reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
42 PA Cons Stat § 5977 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 42 - JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE|Chapter 59 - Depositions and Witnesses|Section 5977 - Prisoner from another state summoned to testify in this Commonwealth

§ 5977. Prisoner from another state summoned to testify in this Commonwealth. If a person confined in a penal institution in any other state may be a material witness in a criminal action pending in a court of record or in a grand jury investigation in this Commonwealth, a judge of the court may certify:  (1) that there is a criminal proceeding or investigation by a grand jury or a criminal action pending in the court;  (2) that a person who is confined in a penal institution in the other state may be a material witness in the proceeding, investigation or action; and  (3) that the presence of the person will be required during a specified time. The certificate shall be presented to a judge of a court of record in the other state having jurisdiction over the prisoner confined and a notice shall be given to the Attorney General of the state in which the prisoner is confined.    Transfer of Functions. The powers and duties of the Attorney General and/or the Department of Justice contained in section 5977 were transferred to the Office of General Counsel by section 502 of the act of October 15, 1980, P.L.950, No.164, known as the Commonwealth Attorneys Act, effective January 20, 1981.
42 PA Cons Stat § 5978 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 42 - JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE|Chapter 59 - Depositions and Witnesses|Section 5978 - Compliance

§ 5978. Compliance. The court in this Commonwealth may enter an order directing compliance with the terms and conditions prescribed by the judge of the state in which the witness is confined.
42 PA Cons Stat § 5979 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 42 - JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE|Chapter 59 - Depositions and Witnesses|Section 5979 - Exemption from arrest and service of process

§ 5979. Exemption from arrest and service of process. If a witness from another state comes into or passes through this Commonwealth under an order directing him to attend and testify in this or another state, he shall not, while in this Commonwealth pursuant to the order, be subject to arrest or the service of process, civil or criminal, because of any act committed prior to his arrival in this Commonwealth under the order.
42 PA Cons Stat § 5981 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 42 - JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE|Chapter 59 - Depositions and Witnesses|Section 5981 - Declaration of policy

§ 5981. Declaration of policy. In order to promote the best interests of the residents of this Commonwealth who are under 18 years of age, especially those who are material witnesses to or victims of crimes, the General Assembly declares its intent, in this subchapter, to provide, where necessity is shown, procedures which will protect them during their involvement with the criminal justice system. The General Assembly urges the news media to use significant restraint and caution in revealing the identity or address of children who are victims of or witnesses to crimes or other information that would reveal the name or address of the child victim or witness.  (Dec. 18, 1996, P.L.1077, No.161, eff. 60 days; Oct. 17, 2002, P.L.880, No.127, eff. 60 days; July 15, 2004, P.L.736, No.87, eff. imd.; Dec. 18, 2013, P.L.1181, No.109, eff. 60 days)
42 PA Cons Stat § 5982 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 42 - JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE|Chapter 59 - Depositions and Witnesses|Section 5982 - Definitions

§ 5982. Definitions. The following words and phrases when used in this subchapter shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:  "Child" or "children." An individual or individuals under 18 years of age.  "Contemporaneous alternative method." Any method of capturing the visual images, oral communications and other information presented during a prosecution or adjudication involving a child victim or a child material witness and transmitting and receiving such images, communications and other information at or about the time of their creation, including, but not limited to, closed-circuit television, streaming image sent via the Internet or an intranet and any other devices or systems used to accomplish such ends.  "Minor." An individual who, at the time of the commission of the offense involving sexual or physical abuse, is under 18 years of age.  "Qualified shorthand reporter." An individual engaged in the active practice of general shorthand reporting who is skilled in the art of verbatim reporting by the use of a written shorthand system, whether manual or machine; or any individual who is an official court or legislative reporter; or any individual who is the holder of a certified shorthand reporter certificate mandated by State or Federal law.  (Dec. 18, 1996, P.L.1077, No.161, eff. 60 days; July 15, 2004, P.L.736, No.87, eff. imd.; Dec. 18, 2013, P.L.1181, No.109, eff. 60 days; Feb. 5, 2020, P.L.1, No.1, eff. 60 days)
42 PA Cons Stat § 5983 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 42 - JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE|Chapter 59 - Depositions and Witnesses|Section 5983 - Rights and services

