The Pennsylvania Court System

The Pennsylvania Court system consists of a number of different courts. The different courts are identified and their roles in the system are explained below. For additional information, see the web site of the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System.

Magisterial District Judges (formerly known as District Courts) are the small claims courts in Pennsylvania. These courts hear civil cases where the amount in controversy is $8,000 or less, hear minor criminal cases and hear preliminary hearings for more serious criminal matters. At various times the judges of these courts had been called "District Justices" and "Justices of the Peace."

Philadelphia Municipal Court is Philadelphia's version of small claims courts.

Pittsburgh Municipal Court is a portion of Pittsburgh's version of small claims courts. This court hears minor criminal cases, preliminary hearings for more serious criminal cases and cases involving violations of Pittsburgh city ordinances. Pittsburgh also has Magisterial District Judges (like all counties other than Philadelphia) who hear all matters that would be brought in small claims courts in other counties and that are not heard in Pittsburgh Municipal Court.

Common Pleas Courts - These courts are the regular trial courts in Pennsylvania. Most counties in Pennsylvania have their own Common Pleas Court, although some less populated counties share the same judges with another county. The Common Pleas Court is sometimes divided into divisions. A court might have a Civil Trial Division, a Criminal Trial Division, a Family Court Division or an Orphans' Court Division. The Common Pleas Courts hear civil cases without regard to the amount in controversy and hear more serious criminal cases. Common Please Courts also hear appeals from Magisterial District Judges and Municipal Courts, appeals from various local bodies and local administrative agencies, such as zoning hearing boards and Many appeals from commonwealth agencies, such as the Department of Transportation.

Orphans' Court - This is a division of the Common Pleas Court in some counties. The Orphans' Court judges hear cases involving wills, trusts, estates, powers of attorney, guardianships and other similar matters. In some counties, there is no specific Orphans' Court Division and, instead, these cases are heard by a Common Please Court judge sitting as an Orphans' Court judge for that particular matter.

Superior Court - This is one of the two intermediate appellate courts in Pennsylvania. The Superior Court generally hears appeals from cases that were tried in Common Pleas Courts. This includes both civil cases and criminal cases. The Superior Court generally does not hear cases that were appeals to Common Pleas Court from local administrative agencies or from commonwealth agencies that are further appealed from Common Pleas Court to an appellate court. Instead, those further appeals are generally heard by the Commonwealth Court. Cases are generally argued before a panel of three Superior Court judges. The Superior Court consists of fifteen judges and a varying number of senior judges.

Commonwealth Court - This is one of the two intermediate appellate courts in Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth Court hears appeals from Common Pleas Courts that involved cases that were originally decided by a local administrative agency (such as a zoning hearing board) or by a commonwealth agency (such as the Department of Transportation) and previously appealed from that agency to Common Pleas Court. The Commonwealth Court also hears appeals directly from certain commonwealth agencies, such as the Public Utility Commission and Environmental Hearing Board. In addition, the Commonwealth Court hears appeals in all civil cases brought by and against the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth Court also serves as a trial court in certain limited matters. The Commonwealth Court consists of nine judges and a varying number of senior judges.

Supreme Court - The Supreme Court administers the Pennsylvania judicial system. This court consists of six Associate Justices and a Chief Justice. This is the highest appellate court in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The court hears appeals from the Superior Court and from the Commonwealth Court and in certain extraordinary cases, may hear an appeal directly from a Common Pleas Court. Except with respect to cases involving the death penalty, the acceptance of a case on appeal is generally within the discretion of the Supreme Court. This means that the Supreme Court can choose to hear an appeal (grant "allocatur") or can decline to hear an appeal. If the Supreme Court declines to hear an appeal, the decision of the Superior Court or of the Commonwealth Court becomes the final word in that particular case. The Supreme Court generally declines to hear an appeal unless the court feels that a particular case involves a significant issue or important legal principle.

The lawyers in the firm of Fromhold Jaffe & Adams try cases in the courts of the Magisterial District Judges and in Common Pleas Court (including the Civil Trial Division and the Orphans' Court Division). They also handle appeals before the Superior Court, the Commonwealth Court and the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.

Fromhold Jaffe & Adams
Attorneys at Law
Villanova Center - Suite 220
789 East Lancaster Avenue
Villanova, Pennsylvania 19085
610-527-9100
www.fromholdjaffe.com