PA Courts

We're proud to provide coverage of all three state appellate courts. In September of 2011, we televised the PA Supreme Court's session for the first time. We also televise en banc sessions from the Superior and Commonwealth Courts.

Recent Court Events:

Nov. 26 at 12 PM: PA Supreme Court Session from Nov. 20 - Recorded 11-20-19 in Harrisburg. Issues include: double jeopardy and retrial due to prosecutor misconduct; revocation of street time for parole violations; sexually violent child involuntary outpatient treatment; sexually violent predator lifetime registration; sexual offender registration retroactivity; independent contractor unemployment compensation tax payments and attorney discipline for issuing a grand jury subpoena to a lawyer without judicial […]

Nov. 26 at 9 AM: PA Supreme Court Session from Nov. 19 - Recorded 11-19-19 in Harrisburg. Issues include: police social media monitoring records disclosure; workers' compensation disability status; DUI probation revocation for new drunk driving offense; self incrimination of juvenile sentenced as adult involving not admitting to guilt; workplace discrimination filing procedure; admissibility of out-of-state police recording of murder suspect. Watch on PCN on Nov. 26 at […]

Nov. 21, at 9 PM: PA Commonwealth Court Session from Nov. 13 - Recorded 11-13-19 in Philadelphia. Issues include: workers' compensation contingency fee agreements; whether a land sale can take place before road and stormwater system installations are completed in a subdivision; and whether a property owner can rebuild a home that burned down when the property is under a conservation easement? Watch on PCN on Nov. 21 […]

Nov. 7. at 8 PM : PA Superior Court Session from Oct. 31, 2019 - Recorded 10-31-19 in Philadelphia. Issues include: fire engine siren excessive sound exposure; post-conviction relief jurisdiction and whether the newly-discovered facts exception should apply; leased communications facility tenant access; sex offender registration retroactivity; and out-of-state sex offender registration.

PCN Celebrates 20 Years of Appellate Court Coverage

By: Todd Abele, Producer at PCN

Pennsylvania Cable Network (PCN) is celebrating its 40^th Anniversary of providing public affairs coverage of state government in 2019, but it’s also PCN’s 20^th year of providing complete and unedited coverage of Pennsylvania’s appellate courts.

On April 30, 1999, PCN aired its first session of appellate court coverage – en banc arguments before the Pennsylvania Superior Court, an intermediate appeals court. During that first session, President Judge Stephen J. McEwen presided. Superior Court sits en banc several times a year.

When larger issues of state law are in question, interested parties can file an appeal to one of three state appellate courts, which are comprised of a panel of judges, typically seven or nine, that sit on the bench (en banc) as a group to decide a specific question of law posed by a case.

Five and a half years later, in November, 2004, Commonwealth Court welcomed PCN’s cameras into its en banc sessions. In addition to hearing appeals, Commonwealth Court is also an original jurisdiction court that can hear disputes involving state agencies and election-related matters. Commonwealth Court typically conducts en banc arguments nine times a year in Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and Philadelphia.

Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court allowed PCN to televise its sessions starting on September 13, 2011.  This first session was recorded at the Old Supreme Court Chamber adjacent to Independence Hall in Philadelphia. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court primarily hears appeals from Pennsylvania’s two intermediate appeals courts, and also reviews all death sentences imposed in Pennsylvania. The court sits en banc at least 12 times a year, sometimes more, in Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and Philadelphia. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court first held session in 1684, making it the first established Supreme Court in the nation.

PCN’s coverage shows viewers how the court systems work firsthand, allows them to learn about complex constitutional matters, and increases transparency and understanding of the appellate court process.

Check PCN’s Appellate Court Schedule for air times in the days and weeks after oral arguments take place, and watch Pennsylvania Courts coverage at 10 p.m. on Sunday nights when recently argued en banc sessions are re-aired.

Appeals court decisions are typically handed down three to nine months after they are argued.