Rule 575 - Motions Court Procedure(6) In order to provide a uniform means of presenting to the Court all matters which require action by the Court, Motions Court will be held daily at 9:00 o'clock A.M. in the courtroom of the Motions Judge. The name of the assigned Motions Judge for each day shall be published periodically in the Fayette County Legal Journal. (b) All applications for Court action, including motions, petitions, and any other applications shall be presented to the Court by following this Motions Court procedure. The party presenting the motion to the Court is to select the day on which the motion will be listed for Motions Court.(c) As used herein, the term "motion" shall include every type of motion, petition, or other application for action by the Court, and shall be designated as either "Priority" or "Routine", presentation of the latter not requiring the presence of the parties or counsel for either side. By definition, a "priority" motion is one which may be subject to contest or is so unusual as to require discussion or explanation, while "routine" motions include all other applications, such as uncontested matters to which the parties have consented in writing, requests for hearing, or requests for later argument.(d) All documents filed shall be on 8 1/2 inch x 11 inch paper and shall comply with the following requirements: (1) The document shall be prepared on good quality white paper.(2) The text must be double spaced. Margins must be at least one inch on all four sides.(3) The lettering shall be clear and legible shall be on only one side of a page. Exhibits and similar supporting documents and paperbooks may be lettered on both sides of the page.(4) Documents and papers must be firmly bound. Any metal fasteners or staples must be covered.(5) No backers or top strips are permitted.(e) All motions and other applications for Court action presented as uncontested require certification as such, if no joinder has been attached.(f) Any motion relating to discovery must contain a certification that counsel has conferred or attempted to confer with the District Attorney in order to resolve the matter without court action.(g) All motions filed and served pursuant to this rule shall include a Certificate of Service, signed by the party's attorney, or the party if unrepresented, setting forth the date and manner of service (personal delivery, mail, facsimile), and the names, addresses and phone numbers of the persons served. The Certificate of Service shall be substantially in the following form: CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I hereby certify that I am this day serving the within document upon the persons and in the manner indicated below.
1. Service by certified mail, first class mail: (Name of person served)_____,____Phone Number___ Address; (and/or)
2. Service by facsimile at FAX number _________: (Name of person served)_____, ____Phone number___
Address; (and/or)
3. Service in person: (Name of person served)_____, ____Phone number___ Address
Date: ____________ Signature__________________
(h) All motions shall be accompanied by a Certificate of Presentation as set forth in F.C.R.Crim.P 575(o).(i) All motions and other applications for Court action must set forth a specific citation to relevant constitutional provisions, case law, statutory provisions or rules that provide the Court's authority to grant the relief requested. Said citation shall be placed on a Certificate of Presentation.(j) The moving party shall file the original motion, Certificate of Presentation, and any attachments in the appropriate filing office before presentment in Motions Court. An original proposed order (if any), a copy of the Certificate of Presentation, Certificate of Service, and motion, assembled in that order, shall be delivered to the Court Administrator and every other party of record. Pursuant to Pa.R.Crim.P. 576(B)(1), all motions and other documents for which filing is required shall be served on each party and the Court Administrator so as to be received at least two (2) business days before presentation in Motions Court, unless there are emergency circumstances specified in the motion requiring presentation within a shorter time.(k) All priority motions pertaining to matters already ruled on by a Judge shall be presented to that Judge in Motions Court, except in emergencies as set forth in paragraph (j) of this Rule immediately above.(l) The Court Administrator shall maintain a Motions Docket and shall make daily entries of all motions filed and the disposition thereof.(m) The Court Administrator shall assign any motion not otherwise assigned to a Judge for disposition.(n) Failure to completely provide the information required by the Certificates of Presentation and Service may result in the matter not being listed for Motions Court.(o) The Certificate of Presentation shall be substantially in the following form: IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
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CERTIFICATE OF PRESENTATION
1. The undersigned, ______________, represents ____________, the moving party herein. 2. The attached motion will be presented in Motions Court on __________, _______________, 20____ at 9:00 o'clock A.M. 3. The attached motion shall be classified as a Routine/Priority motion. (If the motion is Routine, parties or counsel are not required to be present in Motions Court.)4. Judge __________ has been assigned or has previously ruled on a matter relevant to this motion. (See attached relevant ruling.) 5. The SPECIFIC citation for the Court's authority to grant the relief requested is __________.6. Estimated time for hearing or argument to resolve the motion on its merits: _____________. Respectfully submitted,
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Date: _____________
Adopted July 29, 2004, effective 9/13/2004. Amended February 8, 2005, effective 3/28/2005. Adopted7/21/2006, effective 9/4/2006.