant must pay a minimum of $500. That amount should be put

towards the oldest case first, next oldest, etc.

(D) If the release conditions are met, but the full amount of fines and costs is not

paid, the defendant will be given a Payment Determination Hearing Notice

for a date and time selected by each magisterial district judge for their cases

for the following week.

(E) For not guilty pleas, 100% of the collateral, if stated on the warrant, must be

paid.

(vi) If a defendant has summary warrants for Failure to Pay and Failure to Respond,

apply the appropriate policy to each type, separately.

(vii) Central Booking will email a copy of the signed receipt, signed plea paperwork,

and any hearing notices to the magisterial district judge to notify them of the

payment and release. The magisterial district judge shall clear the warrant.

(viii) If the defendant cannot meet the release amount or the collateral, the magisterial

district judge shall conduct a bench warrant hearing. If the magisterial district

judge is unavailable, please refer to (g)(3). (Release without payment).

(3) Release without payment: Central Booking will email the Magisterial District Office that

a defendant is being held on a summary warrant. If the Magisterial District Office has

not contacted Central Booking regarding holding a bench warrant hearing for the

defendant by noon the following day, the defendant will be released with a Payment

Determination Hearing Notice scheduling such hearing on a weekday and time selected

by each magisterial district judge for their cases. This date shall be not less than 2

weeks following release (providing at least 10 days’ notice per Rule 456).

(4) Collection of Money:

(i) Warrants must clearly establish the total amount owed or collateral amount. If a

Failure to Respond Warrant has no fines and costs or collateral listed, you should

accept the guilty plea or not guilty plea without payment and forward to the

magisterial district judge per the policy below (“Upon facilitating payment” and

“When a warrant is served and payment is facilitated”). The amount paid shall be

“warrant satisfied”.

(ii) Each Police Department may determine if they will facilitate the monetary

satisfaction of the warrant as described below. If a department does not want to

participate in the payment process, the defendants may be transported to Central

Booking.

(iii) For Failure to Pay: Police or Constables serving a warrant and facilitating

collection may assist the defendant to make a payment through AOPC’s ePay (

https://ujsportal.pacourts.us/ ).

(iv) For Failure to Respond: Police or constables serving a warrant and facilitating

collection may assist the defendant to make a payment through the Valu Payment

System.

(v) Upon facilitating payment, the defendant should be given a copy of the warrant as

a receipt with the following information:

(A) Amount Paid

(B) Date

(C) Officer/Constable Name and Signature

(D) Identifying Badge #/Constable Id

(E) Signature of Defendant

(vi) When a warrant is served and payment is facilitated by an officer or a constable,

the issuing MDJ Office must be informed by the police officer or constable via

email that the warrant has been served, and the amount paid, so that the warrant

can be cleared from the system. The magisterial district judge shall clear the

warrant. A copy of the receipt must be forwarded to the magisterial district judge.

(vii) At Central Booking, defendants will be allowed to use the phone to make calls to

obtain payments.

(viii) Central Booking will utilize ePay and Official payments as detailed above.

(ix) Cash payments collected at Central Booking will be receipted per booking policy

and payments will be submitted to Magisterial District Court 09-2-02 for

processing.

(x) Magisterial District Court 09-2-02 shall enter the information as a new case and

provide a refund to the originating MDJ’s office.

(A) Enter district court number 09-2-02. Click on Payment Icon that says

“Receipt by Responsible Participant.”

(B) The “Responsible Participant” entered is the Court receiving the payment.

(C) It will then say that there is no balance due.

(D) Click “Add” and a new screen appears.

(E) In “Assessment Category” choose “Escrow”

(F) For “Assessment Type” choose “Night Court Payment”

(G) For “Assessment Amount” type in the amount collected

(H) There is a place for docket number, which is the case that had the warrant.

(I) In the comments, we would put “Warrant served for

defendant. amount collected.”

(5) Procedure for Central Booking when a defendant comes in with a Fingerprint Order and

is found to have a summary warrant:

(i) If the defendant is currently housed in another institution, Central Booking will

notify the magisterial district judge by faxing a copy of the warrant with the name of

the institution on it.

(ii) If the defendant comes in during business hours on a Fingerprint Order or on a

View Arrest and they have a Summary Warrant:

(A) If the defendant has the cash or the ability to pay via a credit card, Central

Booking will collect the payment.

(B) If the defendant does not have the ability to pay, Central Booking will

contact the Constable for that MDJ and request that they pick the defendant

up and take him to the MDJ’s Office. If the Constable is not available,

Central Booking will issue a Payment Determination Hearing Notice.

(C) If the defendant enters Central Booking and he or she has children in the

car, Central Booking will attempt to collect payment as detailed above, but

will issue a Payment Determination Hearing Notice if the defendant is

unable to pay.

(6) Procedure for Cumberland County Prison when a defendant is incarcerated on another

matter and has summary warrants:

(i) Cumberland County Prison will provide the defendant with a Payment

Determination Hearing Notice upon release, along with a receipt copy of the

warrant, documenting “Payment Determination Hearing Notice has been served,

date of release, and correction officer signature.”

(ii) Cumberland County Prison will notify the applicable magisterial district judge that

the defendant has been issued a Payment Determination Hearing Notice. The

magisterial district judge will then cancel the warrant.