PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1156 PRINTER'S NO. 1587
No. 974 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY WALKO, HERMAN, M. N. WRIGHT, ITKIN, STABACK,
BELARDI, ARGALL, CAWLEY, C. WILLIAMS, ROONEY, STURLA,
TRAVAGLIO, RAYMOND, GEIST, PETRARCA, CURRY, BROWNE,
L. I. COHEN, HENNESSEY, YOUNGBLOOD, FARGO, RUBLEY, RAMOS,
BOSCOLA, McGEEHAN, STEELMAN, CIVERA, PETRONE AND ROSS,
MARCH 25, 1997
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON URBAN AFFAIRS, HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, APRIL 28, 1997
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the
2 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for
3 jurisdiction and venue of the Pittsburgh Magistrates Court.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Section 1143 of Title 42 of the Pennsylvania
7 Consolidated Statutes is amended to read:
8 § 1143. Jurisdiction and venue.
9 (a) General rule.--Except as otherwise prescribed by any
10 general rule adopted pursuant to section 503 (relating to
11 reassignment of matters) the Pittsburgh Magistrates Court shall
12 have jurisdiction of all of the following matters:
13 (1) Criminal complaints accusing any person of the
14 commission of any felony or misdemeanor, where such felony or
15 misdemeanor has been committed within the corporate limits of
16 the City of Pittsburgh, and to issue warrants for the arrest
1 of such person so accused, administer oaths and hold
2 preliminary hearings in all such cases, and commit to jail,
3 or bind over for trial or discharge such accused person, as
4 the evidence produced at such hearing may warrant. The court
5 shall have power to admit to bail as prescribed by general
6 rules.
7 (2) Arrests upon view, or upon complaint made and
8 warrant issued, by the police of the City of Pittsburgh, of
9 persons who may be found engaged in or be charged with
10 drunkenness, disorderly conduct, selling liquor contrary to
11 law, maintaining a disorderly house or bawdy house, lewd,
12 indecent or lascivious behavior on the streets or elsewhere,
13 gambling, creating riots or disturbances, vagrants, beggars,
14 prostitutes, disturbers of the public peace, known or reputed
15 pickpockets, burglars, thieves, watch stuffers, cheating,
16 swindling, persons who abuse their families, and suspicious
17 persons who can give no reasonable account of themselves, or
18 violating any of the laws or ordinances of such city.
19 (3) Civil claims for the recovery of fines and penalties
20 imposed by any ordinance of the City of Pittsburgh, or by any
21 ordinance or regulation relating to housing and health
22 administered and enforced by a county health department where
23 a violation takes place in such city, and cases of summary
24 conviction arising under the laws and ordinances of or
25 applicable to such city [and] instituted by the City of
26 Pittsburgh or a private person or under the laws, ordinances,
27 rules and regulations relating to housing and health
28 administered and enforced by a county department of health
29 where a violation takes place in such city, with full power
30 to hear the said cases, administer oaths or affirmations
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1 therein, decide the same, enforce the penalty, collect the
2 fine or commit to prison as the case may be according to the
3 provisions of the law and ordinances applicable thereto. In <--
4 addition to the claims filed by the city under this
5 paragraph, private filings of civil actions in equity to
6 compel compliance or in law for damages may be filed by
7 community groups and individuals.
8 (4) Matters within the jurisdiction of the court when
9 sitting as the Traffic Court of Pittsburgh.
10 (b) Venue and process.--The venue of the Pittsburgh
11 Magistrates Court concerning matters over which jurisdiction is
12 conferred by subsection (a) shall be as prescribed by general
13 rule. The process of the court shall extend beyond the
14 territorial limits of the City of Pittsburgh to the extent
15 prescribed by general rule.
16 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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