Welcome to the Court of Common Pleas 43rd Judicial District
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS
JOB OPENINGS
The following Orders of Court were issued on March 11, 2022. These are the latest orders issued as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Virtual
COPE classes are now available via a web-based platform; please go to our
Custody Department link for the registration form and more details.
All Courts of the 43rd Judicial
District, Monroe County, including Magisterial District Courts and the Court of
Common Pleas, have been and shall remain fully open for business.
The Court continues to monitor COVID-19 data
and guidelines as provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PA DOH) and local health care
providers. As of this time, and as per Admin Order 106 AD 2020 (issued
3/11/2022):
1. Facial
masking in any Court Facility is optional but highly recommended
in all public spaces including, but not limited to, corridors, restrooms,
courtrooms, hearing rooms, deliberation rooms, elevators, stairways,
entranceways, and all Court offices.
2. Where
practicable, it is highly recommended that all persons maintain physical
distancing of a minimum of 6 feet of separation. The CDC currently recommends,
“If you are not up to date on COVID-19 vaccines, stay at least 6 feet away from
other people, especially if you are at higher risk of getting very sick with
COVID-19.”
3. All
persons entering any Court facility, which includes 701 Main Street and the
Sherman Theater, shall be screened using the COVID-19 questionnaire approved by
the Court. Any person not meeting the health questionnaire criteria may be
denied access to any Court facility and alternative accommodations for access
to court proceedings and offices will be made. The Sheriff’s staff will
continue to act as the “gatekeeper” in accordance with these procedures.
4. Any
person who meets one or more of the below criteria may be prohibited from
entering the Court Facility:
a. is
currently directed to quarantine, isolate or self-monitor at home for COVID-19
by any doctor,
hospital or health agency; or
b. has
been diagnosed with COVID-19 (and has not been medically cleared from
isolation), or has had
close contact with anyone diagnosed with COVID-19
(within the last fourteen (14) days); or
c. has
flulike symptoms or a temperature over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Court
users will be permitted in the facility no more than 10 minutes prior to a
scheduled proceeding or appointment. Counsel shall speak with their clients
outside of the court facility prior to any proceeding.
Please continue to check http://www.monroepacourts.us/ for updates. As always, please reference the "Calendar" link on this page to see scheduled proceedings for criminal cases for the Court of Common Pleas.
For those at risk for homelessness as a result of COVID-19, please see
the following:
The Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) provides assistance
to households that have experienced financial hardship and may be at risk of
homelessness due to COVID-19. ERAP provides tenant households assistance with
rental and utility costs to include arrearages and other related housing
expenses. Eligible households can receive up to fifteen (15) months of rental
and utility assistance, including payment on arrears dating back to March 13,
2020, and there are no caps on the amounts that can be paid. Interested tenants
or landlords can apply online, and Monroe County residents can call Pocono
Mountains United Way's ERAP team at 570-243-6677 for more information.
COVID-19 Questions? Call 1-877-PA-HEALTH (1-877-724-3258)
If you are sick, please stay home and contact your health care professional for assistance/direction.
Updates from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) can be found at
Links to local health care providers:
Lehigh Valley Health Network –
St. Luke’s University Health Network
Mission: The Courts of the 43rd Judicial District of Pennsylvania, as an independent branch of government, are dedicated to the administration of justice in a fair, impartial and timely manner in accordance with the rule of law and the constitutions of the United States of America and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The Court of Common Pleas of the 43rd Judicial District is a state trial court of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania. It encompasses the County of Monroe. The Court hears civil cases with a significant amount in controversy and trials for serious crimes. The Court has original jurisdiction over all cases not exclusively assigned to another court and appellate jurisdiction over judgments from the minor courts. The Court also hears appeals from certain state and most local government agencies. The courts are established by Article V, Section 5 of the Pennsylvania Constitution: "There shall be one court of common pleas for each judicial district (a) having such divisions and consisting of such number of judges as shall be provided by law, one of whom shall be the president judge; and (b) having unlimited original jurisdiction in all cases except as may otherwise be provided by law." The Court of Common Pleas of the 43rd Judicial District has 7 judges. Judges of the Common Pleas courts are elected to 10-year terms. A president judge and a court administrator serve in each judicial district.