Pennsylvania § 1143 - Jurisdiction and venue.

§ 1143. Jurisdiction and venue.

(a) General rule.--Except as otherwise prescribed by any general rule adopted pursuant to section 503 (relating to reassignment of matters) the Pittsburgh Magistrates Court shall have jurisdiction of all of the following matters:

(1) Criminal complaints accusing any person of the commission of any felony or misdemeanor, where such felony or misdemeanor has been committed within the corporate limits of the City of Pittsburgh, and to issue warrants for the arrest of such person so accused, administer oaths and hold preliminary hearings in all such cases, and commit to jail, or bind over for trial or discharge such accused person, as the evidence produced at such hearing may warrant. The court shall have power to admit to bail as prescribed by general rules.

(2) Arrests upon view, or upon complaint made and warrant issued, by the police of the City of Pittsburgh, of persons who may be found engaged in or be charged with drunkenness, disorderly conduct, selling liquor contrary to law, maintaining a disorderly house or bawdy house, lewd, indecent or lascivious behavior on the streets or elsewhere, gambling, creating riots or disturbances, vagrants, beggars, prostitutes, disturbers of the public peace, known or reputed pickpockets, burglars, thieves, watch stuffers, cheating, swindling, persons who abuse their families, and suspicious persons who can give no reasonable account of themselves, or violating any of the laws or ordinances of such city.

(3) Civil claims for the recovery of fines and penalties imposed by any ordinance of the City of Pittsburgh, or by any ordinance or regulation relating to housing and health administered and enforced by a county health department where a violation takes place in such city, and cases of summary conviction arising under the laws and ordinances of or applicable to such city and under the laws, ordinances, rules and regulations relating to housing and health administered and enforced by a county department of health where a violation takes place in such city, with full power to hear the said cases, administer oaths or affirmations therein, decide the same, enforce the penalty, collect the fine or commit to prison as the case may be according to the provisions of the law and ordinances applicable thereto.

(4) Matters within the jurisdiction of the court when sitting as the Traffic Court of Pittsburgh.

(b) Venue and process.--The venue of the Pittsburgh Magistrates Court concerning matters over which jurisdiction is conferred by subsection (a) shall be as prescribed by general rule. The process of the court shall extend beyond the territorial limits of the City of Pittsburgh to the extent prescribed by general rule.