Bill Text: PA HB1943 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Further providing for original jurisdiction and venue of courts of common pleas.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-10-31 - Referred to JUDICIARY [HB1943 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2011-HB1943-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 2665
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1943 Session of2011
INTRODUCED BY CUTLER AND MARSICO, OCTOBER 31, 2011
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, OCTOBER 31, 2011
AN ACT
Amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the
Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for
original jurisdiction and venue of courts of common pleas.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 931(a) and (c) of Title 42 of the
Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended and the section
is amended by adding a subsection to read:
§ 931. Original jurisdiction and venue.
(a) General rule.--Except as set forth in subsection (a.1)
or where exclusive original jurisdiction of an action or
proceeding is by statute or by general rule adopted pursuant to
section 503 (relating to reassignment of matters) vested in
another court of this Commonwealth, the courts of common pleas
shall have unlimited original jurisdiction of all actions and
proceedings, including all actions and proceedings heretofore
cognizable by law or usage in the courts of common pleas.
(a.1) Death or personal injury.--Notwithstanding any other
statute, a court of common pleas shall not have jurisdiction
over an action to recover damages for death or injury to a
person unless:
(1) a plaintiff is a resident of the judicial district
in which the court sits; or
(2) the cause of action arose in the judicial district
in which the court sits.
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(c) Venue and process.--Except as provided by [section
5101.1 (relating to venue in medical professional liability
actions) and] Subchapter B of Chapter 85 (relating to actions
against Commonwealth parties), the venue of a court of common
pleas concerning matters over which jurisdiction is conferred by
this section shall be as prescribed by general rule. The process
of the court shall extend beyond the territorial limits of the
judicial district to the extent prescribed by general rule.
Except as otherwise prescribed by general rule, in a proceeding
to enforce an order of a government agency the process of the
court shall extend throughout this Commonwealth.
Section 2. This act shall apply to actions initiated on or
after the effective date of this section.
Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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