Rule 249 - Special Assignments Among Judges. Commerce and Complex Litigation Center. Asbestos Judge. Class Action Judge. Elections Judge. Real Estate Tax Appeals Judge. Zoning(1)Commerce and Complex Litigation Center.(a) Creation. Administrative Order No. 13 of 2007 (AD07-000013) established a Commerce and Complex Litigation Center. This Center is within the Civil Division of the Court.(b) Assignment of Cases to the Center.(i) A description of the type of cases handled by the Center and of the procedures for assignment of cases to the Center is set forth in a Description of the Docket and Procedures of the Commerce and Complex Litigation Center prepared by the judges assigned to the Center(ii) The Description may be obtained from the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas website at www.alleghenycourts.us by selecting civil and then selecting commerce and complex litigation center. Editor's Note: Effective February 4, 2008. This Local 249(1) replaces Local 249(1) that was adopted on October 4, 2006, effective December 4, 2006. There are no changes to Local 249(2)
(2)Asbestos JudgeActions for personal injury or property damage caused by asbestos, upon filing shall be assigned to the Asbestos Judge, prior to the case being assigned to a general trial list.
(3)Class Action Judge.Class action cases, upon filing, shall be assigned to the Class Action Judge in accordance with Pa.R.C.P. 1701, et seq.
(4)Elections Judge.Except with respect to matters of an emergency nature arising on an election day, actions relating to elections, upon filing, shall be assigned to the Elections Judge.
Note: See Local 501 regarding Election Day Judges.
(5)Real Estate Tax Appeals Judge.Real estate tax assessment appeals and real estate tax exemption appeals shall be assigned to the Real Estate Tax Appeals Judge.
(6)Zoning.Zoning appeals shall be assigned to the Zoning Appeals Judge.
(7)Assignment of Certain Actions Seeking Equitable Relief to Individual Judge.The placing of a case at issue involving only claims for equitable relief, Quiet Title, Quo Warranto and Mandamus results in assignment to an individual judge.
(8)Discretionary Assignment of Cases to An Individual Judge. At the discretion of the Administrative Judge or the Calendar Control Judge, in the interests of efficiency and justice, the Court may assign cases to individual judges for any purpose, including pre-trial proceedings and trial. Adopted10/4/2006, effective 12/4/2006; amended effective 9/13/2022; amended effective 11/13/2023.