The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was amended in 1968, and some of the greatest changes were in the judiciary article. A unified Court system was established whereby all Courts in the Commonwealth were brought within the administrative control of the Supreme Court. This administrative control is carried our through the office of the State Court Administrator.

The old Criminal Courts of Oyer and Terminer, General Jail Delivery, and Quarter Sessions of the Peace are abolished.

All of the judicial power and authority in Counties such as York is now vested in a single Court of Common Pleas, which has unlimited jurisdiction in all cases except as may otherwise be provided by law.

Matters involving guardianships, marriage licenses, adoptions, birth and death records, and estates of decedents are handled by the Clerk of the Orphans Court. The President Judge of the Court of Common Pleas shall assign one or more judges to the Orphans Court Division.

All civil and criminal matters, other than matters that by statute are heard in the Orphan's Court Division, are heard in the civil or criminal divisions of the Court of Common Pleas. The same judges hear matters in each of these divisions, and the President Judge is responsible for the assignment of the work and the general administration of the work of the Court.

By reasons of the provisions in the new judiciary article, there were nineteen magisterial districts established for the County, with one Magisterial District Judge for each district. Common Pleas Court Judges are elected for terms of ten years and Magisterial District Judges for terms of six years. Both are subject to mandatory retirement at age seventy. Both are prohibited from political activity except in furtherance of their own candidacy for re-election or retention.

Common Pleas Court Judges who are candidates for retention do not have their names on the ballot of any political party, but a question is on the ballot or voting machine: "Shall Judge be retained in office for another term of ten years?" If the majority votes "Yes", the Judge is retained. If the majority votes "No", a vacancy will exist at the expiration of the current term, which will be filled by an election.

The Supreme Court has delegated the duty of supervision of the District Courts to the President Judge of the Court of Common Pleas.

York County has a District Court Administrator who assists the President Judge with all of the administrative responsibilities on the County level.

 

Court of Common Pleas
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Court Info
Court Schedule (PDF File)   2010 Court Calendar (PDF File)   Local Civil Court Rules of Court  Rules of Judicial Administration   Divorce Master Hearings   Judicial Center List of Prohibited Items (PDF File)   Fee Standards   List of Common Pleas Court Judges

Court of Common Pleas

45 North George Street

York, PA 17401

717-771-9234

 

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