Clar. Cnty. Pa. 131
Pursuant to the authority contained in Pa.R.Crim.P. 131(B), the president judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Clarion County, Pennsylvania, has determined that local conditions require the establishment of procedures whereby preliminary hearings in criminal cases, filed in all magisterial districts, shall be held at a central location. The president judge shall issue an administrative order designating the place and time for preliminary hearings. Said court shall hereinafter be referred to as Central Court.
The president judge may grant an exception to this general rule in cases where there are multiple defendants or where there are serious charges, at the request of the magisterial district judge in whose district the crimes allegedly occurred. The magisterial district judge shall provide the president judge with information to support the request, including the nature of the charges, the number of potential witnesses, the expected length of the hearing, any security concerns, and any other relevant factors. The president judge will then either grant or deny the request and communicate the decision in writing to all magisterial district judges. If possible, in cases involving more than one defendant, the magisterial district judge shall hold the hearings for co-defendants on the same date.
Clar. Cnty. Pa. 131