How Does the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas Work?

The general trial level courts in Pennsylvania are called the Pennsylvania Courts of Common Pleas. Although Pennsylvania has minor courts for addressing small civil claims, non-traffic citations, and landlord-tenant matters, the primary courts for these matters are the Courts of Common Pleas. These courts often initiate large civil cases and have jurisdiction over most misdemeanor cases and all felony cases. The Court of Common Pleas also supervises hearings regarding family matters such as marriage, divorce, child custody, and adoption. Generally, the Court of Common Pleas hears:

• Appeals from the Philadelphia Municipal Court and the Magisterial District Court
• All appeals not explicitly assigned to another court
• Orphan’s Court matters
• Family Court matters
• Civil lawsuits
• Criminal cases

The state has organized the Pennsylvania Courts of Common Pleas district. Most judicial districts in Pennsylvania cover a single county, although seven of the judicial districts comprise two counties due to the light population. Although there are 67 counties in the state, the combining of counties has resulted in 60 judicial districts. Each district has at least one to 93 Common Pleas judges, including a president judge and court administrator or clerk. While counties combined into a single district have specific rules for the entire district, there are separate county offices, courthouses, and dockets that apply to only one county.

Pennsylvania judges can be designated at the Common pleas level based on election, retention election, or appointment from an official. When up for election, a judge may be selected for a ten-year term by winning a general or primary election, either partisan or non-partisan. Judges are also allowed to run under both major political parties and are not limited to just one. After serving nine years on the Court of Common pleas, a judge may file for a retention election if the party desires to stay seated on the panel. Essentially, a retention election is a simple vote by the judge’s colleagues and superiors regarding whether or not the party will continue to serve as a judge. The governor may appoint judges if a vacancy appears on the panel due to death, retirement, or removal. Two-thirds must approve an appointment by the governor of the Senate.

Judge candidates must be a member of the state bar, a Pennsylvania resident, and under 75 years of age. When a judge turns 75 years old, the law requires retirement. If a judge turns 75 before finishing the term, an interim judge will be appointed. The interim judge will typically serve on the bench for the remainder of the retired judge’s term. Removal and replacement can happen if a judge is charged and convicted of wrongful judicial conduct by the Judicial Conduct Board.

Individuals can access case dockets for the Pennsylvania Court of Common pleas on the Pennsylvania Judicial System portal. This portal allows users to search for, view, and print out docket sheets. Parties can request physical copies of case records from the specific magisterial district court office where the case was filed. Although not required, it may serve the search to provide the clerk with a filled out request form.

Individuals can access the Common Pleas court in a county by visiting the find a Court map or referring to the following list of courthouses:

Adams County Courthouse
111 Baltimore Street
Gettysburg, PA 17325
Phone: (717) 334–6781

Allegheny County Courthouse
436 Grant Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Phone: (412) 350–5410

Armstrong County Courthouse
500 E. Market Street
Kittanning, PA 16201
Phone: (724) 543–2500

Beaver County Courthouse
810 3rd Street
Beaver, PA 15009
Phone: (724) 728–5700

Bedford County Courthouse
200 S. Juliana Street
Bedford, PA 15522
Phone: (814) 623–4812
Fax: (814) 623–3858

Berks County Courthouse
633 Court Street
Reading, PA 19601
Phone: (610) 478–6208

Blair County Courthouse
423 Allegheny Street
Hollidaysburg, PA 16648
Phone: (814) 693–3000

Bradford County Courthouse
301 Main Street
Towanda, PA 18848
Phone: (570) 265–1707

Bucks County Justice Center
100 North Main Street
Doylestown, PA 18901
Phone: (215) 348–6000

Butler County Courthouse
124 West Diamond Street
Butler, PA 16001
Phone: (724) 285–4731

Cambria County Courthouse
200 South Center Street
Ebensburg, PA 15931
Phone: (814) 472–5440

Cameron County Courthouse
20 E. 5th Street
Emporium, PA 15834
Phone: (814) 486–2315

Carbon County Courthouse
4 Broadway
Jim Thorpe, PA 18229
Phone: (570) 325–3661

403 Centre County Courthouse
Bellefonte, PA 16823
Phone: (814) 355–6728

Chester County Courthouse
201 W. Market Street
West Chester, PA 19380
Phone: (610) 344–6000

Clarion County Courthouse
421 Main Street
Clarion, PA 16214
Phone: (814) 226–4000

Clearfield County Courthouse
1 N. Second Street
Clearfield, PA 16830
Phone: (814) 765–2641

Clinton County Courthouse
230 E. Water Street
Lock Haven, PA 17745
Phone: (570) 893–4016

Columbia County Courthouse
35 W. Main Street
Bloomsburg, PA 17815
Phone: (570) 389–5600

Crawford County Judicial Center
359 E. Center St.
Meadville, PA 16335
Phone: (814) 333–7498

Cumberland County Courthouse
1 Courthouse Square
Carlisle, PA 17013
Phone: (717) 240–6100

Dauphin County Courthouse
101 Market Street
Harrisburg, PA 17101
Phone: (717) 780–6630

Delaware County Courthouse
201 W. Front Street
Media, PA 19063
Phone: (610) 891–4000

