Westmoreland Cnty. C.P. Criminal Rules RULE WC 542

(a) Audio Recordings of Testimony from Preliminary Hearings

(1) The magisterial district judge shall record testimony at preliminary hearings

when requested by the district attorney or defendant’s counsel.

(2) The magisterial district judge shall save the recording locally and back the

recording up to the County's server upon completion of the preliminary

hearing.

(3) The district attorney or defendant’s counsel may obtain a copy of the

recording from the court administrator by applying in writing within thirty

days of the defendant’s formal arraignment.

(4) When a preliminary hearing is held at the Westmoreland County

Courthouse, court administration shall ensure that testimony is recorded.

(b) Scheduling Court Arraignment

(1) The court administrator shall assign and promulgate arraignment dates,

judges and courtrooms. The magisterial district judge shall set as the date

for court arraignment the next scheduled court arraignment date which falls

no sooner than the eighth Friday following the preliminary hearing or

waiver of the same. Arraignment shall be scheduled for 8:30 a.m. If the

preliminary hearing or waiver occurs on a Friday, that Friday shall be

counted as the first Friday.

(2) The magisterial district judge shall:

A. advise the defendant and counsel of the time, date, and place of

arraignment, and that failure to appear at arraignment may result in

the defendant’s arrest and forfeiture of bond;

B. complete a court arraignment form;

C. require the defendant to sign the court arraignment form indicating

that the defendant is aware of the time and place of arraignment and

the obligation to appear; and

D. provide the defendant with a copy of the court arraignment form,

retain a copy; and forward the original with the official record to the

clerk of courts as required by Pa.R.Crim.P. 547.

Rescinded July 30, 2006; New Rule WC542 adopted July 30, 2006, effective September 18, 2006. Rescinded

October 19, 2017, New Rule WC542 adopted January 2, 2018.