Court of Common Pleas of Washington County, Pennsylvania Adjournment & Extension Requirements

CRITICAL

A party may continue a scheduled arbitration hearing once by filing a praecipe for continuance with the Prothonotary and paying a $50 fee.

A party may continue a scheduled arbitration hearing one (1) time upon filing of a praecipe for continuance with the Prothonotary and payment of a fee of $50.00.

CRITICAL

If the arbitration panels cannot reach all scheduled cases that day, the Court Administrator must continue the unreached cases to the next available date.

In the event that the panels of arbitrators are unable to reach all of the cases scheduled for arbitration on a particular day, the arbitration hearing for those cases that are not reached shall be continued by the Court Administrator to the next available date.

CRITICAL

If an arbitration hearing begins but is not completed on its scheduled day, it must be continued to a date convenient to the panel and parties.

In the event that an arbitration hearing has been commenced but is not concluded on the day scheduled for the arbitration hearing, the arbitration hearing shall be continued to a date convenient to the arbitration panel and parties.

CRITICALCivil cases

The Court will entertain a continuance request for an action scheduled for Argument Court only upon a showing of good cause.

(5) The Court shall only entertain a request for a continuance for an action scheduled for Argument Court for good cause shown.

CRITICAL

Agreements for continuances must be communicated to the Court Administrator at least seven days before Argument Court, and an argument will be continued only for good cause.

(11) All agreements for continuances and/or withdrawals shall be communicated to the Court Administrator no less than seven (7) days prior to Argument Court. The Court shall continue an argument only upon good cause shown.

CRITICAL

A continuance request made less than five days before arbitration or after a party’s first request requires a motion and leave of court, and may be granted only for good cause.

For any request for a continuance that is either less than five (5) days before the scheduled arbitration or not the first request for continuance by a party, the requesting party shall file a motion and seek leave of court. (1) The Court shall grant the continuance only for good cause shown.

CRITICALCivil cases

Agreements for continuances must be communicated to the Court Administrator at least seven days before Argument Court.

All agreements for continuances and/or withdrawals shall be communicated to the Court Administrator no less than seven (7) days prior to Argument Court.

CRITICALCivil cases

The Court will entertain a continuance request for an action scheduled for Argument Court only upon a showing of good cause.

The Court shall only entertain a request for a continuance for an action scheduled for Argument Court for good cause shown.

CRITICALCivil cases

Agreements for continuances or withdrawals must be communicated to the Court Administrator at least seven days before Argument Court, and an argument will be continued only for good cause.

All agreements for continuances and/or withdrawals shall be communicated to the Court Administrator no less than seven (7) days prior to Argument Court. The Court shall continuean argument only upon good cause shown.

CRITICAL

Continuance motions must be presented to the assigned judge in motions court before the scheduled proceeding, state the required information, and be followed by filing the order; attach notice or an order of a conflicting proceeding when applicable.

(a) Motions for continuances of proceedings before the hearing officer or a conference officer will be presented by the moving party to the judge to whom the case is assigned in motions court prior to the scheduled proceeding. The moving party shall file the order granting or denying the continuance in the Domestic Relations Section. (b) A motion for a continuance shall set forth the following information: (1) A clear, concise and certain reason for the motion; (2) A statement that opposing counsel or the opposing party, if unrepresented, has no objection to the request for continuance, if applicable; (3) A statement of the number of prior continuances, if any; and (4) If another court appearance is the reason for the request, a copy of the notice or order of the conflicting proceeding shall be attached.

CRITICAL

A pre-trial motion cannot serve as a basis for continuing the arbitration hearing, regardless of when it is filed relative to scheduling.

A pre-trial motion, whether filed prior to or after the scheduling of the arbitration, shall not be cause for continuance of the arbitration hearing.

CRITICAL

The Court will entertain a continuance request for an action scheduled for Argument Court only upon a showing of good cause.

The Court shall only entertain a request for a continuance for an action scheduled for Argument Court for good cause shown.

