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Home » Where do criminal, DUI and family cases go in Delaware County, PA?

Where do criminal, DUI and family cases go in Delaware County, PA?

Last updated October 4, 2026.

In Delaware County, criminal and DUI cases start at one of 26 district courts and finish at the Court of Common Pleas in Media, while every divorce, custody, support and protection from abuse case is handled in Media from the start. People who are held after an arrest go to the George W. Hill Correctional Facility in Thornton. The county runs its own ARD and diversion programs, with deadlines tied to the formal arraignment.

Giribaldi Law's office is at 117-119 N. Olive St. in Media, across from the Delaware County Courthouse. This page connects everything we have written about how cases work here. For our practice overviews, start with our criminal defense page.

How does a Delaware County case move, step by step?

Delaware County covers more than 184 square miles divided into 49 municipalities, but its court system funnels into one place. The county's criminal justice flow chart and court pages describe the path:

  1. Arrest and central intake. People arrested in the county are brought to a central intake center. A preliminary arraignment before a district judge follows within 72 hours, where bail is approved or denied and conditions are set, and the Public Defender interviews the person.
  2. Jail or release. Anyone who cannot post bail is held at the George W. Hill Correctional Facility, 500 Cheyney Road, Thornton. The facility takes cash bail with ID between 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m., and bail can also be posted online. Released people are picked up at the front parking lot on Cheyney Road.
  3. Preliminary hearing. The case is heard at the district court for the place where the offense allegedly happened; our guide to which Delaware County district court hears your case matches every town to its court.
  4. Court of Common Pleas. Cases held for court go to the 32nd Judicial District at the Courthouse, 201 West Front Street in Media, for arraignment, pretrial conference, plea or trial, covered in what to expect at the Delaware County Courthouse.
  5. Supervision and records. Probation, parole and ARD supervision run through Adult Probation and Parole in the Government Center, and record-clearing petitions are filed with the Office of Judicial Support.

Our detailed walk-through of what happens after an arrest in Delaware County covers each stage. Drunk driving cases have their own version in what happens after a DUI arrest in Delaware County.

Where does each kind of case go in Delaware County?

Type of caseWhere it startsWhere it is decidedOur guide
Felony or misdemeanorDistrict court for the place of the offenseCourt of Common Pleas, MediaCourthouse page
DUIDistrict court; PennDOT handles the license separatelyCourt of Common Pleas, MediaDUI arrest steps
Summary offense or traffic citationDistrict courtDistrict court; appeal to Media within 30 daysSummary offenses
Divorce, custody, supportOffice of Judicial Support or Domestic Relations, MediaHearing officer, then a judge if requestedFamily court page
Protection from abuseOffice of Judicial Support, Media; after hours a district judgeCourt of Common Pleas, MediaPFA hearing page
Record clearingOffice of Judicial Support, MediaCourt of Common Pleas, MediaExpungement page
Injury or malpractice lawsuitOffice of Judicial Support, Civil Division, MediaCourt of Common Pleas, Media; claims of $50,000 or less go first to arbitrationInjury deadlines page
Probate of an estateRegister of Wills, Government Center, MediaRegister of Wills; disputes go to the Orphans' Court DivisionDelaware County probate page

Family cases never pass through the district courts except for emergency protection orders after hours. How those cases run, office by office, is in what to expect in Delaware County family court.

Injury lawsuits follow a civil track. Under the county's local rules, a case worth $50,000 or less, not counting interest and costs, is first heard by a board of arbitrators, with a hearing date set no less than 270 days after filing (Local Rules 1301 and 1303). The filing deadline comes first, though, and it is explained in the deadline to file an injury lawsuit in Pennsylvania.

Estates follow a third track. The Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans' Court Division, also in the Government Center at 201 West Front Street, grants letters to executors and administrators and accepts inheritance tax returns as the Department of Revenue's agent. The steps and the county's fees are in how probate works in Delaware County.

What is different about Delaware County's programs?

