Rule 117 - Magisterial District Judge Night Court Duty Procedures(1)(a) The standard business hours for all Dauphin County Magisterial District Courts shall be Monday through Friday, 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. Any Magisterial District Judge (MDJ) who is unavailable during these times due to vacation, illness, night duty, continuing education, or any other reason, must secure coverage by another MDJ.(b) Any preliminary arraignment presented to an MDJ between 8:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. Monday through Friday shall be resolved by that judge, or by the MDJ temporarily covering that district. Any preliminary arraignment presented to an MDJ after 4:00 P.M. Monday through Friday may be handled by the MDJ or may be held for Night Court.(2) The standard business hours for Dauphin County Night Court shall be as follows: (a) Monday through Thursday: 5:00 P.M. to midnight. The Night Court Duty Judge ("Duty Judge") shall be available from 9:00 P.M. to midnight, either by presence at Night Court or by video conference, to handle all relevant matters. The Duty Judge shall arraign all defendants whose paperwork is received by Night Court no later than midnight.(b) Friday through Sunday: 5:00 P.M. Friday until midnight Sunday night. The Duty Judge shall be available Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights from 9:00 P.M. until all matters are concluded, Saturday and Sunday morning at 8:00 A.M. until all matters are concluded, Saturday and Sunday afternoon at 4:00 P.M. until all matters are concluded. The Duty Judge shall arraign all defendants whose paperwork is received by Night Court during those hours. The Duty Judge may call in to Night Court one hour prior to the morning and afternoon arraignment times. If no matters are pending, the Duty Judge does not need to be present at Night Court or by video.
(c) Holidays: The Duty Judge shall be available at 8:00 A.M. until all matters are concluded, at 4:00 P.M. until all matters are concluded, and at 9:00 P.M. until midnight. The Duty Judge shall arraign all defendants whose paperwork is received by Night Court during those hours. The Duty Judge may call Night Court one hour prior to the morning and afternoon arraignment times. If no matters are pending, the judge does not need to be present at Night Court or by video.
(d) Any emergency situations necessitating the issuance of search warrants and arrest warrants between 4:00 P.M. - 8:00 A.M. Monday - Thursday and from 4:00 P.M. Friday until 8:00 A.M. Monday shall be the responsibility of the Duty Judge and the Duty Judge shall be available to immediately handle such matters. The Deputy Court Administrator for Magisterial District Judges shall provide the Duty Judge schedule to Emergency Management so that contact can be made by the police to the Duty Judge.(3) Morning Arraignments Monday-Friday: Each MDJ shall be responsible to handle his/her own arraignments for those defendants arrested after the close of Dauphin County Night Court the previous night. These arraignments shall be held at 8:30 A.M. each weekday morning, either by having the defendant brought to the district court in person or by video conferencing. If an MDJ is absent from his/her office, it is the responsibility of the sitting judge to make sure that another MDJ is available to perform the morning arraignments.(4) The schedule for Night Court duty shall be the responsibility of the Deputy Court Administrator for Magisterial District Judges.Amended effective 8/2/2021.