Court Opinions

State Laws

US Code

US Constitution

Direct appeals from courts of common pleas - 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 722

Legal Research Home > Pennsylvania Statutes

     § 722.  Direct appeals from courts of common pleas.
        The Supreme Court shall have exclusive jurisdiction of
     appeals from final orders of the courts of common pleas in the
     following classes of cases:
            (1)  Matters prescribed by general rule.
            (2)  The right to public office.
            (3)  Matters where the qualifications, tenure or right to
        serve, or the manner of service, of any member of the
        judiciary is drawn in question.
            (4)  Automatic review of sentences as provided by 42
        Pa.C.S. §§ 9546(d) (relating to relief and order) and 9711(h)
        (relating to review of death sentence).
            (5)  Supersession of a district attorney by an Attorney
        General or by a court or where the matter relates to the
        convening, supervision, administration, operation or
        discharge of an investigating grand jury or otherwise
        directly affects such a grand jury or any investigation
        conducted by it.
            (6)  Matters where the right or power of the Commonwealth
        or any political subdivision to create or issue indebtedness
        is drawn in direct question.
            (7)  Matters where the court of common pleas has held
        invalid as repugnant to the Constitution, treaties or laws of
        the United States, or to the Constitution of this
        Commonwealth, any treaty or law of the United States or any
        provision of the Constitution of, or of any statute of, this
        Commonwealth, or any provision of any home rule charter.
            (8)  Matters where the right to practice law is drawn in
        direct question.
     (Apr. 28, 1978, P.L.202, No.53, eff. 60 days; Sept. 23, 1980,
     P.L.686, No.137, eff. 60 days; Oct. 5, 1980, P.L.693, No.142,
     eff. 60 days; Apr. 13, 1988, P.L.336, No.47, eff. imd.)

        1988 Amendment.  Act 47 amended par. (4). Section 6 of Act 47
     provided that par. (4) shall apply to all actions for collateral
     relief, whether statutory or common law, instituted on or after
     the effective date of Act 47, irrespective of the date of
     conviction or sentence.
        1980 Amendment.  Act 142 amended par. (5).
        Cross References.  Section 722 is referred to in section 762
     of this title.

Last modified: November 27, 2007