Media Resources
Understanding Civil Cases in Pennsylvania’s Court of Common Pleas
Civil cases resolve disputes between or among people, organizations or the government, wherein the rights of each party are decided. Civil cases are different from criminal cases in a variety of ways – from the types of dispute, who files the dispute, types of resolution and the course or flow of the cases through Pennsylvania courts.
Pennsylvania’s Veterans Treatment Courts Make a Difference for Veterans
Pennsylvania’s veteran population ranks fourth in the U.S. with 814,000 veterans as of 2019. Since 2009, Pennsylvania’s Veterans Treatment Courts have been assisting veterans who are charged with crimes and are struggling with addiction, mental illness or other co-occurring disorders.
Pennsylvania Courts Look at Protection from Abuse Orders During Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Over 39,000 new protection from Abuse (PFA) orders were filed statewide in 2019. A PFA is a civil court order that protects victims of domestic violence, providing relief from abuse by an intimate partner, family or household member.
Drug Delivery Resulting in Death Charges in Pennsylvania
Drug delivery resulting in death (DDRD) charges statewide have increased by 356 percent between 2015 and 2019. In Pennsylvania, a DDRD charge is issued to a person who intentionally administers, dispenses, delivers, gives, prescribes, sells or distributes any controlled substance or counterfeit controlled substance, and another person dies as a result of using the substance.
How prevalent is animal abuse in Pennsylvania?
Over the past few years, 52 percent of animal abuse offenses filed in Pennsylvania were for neglect of an animal, with 41 percent of offenses filed for cruelty to an animal. The anti-cruelty law (Act 10) that strengthened the protection of animals, commonly known as Libre’s Law, went into effect in late August of 2017.
A Look at Pennsylvania’s Mental Health Courts
In recognition of May as Mental Health Awareness Month, the Pennsylvania courts today released an infographic highlighting data related to the state’s mental health courts. In 2018, 64 percent of all discharged participants graduated successfully from these treatment programs and among those graduates, there was a 181 percent increase in employment.
Distracted driving citations in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania distracted driving citations decreased by 10 percent statewide from 2018 to 2019. Distracted driving citations in Pennsylvania can be issued for 1) using headphones while driving, 2) using a handheld mobile phone while driving a commercial vehicle or 3) texting while driving. Texting includes sending, reading or writing a text-based message.