The District Attorney's office decides who gets diversion, and Delaware County's programs have their own rules and timing. ARD requires a lawyer, fingerprinting, a waiver of formal arraignment and an application packet filed at least 14 days before the formal arraignment; the DA describes probation periods of six months to two years. DUI ARD in Delaware County is tiered by blood alcohol level, and the county's application requires DUI applicants to waive the preliminary hearing. Our page on who is eligible for DUI ARD in Delaware County lists the bars. Our comparison of how DUI ARD differs in Delaware, Chester and Montgomery counties sets the three counties we serve side by side.

For other charges, the county also runs a Misdemeanor Diversion Program for low-level, non-violent misdemeanors (typically eight hours of community service, with no plea entered), a Young Offender Program for low-risk young adults charged with felony marijuana offenses, and treatment courts for drug, mental health and veterans' cases. The DA's page describes the Drug Treatment Court as a voluntary 30-month program with two tracks. These are compared in diversion programs for non-DUI charges in Delaware County.

DUI cases also involve county services in Media: Diagnostic Services in the Courthouse basement performs the CRN evaluation required for every DUI, and Alcohol Highway Safety School has been held in person since January 1, 2024, in Media and in Sharon Hill.

How common are crashes and DUI deaths in Delaware County?

PennDOT's 2025 Crash Facts and Statistics book reports county figures. Delaware County, with a population of 580,937 in that book, recorded 4,351 reportable crashes in 2025, including 28 fatal crashes and 2,004 injury crashes. Its seat belt use in crashes, 76 percent in 2025, was well below Chester and Montgomery counties.

Delaware County20212022202320242025
Reportable crashes5,0254,9004,5354,5324,351
Traffic deaths2526253229
Alcohol-related deaths511844
Pedestrian deaths596510
Seat belt use in crashes (%)7373737476

PennDOT defines an "alcohol-related" crash as one where a driver was reported to have been drinking or a drinking pedestrian was involved, and warns that it does not necessarily mean the driver who caused the crash was drunk. These are statewide statistics, not evidence in any individual case. A crash that injures someone changes a DUI case sharply, as our page on DUI crashes with injuries explains. For the people hurt in a crash, what they can claim depends partly on their own auto policy; see limited tort versus full tort.

Which towns does this cover?

Our homepage lists the Delaware County communities we serve, including Media, Chester, Ridley Park, Brookhaven, Springfield, Upper Darby, Aston, Chadds Ford and Havertown. Each sends its criminal cases to a particular district court under the county's April 8, 2026 list:

  • Media (with Swarthmore and Nether Providence): District Court 32-1-28, 349 West Baltimore Avenue, Media. Upper Providence has its own court, 32-2-46, on North Providence Road. Details: cases in Media, PA.
  • City of Chester: three courts at 529 Penn Street, split by ward; see City of Chester cases.
  • Upper Darby: three courts at the Barclay Square Building, 1500 Garrett Road, plus courts in Secane, Havertown and Springfield for some wards; see Upper Darby cases.
  • Havertown and Haverford Township: District Court 32-2-53, 525 West Chester Pike; see Havertown and Haverford Township cases.
  • Springfield: District Courts 32-1-32 and 32-2-54, both listed at 56 Powell Road.
  • Ridley Township: most wards go to District Court 32-1-30 (the county's two lists give different addresses), and Ward 4 goes to Springfield; see Ridley Township cases. Ridley Park goes to 32-2-44 in Prospect Park.
  • Brookhaven: 32-2-39, 2 Cambridge Road. Aston: 32-2-38, 2901 Dutton Mill Road. Chadds Ford: 32-2-49, 485 Baltimore Pike, Glen Mills. Radnor: 32-2-43, 4655 West Chester Pike, Newtown Square.

What changes the answer?

