Pennsylvania § 6336 - Conduct of hearings.

§ 6336. Conduct of hearings.

(a) General rule.--Hearings under this chapter shall be conducted by the court without a jury, in an informal but orderly manner, and separate from other proceedings not included in section 6303 (relating to scope of chapter).

(b) Functions of district attorney.--The district attorney, upon request of the court, shall present the evidence in support of the petition and otherwise conduct the proceedings on behalf of the Commonwealth.

(c) Record.--If requested by the party or ordered by the court the proceedings shall be recorded by appropriate means. If not so recorded, full minutes of the proceedings shall be kept by the court.

(d) Proceeding in camera.--Except in hearings to declare a person in contempt of court and in hearings as specified in subsection (e), the general public shall be excluded from hearings under this chapter. Only the parties, their counsel, witnesses, the victim and counsel for the victim, other persons accompanying a party or a victim for his or her assistance, and any other person as the court finds have a proper interest in the proceeding or in the work of the court shall be admitted by the court. The court may temporarily exclude the child from the hearing except while allegations of his delinquency are being heard.

(e) Open proceedings.--The general public shall not be excluded from any hearings under this chapter:

(1) Pursuant to a petition alleging delinquency where the child was 14 years of age or older at the time of the alleged conduct and the alleged conduct would be considered a felony if committed by an adult.

(2) Pursuant to a petition alleging delinquency where the child was 12 years of age or older at the time of the alleged conduct and where the alleged conduct would have constituted one or more of the following offenses if committed by an adult:

(i) Murder.

(ii) Voluntary manslaughter.

(iii) Aggravated assault as defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 2702(a)(1) or (2) (relating to aggravated assault).

(iv) Arson as defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 3301(a)(1) (relating to arson and related offenses).

(v) Involuntary deviate sexual intercourse.

(vi) Kidnapping.

(vii) Rape.

(viii) Robbery as defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 3701(a)(1)(i), (ii) or (iii) (relating to robbery).

(ix) Robbery of motor vehicle.

(x) Attempt or conspiracy to commit any of the offenses in this paragraph.

Notwithstanding anything in this subsection, the proceedings shall be closed upon and to the extent of any agreement between the child and the attorney for the Commonwealth.

(f) Discretion of court.--The court at any disposition proceeding under subsection (e) shall have discretion to maintain the confidentiality of mental health, medical or juvenile institutional documents or juvenile probation reports.

(g) Summary offenses.--The provisions of subsection (d), insofar as subsection (d) relates to the exclusion of the general public from the proceedings, shall apply to proceedings involving a child charged with a summary offense when the proceedings are before a judge of the minor judiciary, the Philadelphia Municipal Court or a court of common pleas.

(h) Adjudication alternative.--The magisterial district judge may refer a child charged with a summary offense to an adjudication alternative program under section 1520 (relating to adjudication alternative program) and the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure.

(Dec. 11, 1986, P.L.1521, No.165, eff. 60 days; Apr. 6, 1995, 1st Sp.Sess., P.L.997, No.11, eff. 60 days; Oct. 25, 2012, P.L.1655, No.204, eff. 90 days; Sept. 27, 2014, P.L.2482, No.138, eff. 60 days)

2014 Amendment. Act 138 amended subsec. (g).

2012 Amendment. Act 204 added subsecs. (g) and (h).

Suspension by Court Rule. Subsection (c) was suspended by Pennsylvania Rule of Juvenile Court Procedure No. 800(3), amended December 30, 2005, insofar as it is inconsistent with Rule 127(A) relating to recording and transcribing juvenile court proceedings.

Subsection (c) was suspended by Pennsylvania Rule of Juvenile Court Procedure No. 1800(2), adopted August 21, 2006, insofar as it is inconsistent with Rules 1127(A) and 1242(B)(2) relating to recording and transcribing juvenile court proceedings and general conduct of shelter care hearing.

Subsection (b) was suspended by Pennsylvania Rule of Juvenile Court Procedure No. 800(12), amended July 18, 2012, insofar as it is inconsistent with Rules 242(B)(1)(b), 406(A)(2)(b) and 512(A), relating to detention hearing, adjudicatory hearing and dispositional hearing.

Cross References. Section 6336 is referred to in sections 6303, 6307, 6308 of this title.