The Pennsylvania Supreme Court's oral argument session set to take place in Pittsburgh in mid-April has been canceled as part of the state judiciary's efforts to combat the spread of the coronavirus.

On Wednesday, the justices issued a per curiam order saying that the session, which had been set to take place between April 21 and 23, has been canceled. The one-page order further said the cases will be decided on the briefs submitted by the parties, but the parties could file a motion seeking to reschedule the oral argument.

The justices had been set to hear arguments in 18 cases on a range of topics, including DUI, attorney-client privilege for trustees, the applicability of the "sudden emergency defense" when a pedestrian is struck by a car at night, and whether the Superior Court should evaluate damages verdicts in a piecemeal fashion.

The announcement to cancel the April argument session comes little more than a week after Supreme Court Justice David Wecht announced he would self-quarantine after a family member tested presumptively positive for COVID-19. Last week, the Supreme Court also declared a statewide judicial emergency, and ordered all courthouses in Pennsylvania to remain largely closed to help fight the spread of the virus.