Highest Court
The highest court in Pennsylvania is the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. The Supreme Court consists of 7 justices. It has jurisdiction over (1) Hears direct appeals in felonious homicide, right to public office, Probate or Orphans' Courts matters, contempt cases, and questions of constitutionality of a statute. Other appeals are discretionary. (2) May assume plenary jurisdiction over any matter in any court at any state of the proceedings if it is a question of immediate public importance.
Intermediate Courts
Commonwealth Court The Commonwealth Court consists of 9 judges. It has jurisdiction over (1) Original jurisdiction in civil actions involving the commonwealth or any of its officers. (2) Appeals from administrative agencies, local government, eminent domain, and non-profit corporation matters.
Superior Court The Superior Court consists of 15 judges. It has jurisdiction over (1) Exclusive appellate jurisdiction over Court of Common Pleas except those directly appealable to Supreme Court or Commonwealth Court. (2) Non-government equity appeals.
General Courts
Court of Common Pleas
The Court of Common Pleas consists
of 408 judges. It has jurisdiction over (1) Original jurisdiction in all
civil matters. Orphans Court Division handles probate. (2) Original jurisdiction
in all criminal matters. (3) Exclusive jurisdiction in juvenile.
Appeals de novo.
No jury trials are overseen by this
court.
Limited Courts
Philadelphia Municipal Court
The Philadelphia Municipal Court
consists of 25 judges. It has jurisdiction over (1) Landlord and tenant,
assumpsit and trespass claims under $1,000. (2) Criminal offenses with
less than 5-year sentence, motor vehicle law, and preliminary hearings
except for homicide and rape.
No jury trials are overseen by this
court.
District Justice Courts
The District Justice Courts consists
of 551 judges. It has jurisdiction over (1) Civil matters under $8,000.
(2) Offenses with fine under $500 and/or sentence up to 90 days. (3) Preliminary
hearings in most criminal. Some motor vehicle cases.
No jury trials are overseen by this
court.
Additional Information
Court of record
Every court of Pennsylvania shall
be a court of record with all the qualities and incidents of a court of
record at common law. (42 Pa.C.S.A. § 321)
Powers
Every court shall have the power
to issue any lawful writ and process needed and appropriate for
jurisdiction and enforcement of
any orders except as otherwise prescribed by general rules. (42 Pa.C.S.A.
§ 323)
Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
shall be the highest court and supreme judicial power. The Supreme
Court shall be composed of the Chief Justice of Pennsylvania and six associate
justices. (42 Pa.C.S.A. § 501)
Original jurisdiction
The Supreme Court shall have original,
but not exclusive jurisdiction in all cases of: (1) Habeas corpus,
(2) Mandamus or prohibition to courts of inferior jurisdiction, and
(3) Quo warranto as to any officer of Statewide jurisdiction. (42
Pa.C.S.A. § 721.)
Community courts
Each judicial district of Pennsylvania
may elect to establish or discontinue one community court. The community
court is not a court of record and number of judges shall be determine
by population of the district. No judicial district shall have less
than two community court judges. Single county judicial district community
courts shall be known as the "Community Court of (name of county) County."
Multi-county district community courts shall be named "Community Court
of (name of district) Judicial District." (42 Pa.C.S.A. § 1101)
Lien of judgments
A judgment of a community court
shall not operate as a lien on real property until a transcript of the
record has been filed in the office of the clerk of the court of common
pleas in the county where the property is located or in the office of the
clerk of the branch of the court of common pleas. No such transcript shall
be filed until after 30 days after the entry of final judgment by the community
court. No execution against real estate shall issue out of the community
court. (42 Pa.C.S.A. § 1106)
Third class city traffic courts
authorized
Any third class city may establish
its own traffic court . The traffic court is not a court of record.
(42 Pa.C.S.A. § 1341)
