Agreement on detainers. The Agreement on Detainers is hereby enacted into law and entered into by this Commonwealth
Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes
Section: 9101
Jurisdiction: PA
Bluebook Citation: 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 9101
CHAPTER 91 DETAINERS AND EXTRADITION Subchapter A. Agreement on Detainers B. Extradition of Persons Charged with Crime C. Inter-County Detention D. Exchange of Offenders Under Treaty Enactment. Chapter 91 was added July 9, 1976, P.L.586, No.142, effective 60 days from the date
of final enactment of the act of April 28, 1978, P.L.202, No.53. Cross References. Chapter 91 is referred to in section 6113 of Title 53 (Municipalities Generally). SUBCHAPTER A AGREEMENT ON DETAINERS Sec. 9101. Agreement on detainers. 9102. Appropriate court. 9103. Enforcement and cooperation. 9104. Second and subsequent offenses. 9105. Escape. 9106. Duty of warden or other official. 9107. Administrator and information agent. 9108. Transmission of subchapter. § 9101. Agreement on detainers. The Agreement on Detainers is hereby enacted into law and entered into by this Commonwealth
with all other jurisdictions legally joining therein in the form substantially as
follows: Agreement on Detainers The contracting states solemnly agree that: Article I The party states find that charges outstanding against a prisoner, detainers based
on untried indictments, informations or complaints, and difficulties in securing speedy
trial of persons already incarcerated in other jurisdictions, produce uncertainties
which obstruct programs of prisoner treatment and rehabilitation. Accordingly, it
is the policy of the party states and the purpose of this agreement to encourage the
expeditious and orderly disposition of such charges and determination of the proper
status of any and all detainers based on untried indictments, informations or complaints.
The party states also find that proceedings with reference to such charges and detainers,
when emanating from another jurisdiction, cannot properly be had in the absence of
cooperative procedure. It is the further purpose of this agreement to provide such
cooperative procedures. Article II As used in this agreement: (a) "State" shall mean a state of the United States; the United States of America; a territory
or possession of the United States; the District of Columbia; the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico. (b) "Sending state" shall mean a state in which a prisoner is incarcerated at the time
that he initiates a request for final disposition pursuant to Article III hereof or
at the time that a request for custody or availability is initiated pursuant to Article
IV hereof. (c) "Receiving state" shall mean the state in which trial is to be had on an indictment,
information or complaint pursuant to Article III or Article IV hereof. Article III (a) Whenever a person has entered upon a term of imprisonment in a penal or correctional
institution of a party state, and whenever during the continuance of the term of imprisonment
there is pending in any other party state any untried indictment, information or complaint
on the basis of which a detainer has been lodged against the prisoner, he shall be
brought to trial within 180 days after he shall have caused to be delivered to the
prosecuting officer and the appropriate court of the prosecuting officer's jurisdiction
written notice of the place of his imprisonment and his request for a final disposition
to be made of the indictment, information or complaint: Provided, That for good cause
shown in open court, the prisoner or his counsel being present, the court having jurisdiction
of the matter may grant any necessary or reasonable continuance. The request of the
prisoner shall be accompanied by a certificate of the appropriate official having
custody of the prisoner, stating the term of commitment under which the prisoner is
being held, the time already served, the time remaining to be served on the sentence,
the amount of good time earned, the time of parole eligibility of the prisoner, and
any decisions of the state parole agency relating to the prisoner. (b) The written notice and request for final disposition referred to in paragraph (a)
hereof shall be given or sent by the prisoner to the warden, commissioner of corrections
or other official having custody of him, who shall promptly forward it together with
the certificate to the appropriate prosecuting official and court by registered or
certified mail, return receipt requested. (c) The warden, commissioner of corrections or other official having custody of the prisoner
shall promptly inform him of the source and contents of any detainer lodged against
him and shall also inform him of his right to make a request for final disposition
of the indictment, information or complaint on which the detainer is based. (d) Any request for final disposition made by a prisoner pursuant to paragraph (a) hereof
shall operate as a request for final disposition of all untried indictments, informations
or complaints on the basis of which detainers have been lodged against the prisoner
from the state to whose prosecuting official the request for final disposition is
specifically directed. The warden, commissioner of corrections or other official having
custody of the prisoner shall forthwith notify all appropriate prosecuting officers
and courts in the several jurisdictions within the state to which the prisoner's request
for final disposition is being sent of the proceeding being initiated by the prisoner.
