Commonwealth, Aplt. v. Lear, J.

Summary

The Supreme Court held that pandemic‑related court closures are “other periods of delay” under Pennsylvania Rule of Criminal Procedure 600(C)(1) and therefore excludable without a Commonwealth due‑diligence inquiry, reversing the Superior Court’s remand for a hearing on diligence. The Court also clarified that the Harth judicial‑delay exception does not apply to such emergency delays.