Where does a King of Prussia or Upper Merion criminal or DUI case go?

Last updated October 4, 2026.

A King of Prussia case starts at one of two district courts. Upper Merion Township is split between District Court 38-1-09 at 168 Allendale Road and District Court 38-1-25 at 128 West Fourth Street in Bridgeport. A case held for court then moves to the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown.

Most local charges are filed by the Upper Merion Township Police Department at 175 West Valley Forge Road. The court list comes from Montgomery County's 2026 directory of magisterial district courts, and the second court also serves Bridgeport Borough.

Giribaldi Law appears in the Montgomery County courts from its Media office. For the county overview, see our Montgomery County page.

Which court covers my part of Upper Merion?

The county list shows Court 38-1-25 as vacant and assigned to a senior district judge. The court that hears your case is printed on your complaint or citation; the county list does not map individual streets, so rely on your papers. The full county list is summarized in our Montgomery County overview.

How does an Upper Merion case move, step by step?

1. The stop or arrest by Upper Merion police, or another agency within the township.
2. Preliminary arraignment and bail. Montgomery County's Pretrial Services Division is the bail agency, and bail is posted at the Clerk of Courts in Norristown or, after hours, at the county correctional facility. The payment rules are on our Norristown page. The bail types are in how bail works.
3. The preliminary hearing at 38-1-09 or 38-1-25, within 14 days if held only on this case or 21 days if released (Pa.R.Crim.P. 540(G)); see the preliminary hearing.
4. ARD or the trial track. Montgomery's ARD steps are compared in how ARD differs in Delaware, Chester and Montgomery counties.
5. The Courthouse in Norristown for formal arraignment, trial and sentencing; see what to expect at the Montgomery County Courthouse.

What should I know about the Upper Merion Township Police?

The department's public CrimeWatch page lists its address as 175 West Valley Forge Road, King of Prussia, and offers several services online: incident report information, a form to request extra police patrols, a form to file a complaint against an officer, and PennDOT's AA600 self-report accident form. It also links to Victim Services of Montgomery County, Montgomery County Mobile Crisis and the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office.

The self-report accident form matters for drivers. PennDOT's AA600 is the driver's own crash report, separate from any police report. If a crash leads to criminal charges, such as DUI with injuries, what you write on any report can become evidence, so it is worth talking to a lawyer first; see what happens when a DUI involves a crash with injuries.

Where do I handle license issues near King of Prussia?

A DUI or refusal can bring a PennDOT suspension that runs separately from the court case. PennDOT lists a REAL ID center at 143 South Gulph Road, King of Prussia, among its driver license and photo locations. Restoring a license after a suspension and getting a new photo license are PennDOT matters, not court matters. When and why PennDOT suspends a license after a DUI is explained in when PennDOT suspends a license. The new ignition interlock rules are in driving during a DUI suspension.

Who prosecutes retail theft and other cases from King of Prussia?

Every adult criminal case in Montgomery County is prosecuted by the District Attorney's Office. Its 2025 annual report says the Trials Division handles all adult criminal cases, typically between 6,500 and 8,500 a year less those resolved through diversion, and that its prosecutors stay with a case from the preliminary hearing through trial and sentencing. In practice, the lawyer who appears for the Commonwealth at the Allendale Road or Bridgeport hearing is often the one you will see again in Norristown.

The same report describes a Major Crimes Unit that focuses on violent non-fatal crimes, burglaries, robberies and organized retail crime, among other serious offenses. A single shoplifting citation is usually handled as an ordinary summary or misdemeanor case. When police allege a group effort or repeated thefts across stores, the charges, the grading and the unit handling the file can all change, which is why the facts in the complaint matter so much at the start.

What if the person charged is a teenager?

Juvenile cases follow a different track from adult cases. The District Attorney's Juvenile Division prosecutes crimes committed by juveniles in Montgomery County and runs the Youth Aid Panel program, which the Upper Merion police also list among their community resources. According to the DA's 2025 report, the program is designed for young people ages 10 to 18 who commit non-violent, low-level offenses such as retail theft, vandalism, trespassing, disorderly conduct and low-level drug possession.

Instead of appearing before a juvenile court judge, an eligible young person meets with a panel of trained adult volunteers from the community. Participants may receive educational assignments, community service and, sometimes, restitution. The report says 774 juveniles were enrolled in 2025 and that more than 12,800 have completed the program since it began in 2000 without a juvenile record. Whether a particular case qualifies is a decision for the prosecutor, so parents should ask early.

What changes the answer?

• Which part of Upper Merion. Two courts split the township; your papers name yours.
• Bridgeport. Bridgeport Borough cases also go to 38-1-25.
• Retail and theft cases. Theft charges are graded by value and priors under the statewide statute; see whether retail theft is a felony.
• ARD. The Montgomery DA describes ARD as generally for first-time offenders, with community service and costs completed before admission.
• A DUI. Adult Probation lists Alcohol Highway Safety School as two consecutive Saturdays in Norristown or Willow Grove, or two consecutive weekdays in Lansdale.
• Court hours. 38-1-09 closes to the public at 3:00 p.m., earlier than some courts.

For example: a theft charge and an early court closing

Here is a hypothetical. A shopper is cited in King of Prussia for retail theft of goods worth less than $150, a first offense. The citation lists District Court 38-1-09 at 168 Allendale Road. She plans to go after work, but the county lists the court as open to the public only until 3:00 p.m., so she arranges to go earlier.

A first retail theft under $150 is a summary offense, but it counts as a prior if she is charged again, and paying the citation is a guilty plea. She talks with a lawyer before responding within the ten-day window. This example only illustrates the local path; it does not predict any result.

What mistakes do people make with Upper Merion cases?

• Going to the wrong court. Upper Merion has two.
• Arriving after public hours. 38-1-09 closes to the public at 3:00 p.m.
• Paying a citation without advice. It is a guilty plea.
• Filing a self-report crash form without thinking. It can become evidence.
• Treating PennDOT and the court as one process. They are separate.
• Missing ARD requirements. Costs and service come before admission in Montgomery County.

What should I do this week?

1. Find the court number and hours for your case.
2. Follow every bail condition.
3. Write down what happened and keep receipts or messages.
4. If PennDOT sent a notice, note its deadlines.
5. Read the first-week checklist after a criminal charge; the statewide steps apply here.
6. Book a consultation before the first hearing.

Frequently asked questions

Which court handles King of Prussia?

District Court 38-1-09 at 168 Allendale Road covers part of Upper Merion; 38-1-25 in Bridgeport covers another part, along with Bridgeport Borough.

Where is the Upper Merion police station?

At 175 West Valley Forge Road, King of Prussia, according to the department's CrimeWatch page.

Where is the nearest PennDOT center?

PennDOT lists a REAL ID center at 143 South Gulph Road, King of Prussia.

Where does the case go after the preliminary hearing?

To the Montgomery County Courthouse at 2 East Airy Street, Norristown.

Is there a diversion option for a teenager?

The DA's Youth Aid Panel program handles some non-violent, low-level juvenile offenses outside juvenile court, for ages 10 to 18.

Do you handle Lower Merion cases too?

Yes; see Lower Merion and Ardmore cases. We also cover Pottstown cases.

Call Giribaldi Law at (610) 891-8303 or contact us online for a free consultation about a King of Prussia or Upper Merion case. Evening and weekend appointments are available.