 § 5983. Rights and services. (a) Designation of persons to act on behalf of children.--Courts of common pleas may designate one or more persons as a child advocate to provide the following services on behalf of children who are involved in criminal proceedings as victims or material witnesses:  (1) To explain, in language understood by the child, all legal proceedings in which the child will be involved.  (2) As a friend of the court, to advise the judge, whenever appropriate, of the child's ability to understand and cooperate with any court proceedings.  (3) To assist or secure assistance for the child and the child's family in coping with the emotional impact of the crime and subsequent criminal proceedings in which the child is involved.  (b) Qualifications.--Persons designated under subsection (a) may be attorneys at law or other persons who, by virtue of service as rape crisis or domestic violence counselors or by virtue of membership in a community service organization or of other experience acceptable to the court, possess education, experience or training in child or sexual abuse and a basic understanding of the criminal justice system.    Cross References. Section 5983 is referred to in sections 5984.1, 5985 of this title.
42 PA Cons Stat § 5985 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 42 - JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE|Chapter 59 - Depositions and Witnesses|Section 5985 - Testimony by contemporaneous alternative method

 § 5985. Testimony by contemporaneous alternative method. (a) Contemporaneous alternative method.--Subject to subsection (a.1), in any prosecution or adjudication involving a child victim or a child material witness, the court may order that the testimony of the child victim or child material witness be taken under oath or affirmation in a room other than the courtroom and transmitted by a contemporaneous alternative method. Only the attorneys for the defendant and for the Commonwealth, the court reporter, the judge, persons necessary to operate the equipment and any person whose presence would contribute to the welfare and well-being of the child victim or child material witness, including persons designated under section 5983 (relating to rights and services), may be present in the room with the child during his testimony. The court shall permit the defendant to observe and hear the testimony of the child victim or child material witness but shall ensure that the child cannot hear or see the defendant. The court shall make certain that the defendant and defense counsel have adequate opportunity to communicate for the purposes of providing an effective defense. Examination and cross-examination of the child victim or child material witness shall proceed in the same manner as normally permitted.  (a.1) Determination.--Before the court orders the child victim or the child material witness to testify by a contemporaneous alternative method, the court must determine, based on evidence presented to it, that testifying either in an open forum in the presence and full view of the finder of fact or in the defendant's presence will result in the child victim or child material witness suffering serious emotional distress that would substantially impair the child victim's or child material witness's ability to reasonably communicate. In making this determination, the court may do all of the following:  (1) Observe and question the child victim or child material witness, either inside or outside the courtroom.  (2) Hear testimony of a parent or custodian or any other person, such as a person who has dealt with the child victim or child material witness in a medical or therapeutic setting.  (a.2) Counsel and confrontation.-- (1) If the court observes or questions the child victim or child material witness under subsection (a.1)(1), the attorney for the defendant and the attorney for the Commonwealth have the right to be present, but the court shall not permit the defendant to be present.  (2) If the court hears testimony under subsection (a.1)(2), the defendant, the attorney for the defendant and the attorney for the Commonwealth have the right to be present.  (b) Effect of order.--(Deleted by amendment).   (Dec. 18, 1996, P.L.1077, No.161, eff. 60 days; July 15, 2004, P.L.736, No.87, eff. imd.)
42 PA Cons Stat § 5986 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 42 - JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE|Chapter 59 - Depositions and Witnesses|Section 5986 - Hearsay

 § 5986. Hearsay. (a) General rule.--A statement made by a child describing acts and attempted acts of indecent contact, sexual intercourse or deviate sexual intercourse performed with or on the child by another, not otherwise admissible by statute or court ruling, is admissible in evidence in a dependency proceeding initiated under Chapter 63 (relating to juvenile matters), involving that child or other members of that child's family, if:  (1) the court finds, in an in camera hearing, that the evidence is relevant and that the time, content and circumstances of the statement provide sufficient indicia of reliability; and  (2) the child either: (i) testifies at the proceeding; or (ii) is found by the court to be unavailable as a witness. (b) Emotional distress.--In order to make a finding under subsection (a)(2)(ii) that the child is unavailable as a witness, the court must determine, based on evidence presented to it, that testimony by the child as a witness will result in the child suffering serious emotional distress that would substantially impair the child's ability to reasonably communicate. In making this determination, the court may do all of the following:  (1) Observe and question the child, either inside or outside the courtroom. (2) Hear testimony of a parent or custodian or any other person, such as a person who has dealt with the child in a medical or therapeutic setting.  (c) Counsel and confrontation.--If the court hears testimony in connection with making a finding under subsection (a)(2)(ii), all of the following apply:  (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the defendant, the attorney for the defendant and the attorney for the Commonwealth have the right to be present.  (2) If the court observes or questions the child, the court shall not permit the defendant to be present.   (Dec. 18, 1996, P.L.1077, No.161, eff. 60 days; July 15, 2004, P.L.736, No.87, eff. imd.)
42 PA Cons Stat § 5987 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 42 - JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE|Chapter 59 - Depositions and Witnesses|Section 5987 - Use of dolls

