On April 24, the Commission submitted its third round of comments, indicating its support for the PA Supreme Court’s proposed creation of a generally applicable in forma pauperis (“IFP”) rule that will enable indigent individuals in the criminal context to have access to PA courts in a streamlined, comprehensive manner. In its comments, the Commission offered its support for the proposed rule change, while also suggesting several modifications, including clarifying that the proposed rule does not limit defendants’ ability to have court costs waived under other authority and recommending that the rule’s intended scope explicitly include access to court programs such as Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (“ARD”). The Committee is monitoring the status of the rule proposal.
The Pennsylvania Interbranch Commission
for Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Fairness
