§ 1.5-501. Judiciary.

 (a)  The Judicial power in Lehigh County is vested in the Court of Common Pleas of the 31st Judicial District of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, presently composed of Lehigh County and the district justices of the peace in said Judicial District, all of which are part of the unified Judicial System of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and not part of the County government, and such courts and other judicial officers as may from time to time be established by the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

 (b)  Except as provided otherwise in Section 2301 of the Judicial Code, 42 Pa.C.S. Section 2301, or as now or hereafter otherwise provided by the general laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, all officers, solicitors, court reporters, stenographers, clerks, employes and other personnel required for the conduct of the Judicial System in the 31st Judicial District of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania shall be appointed and their compensation and duties fixed in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of Section 2301, supra.

 (c)  Clerk of Orphans’ Court Division—The Clerk of Orphans’ Court Division shall be appointed by the judges of the Court of Common Pleas sitting en banc and shall have and exercise all powers and duties now or hereafter conferred or imposed on Clerks of Orphans’ Court divisions by general state laws relating to Clerks of Orphans’ Court divisions in counties of the classification of Lehigh County without home rule charters. The Clerk of Orphans’ Court division shall have the power to appoint deputies, assistants, clerks and such other personnel as may be required for the proper conduct of the office subject to the approval of the administrative judge of the Orphans’ Court division of the Court of Common Pleas, or its designated representative in the provisions of subparagraph (b) hereof.

 (d)  Jury selection and management shall be the responsibility of the Judiciary which has plenary power and authority to carry out that responsibility.