WILKES-BARRE — An order from Luzerne County President Judge Michael T. Vough on Wednesday officially postponed two additional types of court proceedings, adding them to the list of postponements released Tuesday.
Vough’s Wednesday order postpones landlord/tenant proceedings and eviction proceedings until the expiration of the judicial emergency declared in the county, which is currently set to expire on April 14.
They join the following types of hearings which have all been postponed: civil arbitration hearings; summary appeal hearings; driver’s license appeal hearings; mortgage diversionary proceedings; tax appeal hearings; motor vehicle title proceedings; quiet title proceedings; Gagnon I hearings for nonincarcerated defendants; driving under influence call of list; adoption proceedings.
Currently, the court is only proceeding with hearings that the court has deemed to impact the “health, safety, security, welfare or incarceration of an individual.”
The following hearings meet that criteria and will continue: Protection from Abuse hearings; bail postings; preliminary arraignments; lift warrant hearings; civil injunction proceedings; mental health proceedings; guardianships; Gagnon I hearings for incarcerated defendants, which will be held through video conference; specialty court proceedings.
Jury trials remain suspended.
