Section 701. Pleas of Guilty to Multiple Offenses

(A) Before the imposition of sentence, the defendant may plead guilty to other offenses that the defendant committed within the jurisdiction of the sentencing court.

(B) When such pleas are accepted, the court shall sentence the defendant for all the offenses.

Comment

The objective of this rule is to enable the court to sentence the defendant on all outstanding charges within the jurisdiction of the sentencing court at one time.

This rule applies when a defendant is to be sentenced following a finding that the defendant violated probation or intermediate punishment, or when a defendant is to be recommitted following a finding that the defendant violated parole. See Rule 708(D) for the sentencing procedures in probation, intermediate punishment, or parole violation cases.

When a defendant is permitted to plead guilty to multiple offenses as provided in paragraph (A), if any of the other offenses involves a victim, the sentencing proceeding must be delayed to afford the Commonwealth adequate time to contact the victim(s), and to give the victim(s) an opportunity to offer prior comment on the sentencing or to submit a written and oral victim impact statement. See the Crime Victims Act, 18 P. S. § 11.201(5).

Official Note

Rule 1402 adopted July 23, 1973, effective 90 days hence; renumbered Rule 701 and amended March 1, 2000, effective April 1, 2001; Comment revised March 15, 2013, effective May 1, 2013.

Committee Explanatory Reports:

Final Report explaining the March 1, 2000 reorganization and renumbering of the rules published with the Court’s Order at 30 Pa.B. 1478 (March 18, 2000).

Final Report explaining the March 15, 2013 revision of the Comment concerning probation violation cases and the Crime Victims Act published with the Court’s Order at 43 Pa.B. 1705 (March 30, 2013).

The provisions of this Rule 701 amended March 15, 2013, effective May 1, 2013, 43 Pa.B. 1702. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (353012).