Elk County Courthouse
240 Main Street
P.O. Box 448
Ridgway, PA 15853
Phone: (814) 776–1161

Erie County Courthouse
140 W. Sixth Street
Room 210
Erie, PA 16501
Phone: (814) 451–6000

Fayette County Courthouse
61 E. Main Street
Uniontown, PA 15401
Phone: (724) 430–1206

Forest County Courthouse
526 Elm Street
Box 3
Tionesta, PA 16353
Phone: (814) 755–3537

Old Courthouse Building
2 N. Main Street
Chambersburg, PA 17201
Phone: (717) 261–3848

Fulton County Courthouse
201 N. Second Street
McConnellsburg, PA 17233
Phone: (717) 485–4212

Greene County Courthouse
10 E. High Street
2nd Floor
Waynesburg, PA 15370
Phone: (724) 852–5312

Huntingdon County Courthouse
223 Penn Street
Huntingdon, PA 16652
Phone: (814) 643–4510
Fax: (814) 643–8152

Indiana County Courthouse
825 Philadelphia Street
Indiana, PA 15701
Phone: (724) 465–3955

Jefferson County Courthouse
200 Main Street
Brookville, PA 15825
Phone: (814) 849–1621

Juniata County Courthouse
26 N. Main Street
Mifflintown, PA 17059
Phone: (717) 436–7709

Lackawanna County Courthouse
200 N. Washington Avenue
Scranton, PA 18503
Phone: (570) 963–6773

Lawrence County Courthouse
430 Court Street
New Castle, PA 16101
Phone: (724) 658–2541

Lebanon County Courthouse
400 S. 8th Street
Lebanon, PA 17042
Phone: (717) 274–2801

Lehigh County Courthouse
455 W. Hamilton Street
Allentown, PA 18101
Phone: (610) 782–3000

Luzerne County Courthouse
200 N. River Street
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711
Phone: (570) 825–1500

Lycoming County Courthouse
48 W. Third Street
4th Floor
Williamsport, PA 17701
Phone: (570) 327–2330

McKean County Courthouse
500 W. Main Street
Smethport, PA 16749
Phone: (814) 887–5571

Mercer County Courthouse
103 N. Diamond Street
Mercer, PA 16137
Phone: (724) 662–3800
Fax: (724) 662–0620

Mifflin County Courthouse
20 N. Wayne Street
Lewistown, PA 17044

Monroe County Courthouse
610 Monroe St.
Stroudsburg, PA 18360
Phone: (570) 420–3400

Montgomery County Courthouse
2 E. Airy St.
Norristown, PA 19401
Phone: (610) 278–3000

Montour County Courthouse
253 Mill St.
Danville, PA 17821
Phone: (570) 271–3000

Northampton County Courthouse
669 Washington St.
Easton, PA 18042
Phone: (610) 559–3000

Northumberland County Courthouse
201 Market St.
Sunbury, PA 17801
Phone: (570) 988–4167

Perry County Courthouse
2 E. Main Street
P.O. Box 37
New Bloomfield, PA 17068
Phone: (717) 582–2131
Fax: (717) 582–5162

Philadelphia Courts
Broad and Market Streets
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Phone: (215) 686–6670

Pike County Courthouse
410 Broad Street
Milford, PA 18337
Phone: (570) 296–7231
Fax: (570) 296–6054

Potter County Courthouse
1 E. Second Street
Coudersport, PA 16915
Phone: (814) 274–8290

Schuylkill County Courthouse
401 N. Second Street
Pottsville, PA 17901
Phone: (570) 622–5570

Snyder County Courthouse
9 W. Market Street
P.O. Box 217
Middleburg, PA 17842
Phone: (570) 837–4207
Fax: (570) 837–4282

Somerset County Courthouse
111 E. Union Street
Somerset, PA 15501
Phone: (814) 445–1473

Sullivan County Courthouse
245 Muncy Street
P.O. Box 157
Laporte, PA 18626
Phone: (570) 946–5201

Susquehanna County Courthouse
P.O. Box 218
Montrose PA 18801
Phone: (570) 278–4600

Tioga County Courthouse
118 Main Street
Wellsboro, PA 16901
Phone: (570) 723–8380
Fax: (570) 723–1633

Union County Courthouse
103 S. Second Street
Lewisburg, PA 17837
Phone: (570) 524–8761

Venango County Courthouse
1168 Liberty Street
2nd Floor
Franklin, PA 16323
Phone: (814) 432–9610

Warren County Courthouse
204 Fourth Avenue
Warren, PA 16365
Phone: (814) 728–3530

Washington County Courthouse
1 S. Main Street
Suite 2004
Washington, PA 15301
Phone: (724) 228–6700

Wayne County Courthouse
925 Court Street
Honesdale, PA 18431
Phone: (570) 253–5970

Westmoreland County Courthouse
2 N. Main Street
Greensburg, PA 15601
Phone: (724) 830–3826

Wyoming County Courthouse
1 Courthouse Square
Tunkhannock, PA 18657
Phone: (570) 836–3200

York County Judicial Center
45 N. George Street
York, PA 17401
Phone: (717) 771–9234