Pennsylvania divides a criminal case between two levels:

• Magisterial district courts handle the smallest charges, called summary offenses. Most traffic tickets are in this group. These courts also hold the first two steps of every larger case. First comes the preliminary arraignment, where bail is set. Next is the preliminary hearing.
• The Court of Common Pleas takes felonies and misdemeanors once they are held for court. Pleas, trials and sentencing all happen there. It also hears summary appeals, which give a fresh trial to someone who lost before a district judge.

Here the Common Pleas court is the 32nd Judicial District, which serves this county alone. More than 550 district judges work across the state. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh use municipal courts in their place.

Nearly every county court office sits in one complex on Front Street:

• Courthouse for the Court of Common Pleas, 201 W. Front St., Media, PA 19063, 610-891-4000. Open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Office of Judicial Support, Criminal Division, Government Center, Room 127, 201 W. Front St., Media, PA 19063, 610-891-4370. It keeps the criminal files and posts bail, the job a Clerk of Courts does in most counties.
• Court Administrator, Court House, First Floor, 201 W. Front St., Media, PA 19063, 610-891-4550. For scheduling in criminal cases, Criminal Court Administration answers at 610-891-4562.
• Bail Agency and Pre-Trial Services, Courthouse Basement, 201 W. Front St., Media, PA 19063, 610-891-4353.
• Specialty courts, Government Center, Ground Floor, 201 W. Front St., Media, PA 19063. These are Drug Treatment Court, Mental Health Court, Second Chance Court, Veterans Court and Young Offenders Court. Reach them through the courthouse's main number.
• Administrative Office for Magisterial District Judges, 2 West Baltimore Avenue, Suite 203, Media, PA 19063, 610-565-6990.

Each magisterial district court serves certain towns or city wards. Courts go by number, such as 32-1-27. Find the town where the arrest happened, then call that office.

Chester and the river towns

• 32-1-20 (610-876-2151), 32-1-21 (610-874-7180) and 32-1-22 (610-874-1790) share 529 Penn Street, Chester, PA 19013. The first covers City of Chester Wards 1, 2, 6 (Precinct 2) and 7 (Precincts 1, 3 and 4). The second covers Wards 3, 4, 5, 6 (Precinct 1), 7 (Precinct 2), 8 and 9. The third covers Wards 10 and 11, along with Marcus Hook and Trainer.
• 32-1-36: 526 W. Ridge Road, Linwood, PA 19061, 610-859-9748. Upper Chichester Wards 1, 3, 4 and 5, and Lower Chichester Township.
• 32-2-38: 2901 Dutton Mill Road, Suite 120, Aston, PA 19014, 610-558-3520. Aston and Chester Townships and Upper Chichester Ward 2.
• 32-1-30: 1936 MacDade Boulevard, Woodlyn, PA 19094, 610-532-0320. Eddystone, Rutledge and Ridley Township Wards 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9.
• 32-2-44: 1028 Lincoln Avenue, Prospect Park, PA 19076, 610-534-5627. Prospect Park, Ridley Park and Tinicum Township.
• 32-2-39: 2 Cambridge Road, Suite 300, Brookhaven, PA 19015, 610-874-8178. Brookhaven, Parkside, Rose Valley and Upland.

Darby, Collingdale and Lansdowne area

• 32-1-23: 100 Clifton Avenue, Collingdale, PA 19023, 610-534-3443. Collingdale Wards 1, 2, 3 and 7, and Darby Borough Wards 1, 2 and 3 (Precinct 2).
• 32-2-37: 150 S. MacDade Blvd., Suite E, Darby, PA 19023, 610-534-3504. Colwyn, Sharon Hill and Darby Borough Ward 3 (Precinct 1).
• 32-2-40 (610-583-6646) and 32-2-42 (610-583-6647) share 11 Bartram Avenue, Glenolden, PA 19036. The first covers Aldan, Folcroft and Darby Township. The second covers Glenolden, Norwood and Collingdale Wards 4, 5 and 6.
• 32-2-47: 60 W. Marshall Road, Lansdowne, PA 19050, 610-259-8848. Lansdowne and Yeadon.