Any notification sent pursuant to this paragraph shall be accompanied by copies of
the prisoner's written notice, request, and the certificate. If trial is not had on
any indictment, information or complaint contemplated hereby prior to the return of
the prisoner to the original place of imprisonment, such indictment, information or
complaint shall not be of any further force or effect, and the court shall enter an
order dismissing the same with prejudice. (e) Any request for final disposition made by a prisoner pursuant to paragraph (a) hereof
shall also be deemed to be a waiver of extradition with respect to any charge or proceeding
contemplated thereby or included therein by reason of paragraph (d) hereof, and a
waiver of extradition to the receiving state to serve any sentence there imposed upon
him, after completion of his term of imprisonment in the sending state. The request
for final disposition shall also constitute a consent by the prisoner to the production
of his body in any court where his presence may be required in order to effectuate
the purpose of this agreement and a further consent voluntarily to be returned to
the original place of imprisonment in accordance with the provisions of this agreement.
Nothing in this paragraph shall prevent the imposition of a concurrent sentence if
otherwise permitted by law. (f) Escape from custody by the prisoner subsequent to his execution of the request for
final disposition referred to in paragraph (a) hereof shall void the request. Article IV (a) The appropriate officer of the jurisdiction in which an untried indictment, information
or complaint is pending shall be entitled to have a prisoner against whom he has lodged
a detainer and who is serving a term of imprisonment in any party state made available
in accordance with Article V(a) hereof upon presentation of a written request for
temporary custody or availability to the appropriate authorities of the state in which
the prisoner is incarcerated: Provided, That the court having jurisdiction of such
indictment, information or complaint shall have duly approved, recorded and transmitted
the request: And provided further, That there shall be a period of 30 days after receipt
by the appropriate authorities before the request be honored, within which period
the Governor of the sending state may disapprove the request for temporary custody
or availability, either upon his own motion or upon motion of the prisoner. (b) Upon receipt of the officer's written request as provided in paragraph (a) hereof,
the appropriate authorities having the prisoner in custody shall furnish the officer
with a certificate stating the term of commitment under which the prisoner is being
held, the time already served, the time remaining to be served on the sentence, the
amount of good time earned, the time of parole eligibility of the prisoner, and any
decisions of the State parole agency relating to the prisoner. Said authorities simultaneously
shall furnish all other officers and appropriate courts in the receiving state who
have lodged detainers against the prisoner with similar certificates and with notices
informing them of the request for custody or availability and of the reasons therefor. (c) In respect of any proceeding made possible by this article, trial shall be commenced
within 120 days of the arrival of the prisoner in the receiving state, but for good
cause shown in open court, the prisoner or his counsel being present, the court having
jurisdiction of the matter may grant any necessary or reasonable continuance. (d) Nothing contained in this article shall be construed to deprive any prisoner of any
right which he may have to contest the legality of his delivery as provided in paragraph
(a) hereof, but such delivery may not be opposed or denied on the ground that the
executive authority of the sending state has not affirmatively consented to or ordered
such delivery. (e) If trial is not had on any indictment, information or complaint contemplated hereby
prior to the prisoner's being returned to the original place of imprisonment pursuant
to Article V(e) hereof, such indictment, information or complaint shall not be of
any further force or effect, and the court shall enter an order dismissing the same
with prejudice. Article V (a) In response to a request made under Article III or Article IV hereof, the appropriate
authority in a sending state shall offer to deliver temporary custody of such prisoner
to the appropriate authority in the state where such indictment, information or complaint
is pending against such person in order that speedy and efficient prosecution may
be had. If the request for final disposition is made by the prisoner, the offer of
temporary custody shall accompany the written notice provided for in Article III of
this agreement. In the case of a Federal prisoner, the appropriate authority in the
receiving state shall be entitled to temporary custody as provided by this agreement
or to the prisoner's presence in Federal custody at the place for trial, whichever
custodial arrangement may be approved by the custodian. (b) The officer or other representative of a state accepting an offer of temporary custody
shall present the following upon demand: (1) Proper identification and evidence of his authority to act for the state into whose
temporary custody the prisoner is to be given. (2) A duly certified copy of the indictment, information or complaint on the basis of
which the detainer has been lodged and on the basis of which the request for temporary
custody of the prisoner has been made. (c) If the appropriate authority shall refuse or fail to accept temporary custody of said
person, or in the event that an action on the indictment, information or complaint
on the basis of which the detainer has been lodged is not brought to trial within
the period provided in Article III or Article IV hereof, the appropriate court of
the jurisdiction where the indictment, information or complaint has been pending shall
enter an order, dismissing the same with prejudice, and any detainer based thereon
shall cease to be of any force or effect. (d) The temporary custody referred to in this agreement shall be only for the purpose
of permitting prosecution on the charge or charges contained in one or more untried
indictments, informations or complaints which form the basis of the detainer or detainers
or for prosecution on any other charge or charges arising out of the same transaction.
