(b) Status of Court Administrator.—The Court Administrator of Pennsylvania may be heard on the question of the constitutionality of the general rule involved without formal intervention. If the Court Administrator files a brief concerningthe question the Commonwealth, acting by and through the Court Administrator of Pennsylvania, shall thereafter be deemed to be an intervening party in the matter.

Official Note

The purpose of this rule is to prevent the recurrence of situations such as Swarb v. Lennox, 405 U.S. 191 (1972), where by reason of the withdrawal of the Attorney General of Pennsylvania, there was no official defense of the challenged rule of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. It is anticipated that the Court Administrator will coordinate with the appropriate rules committee.