Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes

42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 9542 (2026)

Scope of subchapter.

✓ current as of May 2026

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§ 9542. Scope of subchapter.

This subchapter provides for an action by which persons convicted of crimes they did not commit and persons serving illegal sentences may obtain collateral relief. The action established in this subchapter shall be the sole means of obtaining collateral relief and encompasses all other common law and statutory remedies for the same purpose that exist when this subchapter takes effect, including habeas corpus and coram nobis. This subchapter is not intended to limit the availability of remedies in the trial court or on direct appeal from the judgment of sentence, to provide a means for raising issues waived in prior proceedings or to provide relief from collateral consequences of a criminal conviction. Except as specifically provided otherwise, all provisions of this subchapter shall apply to capital and noncapital cases.

(Apr. 13, 1988, P.L.336, No.47, eff. imd.; Nov. 17, 1995, 1st Sp.Sess., P.L.1118, No.32, eff. 60 days; June 25, 1997, P.L.324, No.33, eff. imd.)

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 510 cases (119 in the last 5 years), 1983–2026 · leading case: Commonwealth v. Bennett, 930 A.2d 1264 (Pa. 2007).

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Commonwealth v. Bennett, 930 A.2d 1264 (Pa. 2007). · cites it 4× “This Court granted allowance of appeal to consider whether the Superior Court erred in quashing Appellant's appeal.”

Commonwealth, Aplt v. Descares, 136 A.3d 493 (Pa. 2016). · cites it 4× “42 Pa.C.S. § 9542. According to Appellee, the above language demonstrates that the legislature did not envision the PCRA as the only means of challenging the collateral consequences of a conviction.”

Commonwealth v. Hall, 771 A.2d 1232 (Pa. 2001). · cites it 6× “42 Pa.C.S. § 9542 (emphasis added). The plain language of the statute above demonstrates quite clearly that the General Assembly intended that claims that could be brought under the PCRA must be brought under that Act.”

Commonwealth v. Masker, 34 A.3d 841 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2011). · cites it 9× “42 Pa.Cons.Stat.Ann. § 9542 (emphasis supplied).”

Commonwealth v. Lesko, 15 A.3d 345 (Pa. 2011). · cites it 4× “The terms of the PCRA do not specifically address the scenario presented here.”

Commonwealth v. West, 938 A.2d 1034 (Pa. 2007). · cites it 4× “" See 42 Pa.C.S. § 9542. The Commonwealth explains that in Lantzy we interpreted this excerpt from the PCRA to mean that there is no "bifurcated system of post-conviction review where some claims are cognizable under the PCRA while others are cognizable under various common law…”

Commonwealth v. Ford, 44 A.3d 1190 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2012). · cites it 2× “]" 42 Pa.C.S. § 9542. Had the legislature intended that claims of PCRA counsel ineffectiveness could not be raised for the first time on appeal, it could have expressly provided as such in the statute as other states have done.”

Commonwealth v. Taylor, 65 A.3d 462 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2013). · cites it 2× “We agree that Appellant’s writ of habeas corpus should be treated as a PCRA petition.”

Commonwealth v. Mason, L., Aplt, 130 A.3d 601 (Pa. 2015). · cites it 2× “8 The January 25, 2002 petition and several subsequent pleadings were captioned as “Petition[s] for Habeas Corpus Relief Pursuant to Article I, Section 14 of the Pennsylvania Constitution and Statutory Post Conviction Relief Under 42 Pa.C.S. § 9542 et seq. and Consolidated…”

Commonwealth v. O'Berg, 880 A.2d 597 (Pa. 2005). · cites it 4× “42 Pa.C.S. § 9542; Grant, 813 A.2d at 734-38 .”

Commonwealth v. Haun, 32 A.3d 697 (Pa. 2011). · cites it 4× “42 Pa.C.S. § 9542 (“This subchapter provides for an action by which persons convicted of crimes they did not commit and persons serving illegal sentences may obtain collateral relief.”

Commonwealth, Aplt v. Dimatteo, P., 177 A.3d 182 (Pa. 2018). · cites it 6× “As alluded, while the courts were addressing the effect of Alleyne on sentences, challenged or not, on direct appeal, defendants sought to have Alleyne afford them relief via this Commonwealth’s sole means of obtaining collateral relief, filing a petition under the PCRA.”

Show all 510 citing cases →

— 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 9542(a)(2) — 1 case

Com. v. Scott, E. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2019).

— 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 9542(a)(2)(i) — 2 cases

Com. v. Silvonek, J. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2023).

Commonwealth v. Flor, R., Aplt. (Pa. 2021).

— 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 9542(a)(2)(ii) — 1 case

Com. v. Scott, E. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2019).

— 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 9542(a)(2)(iii) — 1 case

Com. v. Silvonek, J. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2023).

— 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 9542(a)(2)(vi) — 1 case

Com. v. Deberry, T. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2020).

— 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 9542(b) — 1 case

Com. v. Strother, A. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016).

— 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 9542(b)(1) — 1 case

Com. v. Kinnard Jr., G. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2015).

— 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 9542(b)(1)(i) — 1 case

Com. v. Kinnard Jr., G. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2015).

— 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 9542(b)(1)(ii) — 4 cases

Com. v. Diggs, C., 220 A.3d 1112 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2019).

Com. v. Diggs, C., 2019 Pa. Super. 306 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2019).

Com. v. Johnson, R. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2019).

Com. v. Diggs, C. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2019).

— 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 9542(vii) — 1 case

Commonwealth v. Finnecy, J., Aplt. (Pa. 2021).

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