The Supreme Court is responsible for the administration of Pennsylvania’s Unified Judicial System. It fulfills this obligation through oversight of the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts (AOPC), and development and enforcement of court policies, rules and procedures.
AOPC’s responsibilities include:
- reviewing practices, procedures and efficiency at all levels of the court system and in all related offices
- developing recommendations to the Supreme Court regarding improvement of the system and related offices
- representing the Judicial System before legislative bodies
- examining administrative and business methods used by offices in or related to the court system
- collecting statistical data
- examining the state of the dockets and making recommendations for expediting litigation
- managing fiscal affairs, including budget preparation, disbursements approval, and goods and services procurement
- conducting education programs for system personnel.
To manage more efficiently its administrative duties, the Supreme Court has established approximately 15 Boards and Committees. Lawyers and laypeople from across the Commonwealth may apply to serve on these Committees. Committees study and prepare recommendations on policies and rules to the Court, often seeking public comment on proposals before making final recommendations. For information about the Committees and how to apply to serve on them, visit the Supreme Court Committees website.
The 2008 Report on the State of the Commonwealth's Courts, is available here.
