Pennsylvania Magisterial District Court
District Court 43-2-01 - Stroudsburg
The magisterial district court is the court of initial jurisdiction for all criminal matters. It is the first level of judicial authority and is where most people experience the judicial system for the first time.
The magisterial district courts serve as the minor judiciary of the Monroe County Court of Common Pleas - the 43rd Judicial District of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. District courts are division of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania. Monroe County has nine District Courts throughout the county, and the district courts are supervised by the president judge of the court of common pleas. Members of the judiciary are held to a strict standard of conduct, and shall uphold and promote the independence, integrity, and impartiality of the judiciary, and shall avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety.
Pennsylvania Judicial System
Magisterial District Judges hear a large number of cases and have a diverse jurisdiction:
Criminal Matters:
Court of Initial Jurisdiction for all criminal matters
Issue Arrest Warrants and Summonses
Conduct Preliminary Arraignments for all arrested with or without a warrant
Serve as Bail Commissioners to set and accept bail
Conduct Preliminary Hearings to determine whether the defendant should be bound over for trial on offenses alleged in the criminal complaint
Conduct Trials on all Summary cases – both Traffic and Non-Traffic offenses as well as violations of local ordinances, truancy violations and other statutory violations that provide for violations as a summary offense, i.e. unemployment compensation, sales tax and liquor code offenses.
Issue Search Warrants and Subpoenas
Issue Emergency Protection-from-Abuse Orders and Emergency Protection-of-Victims-from-Sexual-Violence-or-Intimidation Orders and arraign those who violate such orders
Civil Matters:
Jurisdiction for civil actions up to $12,000 including tort and contract actions, and ordinances / civil fines
Landlord/Tenant actions up to $12,000 and determination of Return of Possession
Responsible for full accounting of monies collected and distributed by the court, as well as compliance with office procedural standards
Officiate for weddings / marriages
Swear in officials for Oaths of Office
District Judges are required to attend classes on the judicial system and pass a written examination prior to being seated on the bench. They must also attend an annual 32 hours of continuing legal education.
67
Counties
Located Across PA
502
Magisterial District Judges (MDJs)
Special Court Judges in Pennsylvania
2,245,000
Approximate Annual Case Filings
For PA Magisterial District Judges
“I am committed to ensuring that everyone who enters the court is treated with the utmost dignity and respect. I will be patient, compassionate, and understanding, and I will make certain that every voice is heard in the court. I will uphold the integrity of the court at all times, and I will serve with complete impartiality, and will deliver fair and equal justice. ”
