Allegheny County courts postpone most in-person hearings as covid cases rise

Most in-person hearings in Allegheny County courts will be postponed until after Friday, Dec. 4 due to the rising number of coronavirus cases, according an order issued Friday from the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Western District.

“Due to the rising number of positive covid tests in Allegheny County, further efforts must be made reduce the amount of people present in court facilities while keeping the courts open to the public,” said the order signed by President Judge Kim Berkeley Clark.

The Allegheny County Courthouse shut down near the beginning of the pandemic. It was about seven months before criminal jury trials resumed in October.

Now, many proceedings will be put on hold again.

The Court of Common Pleas will conduct almost all hearings remotely when possible.

If not possible to conduct the hearings remotely, the hearings will be rescheduled.

In the county’s magisterial district courts (district justices), most hearings will either be postponed until after Dec. 4 or conducted remotely. Exceptions will be made for preliminary hearings, emergency protection from abuse hearings and preliminary arraignments.

Pittsburgh Municipal Court will continue to have in-person hearings for traffic summary proceedings, preliminary hearings, emergency protection from abuse hearings and preliminary arraignments.

All court offices will remain open to the public.

In the last two weeks, 15 people who recently visited court facilities have tested positive for coronavirus, according to the court office. This includes numerous court employees and lawyers.

Allegheny County broke its seven-day covid case record Friday, with a total of 3,398 cases in seven days.