§ 5987. Use of dolls. In any criminal proceeding charging physical abuse, indecent contact or any of the offenses enumerated in 18 Pa.C.S. Ch. 31 (relating to sexual offenses), the court shall permit the use of anatomically correct dolls or mannequins to assist a child in testifying on direct examination and cross-examination.   (Dec. 18, 1996, P.L.1077, No.161, eff. 60 days; July 15, 2004, P.L.736, No.87, eff. imd.)
42 PA Cons Stat § 5988 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 42 - JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE|Chapter 59 - Depositions and Witnesses|Section 5988 - Victims of sexual or physical abuse

§ 5988. Victims of sexual or physical abuse. (a) Release of name prohibited.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, in a prosecution involving a minor victim of sexual or physical abuse, the name of the minor victim shall not be disclosed by officers or employees of the court to the public, and any records revealing the name of the minor victim shall not be open to public inspection.  (a.1) Application of section.--The provisions of this section shall apply to a prosecution involving a minor victim regardless of the date of the commencement of the prosecution.  (a.2) Waiver.--A minor victim who is 18 years of age or older at the time of the commencement of the prosecution may waive the provisions of this section and allow the court to release the name of the minor victim. The court shall develop procedures to implement the provisions of this subsection.  (b) Penalty.--Any person who violates this section commits a misdemeanor of the third degree.  (July 15, 2004, P.L.736, No.87, eff. imd.; Dec. 18, 2013, P.L.1181, No.109, eff. 60 days)
42 PA Cons Stat § 5991 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 42 - JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE|Chapter 59 - Depositions and Witnesses|Section 5991 - Declaration of policy

§ 5991. Declaration of policy. In order to promote the best interests of residents of this Commonwealth with intellectual disabilities or autism who are material witnesses or victims of crime, the General Assembly declares its intent, in this subchapter, to provide, where necessity is shown, procedures that will protect material witnesses or victims of crime with intellectual disabilities or autism during their involvement with the criminal justice system.
42 PA Cons Stat § 5992 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 42 - JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE|Chapter 59 - Depositions and Witnesses|Section 5992 - Definitions

§ 5992. Definitions. The following words and phrases when used in this subchapter shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:  "Autism spectrum disorder." Any of the pervasive developmental disorders defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), including autistic disorder, Asperger's disorder and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified.  "Individual with an intellectual disability or autism." As follows:  (1) Regardless of the age of the individual, an individual with significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning that is accompanied by significant limitations in adaptive functioning in at least two of the following skill areas:  (i) Communication. (ii) Self-care. (iii) Home living. (iv) Social and interpersonal. (v) Use of community resources. (vi) Self-direction. (vii) Functional academic. (viii) Work. (ix) Health and safety. (2) The term also includes an individual, regardless of age, who has an autism spectrum disorder.  (Sept. 30, 2021, P.L.400, No.71, eff. 60 days)   2021 Amendment. Act 71 amended the def. of "autism spectrum disorder."  Cross References. Section 5992 is referred to in section 2505 of Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses).
42 PA Cons Stat § 6101 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 42 - JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE|Chapter 61 - Rules of Evidence|Section 6101 - Scope of subchapter

§ 6101. Scope of subchapter. Except as otherwise provided by statute or regulation promulgated pursuant thereto by a government agency, the provisions of this subchapter shall apply to matters heard by judicial tribunals and to all matters heard by government agencies of this Commonwealth.
42 PA Cons Stat § 6102 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 42 - JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE|Chapter 61 - Rules of Evidence|Section 6102 - Judicial notice of official seals

§ 6102. Judicial notice of official seals. The seal of every court, magisterial district judge and other government unit, adopted pursuant to law, shall be judicially noticed.  (Nov. 30, 2004, P.L.1618, No.207, eff. 60 days)   2004 Amendment. See section 29 of Act 207 in the appendix to this title for special provisions relating to construction of law.
42 PA Cons Stat § 6103 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 42 - JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE|Chapter 61 - Rules of Evidence|Section 6103 - Proof of official records

