District attorney and city district attorney’s office brought action against the state Attorney General, challenging constitutionality of Act that required Attorney General to appoint special prosecutor to investigate and prosecute criminal matters within Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA).
Parties filed cross-applications for summary relief and SEPTA filed petition to intervene and applied for summary relief. The Commonwealth Court granted petition to intervene, rejected the constitutional challenges, and granted summary relief in favor of the Attorney General. District attorney appealed directly to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.
The Supreme Court held that:
- Act did not violate county government provisions of Pennsylvania Constitution;
- Act was not a local or special law prohibited by the Pennsylvania Constitution;
- Act did not violate Pennsylvania Constitution’s equal protection guarantees; and
- District attorney did not have standing to bring declaratory judgment action challenging Act on behalf of potential criminal defendants.