  • The place of the offense. Venue follows where the offense allegedly happened, not where you live (Pa.R.Crim.P. 130).
  • Custody after arrest. The preliminary hearing must be set within 14 days if you are in custody on this case only, otherwise 21 days (Pa.R.Crim.P. 540(G)).
  • Your record and the charge. State law bars DUI ARD after certain priors and crashes (75 Pa.C.S. 3807), and the DA lists offenses that usually make a person ineligible for ARD and treatment courts.
  • Whether you waive the preliminary hearing. Misdemeanor Diversion and Delaware County DUI ARD require a waiver; our page on whether to waive a preliminary hearing in a Delaware County DUI weighs it.
  • Whether it is a family matter. Family cases follow civil rules and start with a hearing officer or conciliator, not a district judge.

For example: one weekend, two cases

Here is a hypothetical. On a Saturday night, a driver is arrested in Upper Darby for DUI and released with a summons; the same weekend, a separated parent in Aston is served with a temporary protection from abuse order. The driver's case goes to the district court that covers that Upper Darby ward, where the first decision is whether to apply for ARD and waive the preliminary hearing. The parent's case goes straight to Media, where the final PFA hearing is listed within 10 business days, in Courtroom 1 on a Thursday under the county handbook.

Both people end up in the same Courthouse complex, but through different doors and on different clocks. The driver's next deadline is the ARD paperwork, 14 days before formal arraignment; the parent's is the hearing itself. This is only an illustration of how the county routes cases, not a prediction of any outcome.

What mistakes do people make in Delaware County?

  • Going to the nearest district court. The right court is printed on your paperwork and depends on the ward where the offense happened.
  • Waiting until arraignment to think about ARD. The packet is due 14 days before it.
  • Bringing a card to post bail at the jail. The facility takes cash with ID after hours; online posting is the alternative.
  • Assuming family court works like criminal court. Family cases start with conciliators and hearing officers and have their own deadlines, such as 20 days to appeal a support order.
  • Ignoring PennDOT letters. The license case runs separately from the court case; see when PennDOT suspends your license.

What should I do this week?

  1. Read your paperwork for the court number, the next date and any bail conditions.
  2. Match the court to the town using our district court guide.
  3. If the case is a DUI, follow our first-week checklist after a DUI arrest in Delaware County.
  4. If someone is held at George W. Hill, plan bail: cash with ID at the facility overnight, or online.
  5. For a family case, collect income records and calendar the first conference date.
  6. Book a consultation before the first hearing.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Delaware County Courthouse?

At 201 West Front Street in Media, at Front and Orange Streets. Public offices are open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except holidays.

Where is the Delaware County jail?

The George W. Hill Correctional Facility is at 500 Cheyney Road, Thornton. The county says released people are picked up at the front lot on Cheyney Road and are given SEPTA fare; Route 119 runs between Cheyney University and the Chester Transportation Center.

How many district courts are in Delaware County?

Twenty-six, on the county's list effective April 8, 2026. Several share buildings, including three at 529 Penn Street in Chester and three at 1500 Garrett Road in Upper Darby.

Are all Delaware County family cases heard in Media?

Yes. Divorce, custody, support and PFA cases are heard at the Courthouse complex in Media; only after-hours emergency PFA orders come from district judges elsewhere.

Does Delaware County have a drug court?

The DA's office describes a voluntary 30-month Drug Treatment Court for non-violent offenders, with early graduation possible at 24 months, as well as mental health and veterans treatment courts. Certain offenses, including serious DUI or drug charges, disqualify applicants.

Can a Delaware County criminal record be cleared?

Often, depending on the outcome. Petitions are filed with the Office of Judicial Support in Media; see expungement, limited access and Clean Slate.

Do you also handle cases in Chester and Montgomery counties?

Yes. Montgomery County's process is described in what to expect at the Montgomery County Courthouse. Our overview of criminal and DUI cases in Montgomery County matches its towns to their district courts.

Questions clients ask about cases in Delaware County

Each of these pages answers a question that comes up in Delaware County cases, from the first hearing to clearing a record.

DUI cases

Criminal cases

Protection From Abuse orders

Family cases

Injury and malpractice cases

Wills and estates

Giribaldi Law has served Delaware County from Media since 2001, as our firm overview describes. Call (610) 891-8303 or contact us online for a free consultation; evening and weekend appointments are available.

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