MBA / FEATURE
Hon. R. Stephen Barrett Appointed to the Juvenile Court Procedural Rules Committee By Richard E. Cohen, Esq.
B
y Order of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court dated January 28, 2014, The Honorable R. Stephen Barrett was appointed as a voting member of the Juvenile Court Procedural Rules Committee for a term of three years. The purpose of the Juvenile Court Procedural Rules Committee is to recommend to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court the promulgation and/ or amendment of Juvenile Court Rules, which Rules were originally adopted in 2005 and 2006. The Juvenile Court Procedural Rules Committee (JCPRC) is comprised of Common Pleas Court Judges, Court Administration personnel, child
advocates, public defenders, and lawyers representing parents in dependency proceedings, although not all of these participants are voting members. The JCPRC meets four times a year, with each meeting lasting a couple of consecutive days. Proudly, Judge Barrett is the first Montgomery County Common Pleas Court Judge to be appointed by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to serve on the JCPRC. This appointment acknowledges, by members of various Juvenile Courts in Pennsylvania, Judge Barrett’s reputation as being a fair and sound Juvenile Court jurist who emphasizes application of the
SIDEBAR
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Juvenile Court Rules. Prior to the commencement of Judge Barrett’s recent term in the Montgomery County Juvenile Court, he obtained a copy of the Juvenile Court Rules, read them, learned them, and insisted upon their adherence to the cases before him. His interest in the Juvenile Court Rules will now be furthered with his appointment to the JCPRC. Judge Barrett welcomes, by in-person meeting or otherwise, any and all local Juvenile Court practitioners to submit to him questions regarding existing Juvenile Court Rules or suggestions for the passage of new Rules and/or amendments to the existing Rules.