THE COURTS OF YORK COUNTY |
York
County Courthouse
45 North George Street
York, PA 17401
771-9234
Fee Standards
| PRESIDENT JUDGE | Honorable John H. Chronister |
| JUDGE | Honorable Sheryl Ann Dorney |
| JUDGE | Honorable John C. Uhler |
| JUDGE | Honorable Penny L. Blackwell |
| JUDGE | Honorable Michael J. Brillhart |
| JUDGE | Honorable John S. Kennedy |
| JUDGE | Honorable John W. Thompson, Jr. |
| JUDGE | Honorable Gregory M. Snyder |
| JUDGE | Honorable Stephen P. Linebaugh |
| JUDGE | Honorable Richard K. Renn |
| JUDGE | Honorable Thomas H. Kelley, IV |
| JUDGE | Honorable Michael E. Bortner |
SENIOR JUDGE |
Honorable Joseph E. Erb |
| SENIOR JUDGE | Honorable Emanuel A. Cassimatis |
| SENIOR JUDGE | Honorable John T. Miller |
| SENIOR JUDGE | Honorable Richard H. Horn |
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 he provided by law.
The Orphan's Court is now carried on in the Orphan' s Court Division of the Court of Common Pleas. The President judge of the Court of Common Pleas shall assign one or more members to the Orphan' s 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 eighteen magisterial districts established for the County, with one District Justice for each district. Judges are elected for terms of ten years and District Justices 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.
Judges who are candidates for re-election 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 Justices 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.