The state House of Representatives recently approved legislation that would create a statewide commerce court.
House Bill 332, originally introduced during the last legislative session as House Bill 401, allows the Supreme Court to create Commerce Courts in counties. These courts would deal with intricate business legal matters and have judges dedicated to hearing and deciding business-related cases.
Complex business cases include acquisitions, mergers, dissolution, and liquidations regarding sole proprietorships, corporate partnerships, trusts, limited liability companies, and corporations.
The courts are modeled after Philadelphia’s Commerce Case Management Program. The court was founded a decade ago, and other Common Pleas courts have established commerce courts at the local level.
“My commerce court legislation builds on more than a decade of success of Philadelphia’s Commerce Case Management Program,” Rep. Seth Grove (R-Dover), who write the bill, said. “The program has gained a reputation for its effective, efficient, and predictable rulings on complex business cases. With the success of the program there, it makes perfect sense to expand it to include the entire Commonwealth.”
The House Judiciary Committee amended the legislation into Senate Bill 976, which House approved Oct. 21.
Senate Bill 976, written by Sen. Mike Regan (R-York and Cumberland counties), would codify Veterans Courts into law.