Rule 117 - Coverage; Issuing Warrants; Preliminary Arraignments; Setting And Accepting Bail1. Normal Business Hours. (a) Magisterial District Judge Offices shall be open for regular business Monday through Friday, excluding County Holidays, during such hours as established by the President Judge, and as may be modified with the approval of the President Judge to meet the needs of the public and the Court. (b) When during regular business hours the Magisterial District Judge who has jurisdiction over a particular matter is unavailable, authority to act is transferred to other Magisterial District, Judges in the 26th Judicial District pursuant to a Special Assignment schedule approved by the President Judge and amended from time to time. This schedule shall govern the appropriate jurisdiction for specific actions, unless the individual Magisterial District Judges specifically transfer that jurisdiction among themselves due to their own unavailability based on work schedule or other related convenience, in which case the Court approves that transferred Magisterial District Judge for authority over a particular action.2. On Call Magisterial District Judge. (a) An on-call Magisterial District Judge shall be available twenty-four hours a day, every day of the calendar year to provide continuous coverage for the issuance of warrants, the holding of preliminary arraignments, the setting and accepting of bail, and the issuance of emergency orders under the Protection from Abuse Act.(b) An on-call Magisterial District Judge shall be on-call during non-business hours on a rotating basis, pursuant to an annual schedule prepared by the District Court Administrator.3. Search Warrants and Arrest Warrants, and Protections From Abuse Petitions. An on-call Magisterial District Judge shall be available without unreasonable delay for the issuance of search warrants pursuant to Pa.R.Crim.P. 203, arrest warrants pursuant to Pa.R.Crim.P. 203, and Emergency Protection from Abuse Orders.
4. Preliminary Arraignments. (a) For Arrests occurring between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., the Defendant shall be taken to the Magisterial District Judge having jurisdiction.(b) For arrests occurring after 4:30 p.m. but before 11:00 p.m., the on-call Magisterial District Judge shall be available without unreasonable delay at his/her office, or at the discretion of the Magisterial District Judge, by video conferencing from the Columbia County Prison or Montour County Prison.(c) For arrests occurring after 11:00 p.m. but before 8:00 a.m., the arresting agency, including the state police, municipal police, sheriff or constable, is authorized to detain the prisoner at the Columbia County Prison or Montour County Correction Facility until arraignment. For Defendants so detained, the on-call Magisterial District Judge shall appear in person or by video conferencing at the Columbia County Prison or Montour County Prison at 9:00 a.m. to preside at the Preliminary Arraignment.(d) The arresting agency detaining the Defendant shall provide to the Magisterial District Judge the original and copies of the Criminal Complaint with Probable Cause Affidavit attached, a copy of the Defendants' criminal record, and any recommendation regarding bail for the Defendant, by depositing the documents at the Columbia County Prison or Montour County Prison for use by the Magisterial District Judge.(e) The Columbia County Prison and Montour Prison are directed to identify a detention area for prisoners so detained.(f) The Columbia County Prison or Montour County Prison is directed to make available to the Magisterial District Judge appropriate space for video conferencing availability between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. to perform the Preliminary arraignment.(g) Upon completion of the Preliminary Arraignment, the detention authorized by this rule shall terminate and the person detained shall be processed in accordance with the Order of the Magisterial District Judge at the Preliminary Arraignment.5. Bench Warrants in Court Cases. (a) Upon receiving notice from the Magisterial District Court that a bench warrant has been executed or that the Defendant has surrendered, the Court administrator shall schedule a hearing as soon as possible but not later than seventy-two (72) hours after the Defendant has been lodged in the Columbia County Prison or Montour County Prison.6. Summary Offense Arrest Warrants and Bench Warrants.(a) Any individual executing an arrest warrant or a bench warrant in a summary offense shall proceed in accordance with Pa.R.Crim.P. 431 except as set forth hereafter.(b) In the event the warrant is executed between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. the Defendant shall be taken to the Magisterial District Judge having jurisdiction.(c) For summary warrants executed after 4:30 p.m., the individual executing the arrest warrant shall: (1) accept a signed guilty plea and the full amount of the fines and costs;(2) accept a signed not guilty plea and the full amount of collateral; or(3) allow the defendant to voluntarily appear before the Magisterial District Judge by 9:00 a.m. the next business day, or a bench warrant shall be issued.(d) For summary bench warrants executed after 4:30 p.m., but before 8:00 a.m., the individual executing the arrest warrant is authorized to detain the prisoner at the Columbia County Prison or Montour County Prison until 9:00 a.m., the following morning. For Defendants so detained, the on-call Magisterial District Judge shall appear in person or by video conferencing at the Columbia County Prison or Montour County Prison at 9:00 a.m. to preside at the bench warrant hearing.Columbia & Montour Cnty. L.R. No. 117