May it please the courts: A primer on PA’s judicial system

From high-profile constitutional challenges to complaints about neighborhood noise, there are few aspects of life in the commonwealth that the courts don’t address. 

But not all Pennsylvania judges wear the same robes – and they certainly don’t all hear the same types of cases. With judicial elections scheduled for November, we present the following evidence on the state’s multi-layered court system, ranging from Pennsylvania’s highest court to the magisterial level. 

Pennsylvania Supreme Court

Often referred to as Pennsylvania’s high court, the state Supreme Court has seven justices and has administrative authority over all courts, justices and judges in the commonwealth. The court can also prescribe rules that govern operating procedures and conduct of the courts, per the state constitution. As for the types of cases it hears, the Supreme Court hears direct appeals from the lower courts, requests for discretionary appeals from the Commonwealth and Superior courts, and can also respond to requests to intervene in a lower court’s proceedings, according to the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania. 

Pennsylvania Superior Court

Created in 1895, the state Superior Court is one of Pennsylvania’s two statewide intermediate appellate courts, with the other being the Commonwealth Court. The Superior Court handles appeals in both criminal and civil cases from the Courts of Common Pleas, as well as appeals involving issues related to children and families. The court has 15 judges and frequently travels to various locations throughout the state to hear cases. 

Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court

The Commonwealth Court is a bit of a unicorn in the judicial world. Established in 1968, the court has nine judges and primarily handles matters involving state and local governments, as well as regulatory bodies. The court oversees civil actions brought by and against the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and also hears appeals relating to decisions made by state agencies and the Courts of Common Pleas. 

Court of Common Pleas

The Courts of Common Pleas serve as the general trial courts of Pennsylvania and are divided into 60 judicial districts, as outlined by the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania. While most districts align with the geographical borders of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties, seven of the districts oversee two counties. These courts hear appeals from the state’s minor courts, appeals not exclusively assigned to another court and also deal with issues related to children and families. There are more than 450 Courts of Common Pleas judges statewide.

Minor courts

Pennsylvania has different types of minor courts, including magisterial district courts and the Philadelphia Municipal Court. Magisterial district judges and municipal court judges preside over these courts and the cases they deal with. Minor courts help decide whether serious cases are elevated to the Court of Common Pleas, oversee preliminary arraignments and hearings, and set and accept bail – just not in murder or voluntary manslaughter cases. These courts deal with things like traffic citations, summary offenses and small claims.