Upper Darby, Haverford and Springfield

• Three courts work side by side at Suites 150 and 200, 1500 Garrett Road, Upper Darby, PA 19082, 610-626-6900. Court 32-2-51 takes East Lansdowne and parts of Upper Darby Wards 5, 6 and 7. Court 32-1-34 takes parts of Wards 3, 4, 5 and 7. Court 32-1-33 takes Millbourne and parts of Wards 5, 6 and 7.
• 32-2-52: 409 Ashland Avenue, Suite 1, Secane, PA 19018, 610-622-8102. Clifton Heights and parts of Upper Darby Wards 1, 2 and 5.
• 32-2-53: Suites 103 and 105, 525 West Chester Pike, Havertown, PA 19083, 610-449-5189. Haverford Township and parts of Upper Darby Wards 4 and 5.
• 32-1-32 (610-543-2366) and 32-2-54 (610-690-7668) share 56 Powell Road, Springfield, PA 19064. 32-1-32 takes most of Springfield, plus Morton and Ridley Township Ward 4. 32-2-54 takes Springfield Ward 1 (Precinct 3) and Ward 6, plus parts of Upper Darby Wards 1 and 3. It has been sharing work with other offices, so call before you go.

Central and western townships

• 32-1-28: 349 West Baltimore Avenue, Media, PA 19063, 610-566-0872. Media and Swarthmore Boroughs and Nether Providence Township.
• 32-2-46: 939 N. Providence Road, Media, PA 19063, 610-566-3495. Upper Providence Township.
• 32-1-27: 796 Parkway Boulevard, Broomall, PA 19008, 610-338-2250. Marple and Newtown Townships.
• 32-2-43: 4655 West Chester Pike, Newtown Square, PA 19073, 610-356-2997. Radnor Township.
• 32-2-48: 27 S. Pennell Road, Lima, PA 19037, 610-565-4110. Edgmont and Middletown Townships and Chester Heights.
• 32-2-49: 485 Baltimore Pike, Glen Mills, PA 19342, 610-558-3605. Bethel, Chadds Ford, Concord and Thornbury Townships.

The case opens before a magisterial district judge, very often on a video screen. Under Pa.R.Crim.P. 540 this short hearing does four jobs:

• It hands the accused a copy of the criminal complaint listing the charges.
• It tells them their rights, among them the right to counsel.
• It fixes bail or another form of release.
• It schedules the preliminary hearing. That must come within 14 days if the person stays in jail. The limit is 21 days if they were released.

At that preliminary hearing, the burden is on the prosecutor to make a prima facie case. That Latin phrase means the evidence must show a crime probably took place and that the accused probably committed it. The accused usually stays silent. A judge who is convinced holds the charges for court and the case moves up to Common Pleas. Without that proof, the judge throws the charges out. Some defendants give up the hearing on purpose, which is called waiving it.

Smaller cases travel one of two roads:

• Summary offenses stay with the district judge, who rules without a jury. Someone found guilty has 30 days to appeal for a new trial in the Court of Common Pleas.
• Misdemeanors start at a district court and move to Common Pleas after the preliminary hearing.

The law caps punishment by grade (18 Pa.C.S. §§ 1101, 1104, 1105):

• First-degree (M1): no more than 5 years, fine to $10,000
• Second-degree (M2): no more than 2 years, fine to $5,000
• Third-degree (M3): no more than 1 year, fine to $2,500
• Summary: no more than 90 days, fine to $300

DUI is graded by blood alcohol level and past offenses. A first or second offense at the lowest alcohol tier is usually a misdemeanor carrying up to six months (75 Pa.C.S. § 3803). DUI grading has been rewritten more than once lately. Have a lawyer check the grade.