Except for his attendance at court and while being transported to or from any place
at which his presence may be required, the prisoner shall be held in a suitable jail
or other facility regularly used for persons awaiting prosecution. (e) At the earliest practicable time consonant with the purposes of this agreement, the
prisoner shall be returned to the sending state. (f) During the continuance of temporary custody or while the prisoner is otherwise being
made available for trial as required by this agreement, time being served on the sentence
shall continue to run but good time shall be earned by the prisoner only if, and to
the extent that, the law and practice of the jurisdiction which imposed the sentence
may allow. (g) For all purposes other than that for which temporary custody as provided in this agreement
is exercised, the prisoner shall be deemed to remain in the custody of and subject
to the jurisdiction of the sending state and any escape from temporary custody may
be dealt with in the same manner as an escape from the original place of imprisonment
or in any other manner permitted by law. (h) From the time that a party state receives custody of a prisoner pursuant to this agreement
until such prisoner is returned to the territory and custody of the sending state,
the state in which the one or more untried indictments, informations or complaints
are pending or in which trial is being held shall be responsible for the prisoner
and shall also pay all costs of transporting, caring for, keeping and returning the
prisoner. The provisions of this paragraph shall govern unless the states concerned
shall have entered into a supplementary agreement providing for a different allocation
of costs and responsibilities as between or among themselves. Nothing herein contained
shall be construed to alter or affect any internal relationship among the departments,
agencies and officers of and in the government of a party state, or between a party
state and its subdivisions, as to the payment of costs, or responsibilities therefor. Article VI (a) In determining the duration and expiration dates of the time periods provided in Articles
III and IV of this agreement, the running of said time periods shall be tolled whenever
and for as long as the prisoner is unable to stand trial, as determined by the court
having jurisdiction of the matter. (b) No provision of this agreement, and no remedy made available by this agreement, shall
apply to any person who is adjudged to be mentally ill. Article VII Each state party to this agreement shall designate an officer who, acting jointly
with like officers of other party states, shall promulgate rules and regulations to
carry out more effectively the terms and provisions of this agreement, and who shall
provide, within and without the state, information necessary to the effective operation
of this agreement. Article VIII This agreement shall enter into full force and effect as to a party state when such
state has enacted the same into law. A state party to this agreement may withdraw
herefrom by enacting a statute repealing the same. However, the withdrawal of any
state shall not affect the status of any proceedings already initiated by inmates
or by state officers at the time such withdrawal takes effect, nor shall it affect
their rights in respect thereof. Article IX This agreement shall be liberally construed so as to effectuate its purpose. The provisions
of this agreement shall be severable and if any phrase, clause, sentence or provision
of this agreement is declared to be contrary to the Constitution of any party state
or of the United States or the applicability thereof to any government, agency, person
or circumstance is held invalid, the validity of the remainder of this agreement and
the applicability thereof to any government, agency, person or circumstance shall
not be affected thereby. If this agreement shall be held contrary to the Constitution
of any state party hereto, the agreement shall remain in full force and effect as
to the remaining states and in full force and effect as to the state affected as to
all severable matters.
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