Pennsylvania Code
Title 237 - JUVENILE RULES
Part I - RULES
Subpart A - DELINQUENCY MATTERS
Chapter 1 - GENERAL PROVISIONS
Part C - RECORDS
Part C(1) - ACCESS TO JUVENILE RECORDS
Rule 160 - Inspecting, Copying, and Disseminating the Official Court Record

Universal Citation: 237 PA Code ยง 160

Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 44, November 2, 2024

A. Inspecting. The official court record is only open to inspection by:

1) the judges, juvenile court hearing officers, juvenile probation officers, and staff of the court;

2) the attorney for the Commonwealth, the juvenile's attorney, and the juvenile, but the persons in this category shall not be permitted to see reports revealing the names of confidential sources of information, except at the discretion of the court;

3) a public or private agency or institution providing supervision or having custody of the juvenile under order of the court;

4) a court, its probation officers, other officials or professional staff, and the attorney for the defendant for use in preparing a pre-sentence report in a criminal case in which the defendant is convicted and the defendant previously was adjudicated delinquent;

5) a judge or issuing authority for use in determining bail, provided that such inspection is limited to orders of delinquency adjudications and dispositions, orders resulting from dispositional review hearings, and histories of bench warrants and escapes;

6) the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts;

7) the judges, juvenile probation officers, and staff of courts of other jurisdictions when necessary for the discharge of their official duties;

8) officials of the Department of Corrections, a state correctional institution or other penal institution to which an individual who was previously adjudicated delinquent in a proceeding under the Juvenile Act has been com-mitted, but the persons in this category shall not be permitted to see reports revealing the names of confidential sources of information contained in social reports, except at the discretion of the court;

9) a parole board, court, or county probation official in considering an individual who was previously adjudicated delinquent in a proceeding under the Juvenile Act, but the persons in this category shall not be permitted to see reports revealing the names of confidential sources of information contained in social reports, except at the discretion of the court;

10) the State Sexual Offenders Assessment Board for use in completing assessments; and

11) with leave of court, any other person, agency, or institution having a legitimate interest in the proceedings or in the work of the unified judicial system.

B. Copying. Any person, agency, or department permitted to inspect the record pursuant to paragraph (A) may copy or be provided with a copy of the record.

C. Disseminating. Unauthorized dissemination of any information contained in the official court record to a person, agency, or department not permitted to inspect or copy the record pursuant to this rule may result in a finding of contempt of court.

D. Public availability. Upon request, a public document shall be created by the clerk of courts if the case is designated eligible for public inspection pursuant to Rule 330 or 515.

1) For cases deemed eligible pursuant to Rule 330, the public document shall contain only the following information:
a) the juvenile's name;

b) the juvenile's age;

c) the juvenile's address; and

d) the offenses alleged in the juvenile's petition.

2) For cases deemed eligible pursuant to Rule 515, the public document shall contain only the following information:
a) the juvenile's name;

b) the juvenile's age;

c) the juvenile's address;

d) the offenses alleged in the juvenile's petition;

e) the adjudication on each allegation; and

f) the disposition of the case.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Pennsylvania may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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