Which Delaware County district court will hear my preliminary hearing?

Last updated October 4, 2026.

Your preliminary hearing is held at the magisterial district court that covers the municipality, and sometimes the ward, where the offense allegedly happened. Delaware County has 26 district courts on its list effective April 8, 2026. The court number and address are printed on your complaint, summons or citation.

The district court is where nearly every Delaware County criminal and DUI case begins, so it is worth knowing which one is yours and what happens there. For the bigger picture of how we defend these cases, see our criminal defense page.

How does the district court stage work in Delaware County, step by step?

Pennsylvania's venue rule says criminal proceedings are brought before the district judge for the magisterial district where the offense is alleged to have occurred (Pa.R.Crim.P. 130(A)). The Delaware County Public Defender's pretrial unit describes the local path the same way: adult criminal cases start with a preliminary hearing in the district court where the crime allegedly occurred. Our checklist for the first week after a criminal charge covers the days before that hearing. In practice the stage runs like this:

1. Arrest or summons. After an arrest, a person goes through central intake and sees a district judge for a preliminary arraignment, where bail is set. The county's Pre-Trial/Bail unit interviews the person just before that arraignment so it can recommend bail. People charged by summons skip this step and get a mailed hearing date.
2. Notice of the hearing. At the preliminary arraignment the district judge must set the preliminary hearing no later than 14 days away if you are in custody on this case only, or 21 days if you are not, unless extended for cause (Rule 540(G)(1)). You get the date, time and place orally and in writing.
3. The preliminary hearing. The district judge decides whether the Commonwealth has shown a prima facie case. If it has, the case is held for court; if not, the charge is dismissed (Rule 543(B)). The county's flow chart notes that a hearing can also end in reduced charges and that a motion to lower bail can be made there.
4. Diversion decisions. Some programs are decided at the district court. Participants in the county's Misdemeanor Diversion Program waive the preliminary hearing and sign the participation form before leaving the district court, and DUI ARD applicants in Delaware County waive the hearing as well.
5. Transfer to Media. Cases held for court go to the Court of Common Pleas at the Courthouse in Media, covered in what to expect at the Delaware County Courthouse.

What the judge looks for at the hearing, and your rights there, are explained in what happens at a preliminary hearing in Pennsylvania.

Which district court covers my town?

The table follows the county's April 8, 2026 list. Courts that share a building are grouped together. Where a town is split between courts, only the listed wards go to that court, so check your paperwork.

Two entries need care. For District Court 32-1-30 (most of Ridley Township, Eddystone and Rutledge), the county's April 2026 list and its web list, updated August 2026, give different addresses. For District Court 32-2-54, the April list says the court is temporarily housed with 32-2-43 and holds hearings at 32-2-52 in Secane, while the web list gives 56 Powell Road. In both cases, go to the address printed on your own notice, and call the court if you are unsure.

Town guides with the local police and court details: Upper Darby, with six courts by ward.

The three Penn Street courts are explained in City of Chester cases. The Court 32-1-30 address question is covered in Ridley Township cases.

Court 32-2-53 is described in Havertown and Haverford Township cases. Court 32-1-28 is described in cases in Media, PA.

What do the district courts handle besides preliminary hearings?

The county describes the district court as the first level of judicial authority in Pennsylvania and the place where most people meet the court system for the first time. District judges are elected to six-year terms. They hear all traffic cases and other minor criminal cases, civil claims up to $12,000, set bail, and hold preliminary hearings in misdemeanor and felony cases. The courts and the Administrative Office for Magisterial District Judges, at 2 West Baltimore Avenue, Suite 203, in Media, are open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. Staff can explain basic procedure but cannot give legal advice.

Summary cases, such as most traffic citations, disorderly conduct and public drunkenness, are tried in the district court itself. Our page on what a summary offense is and whether it goes on your record covers that trial and the appeal to Media. The district courts also issue emergency protection orders: the county says a district judge usually issues an emergency PFA after 3:00 p.m. on a business day or when the Court of Common Pleas is closed, and it lasts until the next business day.

What changes the answer?

• The ward, not just the town. The City of Chester is split by ward across three courts, Upper Darby across six, and Springfield, Ridley Township, Collingdale, Darby Borough and Upper Chichester across two each. Your address does not decide the court; the place of the alleged offense does.
• Highway traffic arrests. For a Vehicle Code summary offense on a highway, an officer who arrests without a warrant may take the person to the district court that is most convenient to the place of arrest (Rule 130(A)(4)).
• Offenses near a boundary. If the offense is alleged within 100 yards of the boundary between districts, the case may be brought in either district (Rule 130(A)(5)).
• Charges in more than one place. When charges from one criminal episode arise in several districts, they should be brought before one district judge in any of them, and the Commonwealth may transfer them before the hearing (Rule 130(A)(2) and (B)).
• Whether you are in custody. The 14-day versus 21-day hearing deadline depends on custody on this case only (Rule 540(G)(1)).
• Whether you appear. If you miss the hearing without cause after notice, the hearing can go on without you, and if the case is held for court the district judge asks the Court of Common Pleas for a bench warrant (Rule 543(D)(3)). If there was cause, the hearing is continued and no bench warrant issues (543(D)(2)).