CRITICAL

A continuance motion must be presented to the assigned judge in Motions Court before the scheduled proceeding.

A motion for a continuance of a proceeding before the child custody conference officers shall be presented to the judge to whom the case is assigned in Motions Court prior to the scheduled proceeding.

CRITICAL

A continuance motion must state its reason, whether the opposing party consents, and the number of prior continuances.

(c) A motion for a continuance shall contain the following information: (1) a clear, concise, and certain reason for the motion; (2) whether the continuance is consented to by the opposing party; (3) a statement of the number of prior continuances, if any; and (4) if another court appearance is the reason for the request, a copy of the notice or order of the conflicting hearing shall be attached.

CRITICALCivil cases

The Court will continue an argument only if good cause is shown.

The Court shall continue an argument only upon good cause shown.

CRITICALCivil cases

Agreements for continuances or withdrawals must be communicated to the Court Administrator at least seven days before Argument Court, and an argument will be continued only upon good cause shown.

All agreements for continuances and/or withdrawals shall be communicated to the Court Administrator no less than seven (7) days prior to Argument Court. The Court shall continue an argument only upon good cause shown.

CRITICAL

A continuance motion must be written and state the reason, applicable non-objection, and number of prior continuances, and attach notice or an order for a conflicting court appearance.

(2) A motion for continuance shall be set forth in writing and contain the following information: (i) A clear, concise, and certain reason for the request; (ii) A statement that opposing counsel or the opposing party, if unrepresented, has no objection to the request for continuance, if applicable; (iii) A statement of the number of prior continuances, if any; and (iv) If another court appearance is the reason for the request, a copy of the notice or Order of the conflicting hearing shall be attached.

CRITICAL

A conference scheduled under the rule may be continued only for good cause shown.

When a case is scheduled for a conference pursuant to this rule, it shall not be continued except for good cause shown.

WARNINGCivil cases

If a party or counsel fails to comply with the rule, the Special Master may continue the mini-jury trial to a date selected by the Court Administrator.

If a party, or their counsel, fails to comply with this rule, the Special Master may continue the mini-jury trial to another date as selected by the Court Administrator.

WARNINGCriminal cases

For summary-offense-only cases, the Magisterial District Judge may postpone the case, usually for 90 days, with the agreement of the District Attorney, defendant, victim, and prosecuting police officer, if the defendant agrees to report to and remain in contact with a designated Forensic Case Manager and submit to evaluations as deemed necessary.

In any case wherein only summary offenses are alleged, the Magisterial District Judge, upon the agreement of the District Attorney, defendant, victim, and the prosecuting police officer, may postpone the case for a specified period (usually 90 days) if the defendant agrees to: A. Report to a Forensic Case Manager designated by the Washington County Mental Health/Mental Retardation Office at a specified date and time; B. Remain in contact with the designated Forensic Case Manager specified in paragraph A above; C. Submit to a mental health evaluation and/or drug and alcohol evaluation as deemed necessary by the designated Forensic Case Manager or by a representative of the Washington County Mental Health/Mental Retardation Office;

WARNING

Continuance requests should be liberally considered when based on COVID-19-related health concerns.

Requests for continuances should be liberally considered when due to circumstances involving COVID-19 related health concerns.

WARNINGCivil cases

If a party or counsel fails to comply with the rule, the Special Master may continue the mini-jury trial to a date selected by the Court Administrator.

If a party, or their counsel, fails to comply with this rule, the Special Master may continue the mini-jury trial to another date as selected by the Court Administrator.

WARNING

Continuance requests based on COVID-19-related health concerns should be liberally considered.

Requests for continuances should be liberally considered when due to circumstances involving COVID-19 related health concerns.

WARNING

The Court may extend the deadline for filing exceptions for good cause shown, by special order.

provided that for good cause shown, the Court may, by special order, extend the time for filing exceptions.

INFO

The excerpt says continuance requests should be treated liberally but ends before stating what that entails.

Requests for continuances should be liberally