Westmoreland Cnty. C.P. Criminal Rules RULE WC 571

(a) Notice of Arraignment date shall be provided at the preliminary hearing in person to

the defendant, defense counsel, and the district attorney’s office by the magisterial

district judge when the case is bound over to the Court of Common Pleas. In the

event that any of the aforementioned do not appear at the preliminary hearing,

notice may be sent via first-class mail.

(b) Within three days (excluding the day of receipt) of receiving the official papers from

the magisterial district judge, the clerk of courts shall send a copy of the official

papers, including the notice of court arraignment, to the district attorney.

(c) The clerk of courts shall provide information concerning new cases to the criminal

court administrator and to the district attorney as the cases are received. The form

of the information forwarded shall be as required and agreed to between the

appropriate offices.

(d) Arraignments shall be held in the courtroom of the judge assigned by the criminal

court administrator. The district attorney and public defender shall assure that

attorneys attend each scheduled arraignment.

(e) At arraignment the district attorney shall provide the defendant with a copy of the

information and, where possible, discovery material mandated under Pa.R.Crim.P.

573(B)(1).

(h) A defendant may waive arraignment if he is represented by counsel by filing a

Waiver of Arraignment Form with the Clerk of Courts and providing a copy of the

Waiver to the Criminal Court Administrator’s Office. An attorney who files a Waiver

of Arraignment on behalf of a defendant enters an appearance by doing so.

Adopted December 16, 1993, effective April 1, 1994; Section (a) revised February 22, 1994, effective April 18,

1994; Sections (d) and (h) revised June 30, 1995, effective August 21, 1995. Revised and renumbered from

WC303 May 10, 2001, effective July 2, 2001. Section (a), (b), (d), (e), (f), and (h) revised June 21, 2023, effective

August 7, 2023.