For example: two arrests on the same street

Here is a hypothetical. Two people are stopped on the same evening along a road that runs through several wards of Upper Darby Township. One is stopped in Ward 6, Precinct 1; the other a few blocks away in Ward 2. Under the county list, the first case goes to District Court 32-1-33 at the Barclay Square Building on Garrett Road, while the second goes to District Court 32-2-52 in Secane. Same township, same night, different courtrooms and different judges.

Each person's preliminary arraignment notice gives the hearing date, within 21 days because neither is held in custody. The first person, charged with a first DUI, may decide with a lawyer to apply for Delaware County DUI ARD, which means waiving the preliminary hearing; our page on whether to waive your preliminary hearing in a Delaware County DUI case explains that trade. The second, charged with a misdemeanor, keeps the hearing so the defense can test the evidence. This is only an illustration, not a prediction for any real case.

What mistakes do people make at the district court?

• Going to the court nearest home. The right court is set by where the offense allegedly happened and is printed on your paperwork.
• Assuming the address on an old list is current. Two Delaware County courts currently show different addresses on the county's two lists.
• Missing the hearing. An absence without cause can let the case be held for court without you and lead to a bench warrant (Rule 543(D)(3)).
• Waiving the hearing without advice. A waiver can be required for some programs, but it gives up the first chance to test the evidence.
• Ignoring a traffic citation. The county says you must respond within 10 days, and if you still do not respond within 15 days after a suspension notice, the court notifies PennDOT and a warrant can issue.
• Asking court staff what to do. They can explain procedure but are not allowed to give legal advice.

What should I do this week?

1. Find the court number on your paperwork (on a citation, box 1 has the court number and box 2 its address) and match it to the table above.
2. Write down the hearing date and confirm it is within the 14 or 21 days Rule 540(G) allows; ask the court if anything looks wrong.
3. Gather the complaint, the bail papers and any no-contact or protection order, and follow every bail condition.
4. If you were told to report to the Pre-Trial/Bail unit, go to the Courthouse basement in Media on a weekday.
5. Decide with a lawyer whether to hold or waive the hearing before the date arrives, especially if ARD or Misdemeanor Diversion is possible.
6. Plan to arrive early on the hearing day so you are in the courtroom when your case is called.

Our step-by-step guide to what happens after an arrest in Delaware County puts these steps in order from intake to trial.

Frequently asked questions

How many district courts does Delaware County have?

The county's list effective April 8, 2026 shows 26 magisterial district courts, and the Public Defender's office also says there are 26. One older county page still says thirty, so rely on the current list.

Can my preliminary hearing be moved to a court closer to home?

Venue follows the place of the alleged offense, with limited exceptions in Rule 130, such as offenses within 100 yards of a district boundary or charges from one episode in several districts. A transfer between districts is generally the Commonwealth's choice under Rule 130(B).

What happens if the officer or a witness does not show up?

The county's flow chart notes that the hearing is sometimes continued at the prosecution's request when a witness does not appear. If no continuance is requested and the Commonwealth cannot make out a prima facie case, Rule 543(E) requires the complaint to be dismissed.

Can bail be changed at the preliminary hearing?

Yes. The county's flow chart says a motion for bail reduction can be made at the hearing, and Rule 543(C) has the district judge continue or set bail when a case is held for court. For the types of release, see how bail works in Pennsylvania.

Where do I pay a fine for a Delaware County district court case?

The county says every district court uses the state's ePay system, so fines, costs and collateral can be paid online or from the court lobby. If you cannot pay a traffic fine in full, the county says to go to the court in person and ask for a payment plan.

Who handles PFA violations in the district courts?

The county says police either file a complaint with the district judge or advise the victim to file a private complaint, which goes through an interview at the District Attorney's office in Media. A defendant facing that charge should read what happens if you are accused of violating a PFA.

Does the district court decide my DUI license suspension?

No. The county's traffic page says PennDOT decides whether to suspend a license. The criminal case and the PennDOT case run separately; our first-week list for what to do after a DUI arrest in Delaware County covers both.

Questions clients ask about the district court stage

These pages cover the questions that come up before and at a Delaware County district court.

DUI cases

• What happens after a DUI arrest in Delaware County, step by step?
• Am I eligible for ARD after a DUI in Delaware County?
• I live in Delaware or New Jersey and got a DUI in Pennsylvania. What happens?
• Should I accept ARD or fight my DUI in Pennsylvania?

Criminal cases

• Are disorderly conduct and public drunkenness crimes in Pennsylvania?
• Is reckless driving a crime in Pennsylvania?

Protection From Abuse orders

• I was served with a PFA in Delaware County. What happens at the final hearing?

Giribaldi Law has represented clients throughout Delaware County from its Media office since 2001, as our firm overview describes. Attorney Alessandro Giribaldi is a member of the Delaware County Bar Association. Call Giribaldi Law at (610) 891-8303 or contact us online for a free consultation before your preliminary hearing.