First offenders, including many with a first DUI, may be offered ARD, a second-chance program (Pa.R.Crim.P. 310 and following). Only the District Attorney can offer ARD, and a judge must approve it. Expect supervision, classes, fees and community service. Finish the program, and the charge gets dropped; the record can then be wiped through expungement. The DA's Diversionary Unit works from 201 West Front Street, Media, PA 19063. Call the county main line, 610-891-4000, and ask for it.

1. Preliminary arraignment. A district judge sets bail, often by video.
2. Preliminary hearing. It comes back to that same district court, within 14 days for someone held in jail.
3. The information. This is the formal list of charges. The DA writes it and can change which counts it lists.
4. Formal arraignment. About a month or two later, in the Court of Common Pleas, the accused gets the written charges and enters a plea.
5. Pretrial conference. Deals between the two sides are often reached here.
6. Trial. A jury of 12 decides, and every juror has to agree. The accused may choose a judge instead.
7. Sentencing. The probation office writes a report first, and then the judge hands down the sentence.

Felony limits (18 Pa.C.S. §§ 1101, 1103): F1 carries up to 20 years and $25,000; F2 up to 10 years and $25,000; F3 up to 7 years and $15,000. Murder in the first degree: death or life imprisonment. Murder in the second degree: life imprisonment (18 Pa.C.S. § 1102). Appeals are heard first by the Superior Court.

• Bail can be refused. A judge may do that for a crime that can bring death or life in prison. It is also allowed when no set of conditions could protect the public. The prosecutor has to prove it with evidence at a hearing (Commonwealth v. Talley).
• Teens may be tried as adults. Murder charges against anyone aged 15 through 17 open in adult court, and so do armed violent crimes like robbery or rape at those ages (42 Pa.C.S. § 6302).
• State prison becomes likely. When the top end of a sentence reaches five years, the time goes to a state prison (42 Pa.C.S. § 9762).
• Victims weigh in. When someone was injured or a home was burglarized, the victim may comment on pleas, dismissals and sentences ahead of time.
• Special units prosecute. The DA's office has units for gun violence, special victims and other serious cases.

The District Attorney's Office, 201 West Front Street, Media, PA 19063, handles prosecution for the whole county. Its hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays, and calls go through the county main number, 610-891-4000. Units handle preliminary arraignments, trials, appeals, juvenile matters and diversion.

Adults and youth who can't hire a lawyer are defended by the Office of the Public Defender, 220 North Jackson Street, Media, PA 19063, 610-891-4100. The applicant signs a sworn income statement, and the office decides whether they qualify (16 P.S. § 9960.1 and following). The state began helping counties pay for this defense under Act 34 of 2023.

In a federal case, a lawyer from the Federal Community Defender may step in. Its office: Suite 540 West, 601 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, 215-928-1100.

The UJS Web Portal case search is free, and you need no account. Follow these steps:

1. Pick a participant name search and fill in both names and the county. Searching by docket number is another option.
2. Open the docket sheet. Look for the charges, bail, the next court dates and the courtroom.
3. Check both levels. A new case first appears as a magisterial district case. After it is held for court, it gets a Common Pleas docket too.

Fresh filings may take a little while to post. Juvenile, sealed and expunged cases are kept off the portal, and a docket won't tell you which jail holds someone. For help by phone, try the Office of Judicial Support at 610-891-4370 or Criminal Court Administration at 610-891-4562.

Bench warrants from the Court of Common Pleas are served by the Sheriff's Bench Warrant Unit, Courthouse, Room 101, 201 W. Front St., Media, PA 19063, 610-891-8605. Local police and constables serve other warrants. Phone the unit or open the Sheriff's bench warrant page. Statewide, look at the State Police Ten Most Wanted (tips 800-472-8477), the U.S. Marshals' top-15 fugitive list and the FBI wanted list. Open cases also show in the UJS case search. To settle a warrant, phone a lawyer or the public defender first. After that, the person reports in person to the judge whose court signed it. For Common Pleas warrants, contact the Office of Judicial Support, Government Center, Room 127, 201 W. Front St., Media, PA 19063, 610-891-4370.

Federal crimes from the county belong to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Cases are heard at Philadelphia's James A. Byrne U.S. Courthouse, 601 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. The clerk's line is 215-597-7704.

