The Pennsylvania Interbranch Commission
for Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Fairness
On June 23, 2022, the Commission submitted a second round of formal comments to several Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Rules Committees, in response to their publication of new proposed amendments Continue ReadingCommission Submits Second Round of Comments re Proposed Statewide Rules Governing Indigent Individuals’ Access to Pennsylvania Courts
On June 21, 2022, the Commission submitted a letter to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, requesting amendment of PA Rule of Criminal Procedure 632 to explicitly permit judicial districts to Continue ReadingCommission Submits Letter to Court Proposing Expansions to, Aggregated Collection of Demographic Categories on State’s Juror Information Questionnaire
On June 9, 2022, Commission members convened in-person for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began to review the initiatives of each of the Commission’s six Committees and to Continue ReadingCommission Conducts In-Person Meeting of its Full Membership
On April 27, 2022, the Commission submitted to Pennsylvania House and Senate committee chairs its letter in support of legislation that would prohibit use of the so-called LGBTQ “panic” defense Continue ReadingCommission Submits Letter to Legislature in Support of Bill Banning Use of LGBTQ “Panic” Defense
In March 2022, Commission staff submitted several letters to legislators in support of bills that would make jury service less onerous. On March 14, the Commission submitted to Pennsylvania House Continue ReadingCommission Supports Legislation to Promote More Equitable Access to Jury Service
On March 14, 2022, the Commission submitted to Pennsylvania House and Senate committee chairs its letter in support of legislation that would establish a statewide rape kit tracking system, to Continue ReadingCommission Supports Legislation to Establish a Statewide Rape Kit Tracking System
On March 10, 2022, Commission members convened remotely to review the initiatives of each of the Commission’s six Committees and discuss new business.
On February 14, 2022, the Commission submitted formal comments to the PA Supreme Court Criminal Procedural Rules Committee, in response to its publication of proposed amendments to existing state court Continue ReadingCommission Submits Comments to Court re Proposed State Criminal Procedural Rules Governing the Appointment of Counsel, the Purpose of Bail, and Others
On February 2, 2022, the Commission submitted formal comments to the ACBA’s Administration of Justice Sub-Committee, in response to their publication of proposed amendments to the Allegheny County Rules of Continue ReadingCommission Submits Comments to ACBA re Proposed Amendments to Local Rules Governing Bail, Probation and Incarceration
On January 27, 2022, the Committee distributed a letter and a one-page graphic summary containing the results of its survey on PA juror demographics to all Pennsylvania Judicial Court Administrators. Continue ReadingCommission Distributes Letter, Infographic re Results of PA Juror Demographics Survey to Court Administrators