Luzerne County Courts

From: Chester B. Muroski, President Judge on behalf of all members of the 11th Judicial District of Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas of Luzerne County

MEDIA RELEASE: June 1, 2009
The Luzerne County Court en banc, following its weekly meeting, announces the following:

ADR OPTIONS

On Friday, May 29th, Thomas Rutter, J.D., met with the court en banc and reported that the volunteer efforts of his organization, Philadelphia-based ADR Options, had met with considerable success during the past week as a result of mediation/conciliation conferences conducted involving more than 40 civil cases which were part of a developing civil case backlog. Eight members of ADR, comprised of Mr. Rutter himself along with other lawyers and several former judges, held the conferences at the main courthouse.

Mr. Rutter announced that there had been outright settlement of 13 cases and that the parties in 4 other cases had agreed to a binding “high-low mediation” which removes 17 cases from the county docket immediately. Additionally, 6 cases were rescheduled for mediation/conciliation conferences and in 9 other cases the parties indicated that they would explore the option of enlisting ADR Options and the use of a Judges Pro Tempore to conduct trials to be held later in the year. The parties in 12 cases have opted to maintain their cases on the county court docket.

Rutter was quite enthused with the cooperation and support that his ADR team met with at the hands of county staffers during the week and left open the possibility of returning for another week pending further developments. President Judge Muroski and the entire court expressed appreciation for ADR’s pro bono efforts which were initially offered by Rutter upon learning of the recent difficulties and the developing backlog in Luzerne County.

2008 SENIOR JUDGE REIMBURSEMENT

President Judge Chester B. Muroski announced that the Luzerne County Court has recently received check for $138,604 from the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts (AOPC) as a reimbursement to Luzerne County for expenses related to the staff support of Senior Judges assigned to Luzerne County by the AOPC for the year 2008. The check has been turned over to the Luzerne County Treasurer to be deposited in the General Fund of Luzerne County.

The reimbursement is for “Senior Judges Chambers and Support Staff,” according to the regulations of the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts. That reimbursement includes a $60 per day reimbursement for the cost of providing office space as well as an hourly reimbursement for clerical staff and Law Clerks.

During 2008, Luzerne County was served by five Senior Judges, who provided valuable support to the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas during 2008 and have been called on even more so during 2009 due to existing vacancies on the bench. Senior Judges supplement the eight full-time Judges and allow the Court to keep up with the ever expanding caseload of criminal and civil cases. In addition to the reimbursement for office space and staff, the salary of Senior Judges is paid directly by the state and is not a cost to Luzerne County taxpayers.

The Luzerne County Court will continue to seek any state reimbursements available in order to lessen the financial burden on Luzerne County taxpayers for the operation of the Court. This includes recent grant applications made to the AOPC for help in paying for costs related with the Supreme Court ordered review of Juvenile cases.

The Court en banc is continuing to work closely with the County Commissioners and their staff to monitor all financial activity to assure that the Court is staying within the approved 2009 County Budget. It is anticipated that the 2009 reimbursement will be even greater than 2008.

CIVIL COURT ASSIGNMENTS

Judge Burke requested that the Court Administrator to look into the possibility of enhanced programming of the recently adopted random civil assignment of cases software so that conflicts in the system would automatically prevent assignment of a judge where the conflict is previously determined. Judge Joseph J. Musto agreed to contact Acting Court Administrator Jack Mulroy and Management Information Analyst William Ostroskie, who jointly developed the program together with assistance from a consultant, to discuss this request.

LUZERNE COUNTY GOVERNMENT STUDY COMMISSION

President Judge Muroski indicated that he has been requested to swear in the newly elected 11-member Luzerne County Government Study Commission, which will take place in Courtroom 4 of the Luzerne County Court House on Thursday, June 4, 2009 at 3:00 o’clock p.m. The ceremony will be open to the public.