 § 6103. Proof of official records. (a) General rule.--An official record kept within this Commonwealth by any court, magisterial district judge or other government unit, or an entry therein, when admissible for any purpose, may be evidenced by an official publication thereof or by a copy attested by the officer having the legal custody of the record, or by that officer's deputy, and accompanied by a certificate that the officer has the custody. The certificate may be made by any public officer having a seal of office and having official duties with respect to the government unit in which the record is kept, authenticated by the seal of that office, or if there is no such officer, by:  (1) The Department of State, in the case of any Commonwealth agency. (2) The clerk of the court of common pleas of the judicial district embracing any county in which the government unit has jurisdiction, in the case of any government unit other than a Commonwealth agency.  (b) Lack of record.--A written statement that after an examination of the records of the government unit no record or entry of a specified tenor is found to exist in the records designated by the statement, authenticated as provided in subsection (a), is admissible as evidence that the records contain no such records or entry.  (Nov. 30, 2004, P.L.1618, No.207, eff. 60 days)   2004 Amendment. Act 207 amended subsec. (a). See section 29 of Act 207 in the appendix to this title for special provisions relating to construction of law.  Cross References. Section 6103 is referred to in section 6104 of this title; sections 1378, 1380, 1516, 1550, 3753 of Title 75 (Vehicles).
42 PA Cons Stat § 6104 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 42 - JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE|Chapter 61 - Rules of Evidence|Section 6104 - Effect of official records generally

 § 6104. Effect of official records generally. (a) General rule.--A copy of a record of governmental action or inaction authenticated as provided in section 6103 (relating to proof of official records) shall be admissible as evidence that the governmental action or inaction disclosed therein was in fact taken or omitted.  (b) Existence of facts.--A copy of a record authenticated as provided in section 6103 disclosing the existence or nonexistence of facts which have been recorded pursuant to an official duty or would have been so recorded had the facts existed shall be admissible as evidence of the existence or nonexistence of such facts, unless the sources of information or other circumstances indicate lack of trustworthiness.
42 PA Cons Stat § 6105 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 42 - JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE|Chapter 61 - Rules of Evidence|Section 6105 - Acts of notaries public

 § 6105. Acts of notaries public. (a) General rule.--The official acts, protests and attestations of all notaries public, certified under their respective hands and seals of office, including the dishonor of all bills and promissory notes, and of notice to the drawers, acceptors or endorsers thereof, may be received and read in evidence, as proof of the facts therein stated. Any litigant may be permitted to contradict by other evidence any such certificate.  (b) Foreign notaries.--The official acts and exemplifications of foreign notaries in accordance with the laws of their respective countries shall be prima facie evidence of the matters therein set forth, if they are authenticated as provided in section 5328 (relating to proof of official records). Any litigant may be permitted to contradict by other evidence any such acts, exemplifications or certificates.
42 PA Cons Stat § 6106 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 42 - JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE|Chapter 61 - Rules of Evidence|Section 6106 - Certified exemplifications of records

§ 6106. Certified exemplifications of records. Whenever provision is made by law for recording or filing in a public office any document, the record thereof made, and exemplifications of the document lawfully certified, shall be legal evidence in all matters in which the document would be competent evidence.   (Apr. 28, 1978, P.L.202, No.53, eff. 60 days; Dec. 20, 1982, P.L.1409, No.326, eff. 60 days)    Cross References. Section 6106 is referred to in section 2504 of this title.
42 PA Cons Stat § 6107 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 42 - JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE|Chapter 61 - Rules of Evidence|Section 6107 - Judicial notice of certain local government ordinances

 § 6107. Judicial notice of certain local government ordinances. (a) General rule.--The ordinances of municipal corporations of this Commonwealth shall be judicially noticed.  (b) Manner of proving ordinances.--The tribunal may inform itself of such ordinances in such manner as it may deem proper and the tribunal may call upon counsel to aid it in obtaining such information.  (c) Construction of ordinances.--The construction of such ordinances shall be made by the court and not by the jury and shall be reviewable.
42 PA Cons Stat § 6108 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 42 - JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE|Chapter 61 - Rules of Evidence|Section 6108 - Business records

 § 6108. Business records. (a) Short title of section.--This section shall be known and may be cited as the "Uniform Business Records as Evidence Act."  (b) General rule.--A record of an act, condition or event shall, insofar as relevant, be competent evidence if the custodian or other qualified witness testifies to its identity and the mode of its preparation, and if it was made in the regular course of business at or near the time of the act, condition or event, and if, in the opinion of the tribunal, the sources of information, method and time of preparation were such as to justify its admission.  (c) Definition.--As used in this section "business" includes every kind of business, profession, occupation, calling, or operation of institutions whether carried on for profit or not.