In Pennsylvania, district courts (also called magisterial courts) are the first courts to hear cases involving traffic offenses, municipal code violations, or summary (minor) criminal offenses. The kinds of traffic offenses usually handled in Pennsylvania district courts include speeding, running red lights or stop signs, driving with a suspended license, and failure to yield. The kinds of summary or minor criminal offenses handled in Pennsylvania district courts include DUIs or DWIs, loitering, disorderly conduct, harassment, shoplifting, and underage drinking.
The kinds of hearings usually handled in district court are arraignments, traffic hearings, preliminary criminal hearings, and non-jury trials, presided over by the district court judge. If you are expected to appear in court for any of these proceedings, you will receive a notice or summons in the mail or attached to your citation. Your attorney will help you understand what is expected of you at your court date, as well as how you can best prepare for the kind of proceeding you must attend.
Each county in Pennsylvania, including Montgomery County, has numerous district courts. Each district court is responsible for serving specific boroughs and townships or specific voting districts within those areas. There is one elected judge that presides over each district court. To determine which district court you must report to, you may consult your notice or summons or look it up online at https://www.montcopa.org/index.aspx?NID=1413.
Norristown District Courts
As one of the bigger municipal areas in Montgomery County, there are several district courts that serve Norristown. District Court 38-1-15, in particular, serves the following voting districts in Norristown Borough: voting districts 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 2-1, 2-2, and 3-1. District Court 38-1-15 is located at 200 West Main Street in Norristown, and it is presided over by the Honorable Francis J. Lawrence, Jr. To contact the court, you may call 610-279-3332 or send a fax to 610-279-3010.
Although the offenses handled in district court are sometimes referred to as “minor” offenses, the penalties you may suffer if you are convicted are anything but minor. You and your family may have to pay a fine over a hundred dollars, or you may even have to serve time in jail. It is therefore in your and your family’s best interests to prepare for your district court hearing and go in with a strong defense that can help convince Judge Lawrence to reduce your penalties or your sentence, or to dismiss the charges against you completely.
Reach Out To Us Today
Because the stakes can be very high for a hearing in district court, it is important that you work with an experienced attorney who knows the ins and outs of Norristown district courts and can help you practice your defense so you can go in feeling confident and prepared. Our lawyers have been handling similar cases for years, and we are just a phone call away. As soon as you receive your notice or summons to appear in Norristown district court, give us a call to give us plenty of time to work with you prior to your court date.