Pennsylvania courts of common pleas facts for kids

The Pennsylvania Courts of Common Pleas are the main courts where trials happen in Pennsylvania. They are a big part of Pennsylvania's court system, which is called the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania. These courts are where most important legal cases begin and are decided.

What Do These Courts Do?

The Courts of Common Pleas handle almost all kinds of legal cases in Pennsylvania. They are known as "general jurisdiction" courts because they can hear many different types of cases.

Cases They Handle

These courts hear civil cases, which are disagreements between people or groups, especially when a lot of money is involved. They also hold trials for serious crimes.

They are the first courts to hear most cases, which is called having "original jurisdiction." This means if a case isn't specifically sent to another court, it starts here. They also review decisions made by smaller local courts. This is called "appellate jurisdiction." These smaller courts include the magisterial district courts (in most counties), the Philadelphia Municipal Court, and the Pittsburgh Municipal Court. The Courts of Common Pleas also review decisions from some state and most local government groups.

How Are These Courts Set Up?

The Pennsylvania Constitution, which is like the state's main rulebook, created these courts. It says there should be one Court of Common Pleas for each "judicial district." A judicial district is a special area or region.

Judicial Districts

Pennsylvania has 60 judicial districts. Most of these districts cover one of Pennsylvania's 67 counties. Seven districts cover two counties together.

Judges and Their Roles

Each district has a different number of judges, from just one to over 100. Judges in the Common Pleas courts are chosen by voters to serve for 10 years.

Every judicial district has a "president judge" and a "court administrator." The president judge is the head judge who helps lead the court. The court administrator helps manage the court's daily operations. If a district has seven or fewer judges, the judge who has served the longest continuously becomes the president judge. If a district has eight or more judges, the judges themselves vote to elect a president judge for a five-year term.

Images for kids

• 

  Court of Common Pleas - Allegheny County Family Law Center, Pittsburgh