722 - Direct appeals from courts of common pleas.
§ 722. Direct appeals from courts of common pleas. The Supreme Court shall have exclusive jurisdiction of appeals from final orders of the courts of common pleas in the following classes of cases: (1) Matters prescribed by general rule. (2) The right to public office. (3) Matters where the qualifications, tenure or right to serve, or the manner of service, of any member of the judiciary is drawn in question. (4) Automatic review of sentences as provided by 42 Pa.C.S. §§ 9546(d) (relating to relief and order) and 9711(h) (relating to review of death sentence). (5) Supersession of a district attorney by an Attorney General or by a court or where the matter relates to the convening, supervision, administration, operation or discharge of an investigating grand jury or otherwise directly affects such a grand jury or any investigation conducted by it. (6) Matters where the right or power of the Commonwealth or any political subdivision to create or issue indebtedness is drawn in direct question. (7) Matters where the court of common pleas has held invalid as repugnant to the Constitution, treaties or laws of the United States, or to the Constitution of this Commonwealth, any treaty or law of the United States or any provision of the Constitution of, or of any statute of, this Commonwealth, or any provision of any home rule charter. (8) Matters where the right to practice law is drawn in direct question. (Apr. 28, 1978, P.L.202, No.53, eff. 60 days; Sept. 23, 1980, P.L.686, No.137, eff. 60 days; Oct. 5, 1980, P.L.693, No.142, eff. 60 days; Apr. 13, 1988, P.L.336, No.47, eff. imd.) 1988 Amendment. Act 47 amended par. (4). Section 6 of Act 47 provided that par. (4) shall apply to all actions for collateral relief, whether statutory or common law, instituted on or after the effective date of Act 47, irrespective of the date of conviction or sentence. 1980 Amendment. Act 142 amended par. (5). Cross References. Section 722 is referred to in section 762 of this title.