• A federal judge sees the person within days. A detention hearing decides if the person goes home under conditions or stays locked up until trial (18 U.S.C. 3142).
• U.S. Pretrial Services, 600 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, 267-299-4400, checks the person's history and reports to the judge.
• Marshals take charge of federal prisoners and move them to each hearing. Office: 601 Market Street, Room 2110, Philadelphia, PA 19106, 215-597-7272.
• Pretrial detainees in the district are kept at FDC Philadelphia, 700 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, 215-521-4000.
• The U.S. Attorney's Office, 615 Chestnut Street, Suite 1250, Philadelphia, PA 19106, 215-861-8200, brings federal charges.
• After a sentence, the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator shows where the person went.

No, the state charges keep moving forward either way. Its real effect shows up at release time.

1. The jail gets an I-247A form from ICE that requests a hold.
2. The hold can run up to 48 hours after they would otherwise be released (8 CFR 287.7(d)).
3. Pennsylvania sits in the Third Circuit. That appeals court decided Galarza v. Szalczyk (3d Cir. 2014) and found that detainers are requests a county may turn down. If a county keeps a person in jail on nothing but a detainer, it may have to answer in court for that. So this jail makes its own detainer choices; call it at 610-361-3200.
4. ICE handles this state from its Philadelphia Field Office, 114 N. 8th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, 215-656-7164.
5. Once ICE has custody, look the person up on the ICE Online Detainee Locator.

The maximum of the sentence decides the place (42 Pa.C.S. § 9762). Short terms, with a top under two years, are done at the county jail. Terms with a top of five years or longer are done in state prison. A top between two and five years normally means state prison as well. A local stay is possible if the judge, the DA and the jail all say yes.

• State prisoners begin at a reception and classification center. The sorting there can last weeks to months before the move to a regular prison.
• Use the DOC inmate locator to see where they are.
• The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections is at 1920 Technology Parkway, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050, 717-728-2573.
• Letters to any state prisoner go to the DOC's central mail processor: Smart Communications/PA DOC, with the person's name, inmate number and prison name, PO Box 33028, St Petersburg, FL 33733.
• Our guide to Pennsylvania state prisons describes each one.

County probation is run by Adult Probation and Parole, an office separate from the jail, at 201 W. Front St., Media, PA 19063, 610-891-4591.

A person under 18 is usually treated as a child under the Juvenile Act (42 Pa.C.S. § 6301 and following), and the case goes to the county's juvenile court. Juvenile Probation runs intake from the Fronefield Building, 201 West Front St., Media, PA 19063, 610-891-4721. Parents should start there.

• Youth who are detained are placed in other counties. County board minutes from 2025 name Abraxas Academy, 1000 Academy Drive, Morgantown, PA 19543, 610-913-8000, and the Chester County Youth Center, 505 South Wawaset Road, West Chester, PA 19382, 610-344-6700.
• The public UJS portal leaves out juvenile files.
• Murder charges, and some armed violent charges, go straight to adult court for youth aged 15 and up. A defense lawyer can then request a transfer down to juvenile court.
• Public defenders represent youth too, from 220 North Jackson Street, Media, PA 19063, 610-891-4100.

The Crime Victims Act lets victims hear about services and key steps in the case (18 P.S. § 11.101 and following). They may comment on bail. When a crime caused injury, or was a burglary, the victim may also give views on any plea deal and on the sentence.

• The District Attorney's Office, 201 West Front Street, Media, PA 19063, lists support on its victim resources page. Call through the county line, 610-891-4000.
• PA SAVIN, the state's free alert service, tells registered victims about a release or a move. Register at VINELink or call 866-972-7284 (TTY 866-847-1298).
• Medical bills, counseling, funeral costs and lost pay may be paid back through the state's Victims Compensation Assistance Program. Call 800-233-2339.

Family and friends of the accused must leave the victim alone and pass along no notes or messages. Such contact may violate the release terms and bring fresh charges.