Magisterial District Judges

Magisterial district courts are responsible for adjudicating all traffic and non-traffic citations as well as processing criminal and private criminal complaints inclusive of arraignments and preliminary hearings, the handling of civil and landlord tenant complaints up to a jurisdictional limit of $12,000 as well as parking violations.

 

Magisterial district judge’s jurisdiction in criminal cases includes parking violations through other summary and misdemeanor and felony offenses including the initial phases of murder offenses. All misdemeanor and felony violations are more commonly called court cases. These categories of cases are filed in the district courts where they are preliminarily arraigned and afforded a preliminary hearing. At the conclusion of the preliminary hearing the charges are dismissed, waived to court or held for court and referred onto the Court of Common Pleas.

 

Magisterial district judges, as officers of the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System, may administer oaths and affirmations and take acknowledgements. They also have authority to perform marriages. It is up to the individual judge’s decision whether he or she wishes to perform marriage ceremonies as there is no legally prescribed form for a wedding ceremony so religious services and vows conform to the secular content in which they are used.

 

Pa.R.J.A.605 - Supervision of Magisterial District Courts by President Judges

 

The president judge of the court of common pleas of a judicial district shall exercise general supervison and administrative authority over magisterial district courts within the judicial district. 

 

Magisterial District Courts use the PAePay online system for the payment of fines and costs at all of the magisterial district courts.  This allows an individual to pay fines, costs, restitution, collateral etc. online from any internet connected computer.