Where does a Lower Merion or Ardmore criminal or DUI case go?

Last updated October 4, 2026.

A Lower Merion case starts in one building with three courts. District Courts 38-1-06, 38-2-04 and 38-1-07 all sit at 925 Montgomery Avenue in Narberth, and each covers part of the township. A case held for court then moves to the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown.

Most local charges are filed by the Township of Lower Merion Police Department at 71 East Lancaster Avenue in Ardmore. The court list comes from Montgomery County's 2026 directory of magisterial district courts.

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

Which court in the Narberth building is mine?

All three are at 925 Montgomery Avenue, Narberth. The county lists the same hours for each: the office is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and open to the public 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The county also shows Court 38-1-07 as vacant and assigned to a senior district judge, so a different judge than you expect may preside there.

The county list describes each court's area only as "part of" the township, without street maps. Your complaint, citation or summons names the court and suite, so go by your papers rather than by the closest door. The full county list is summarized on our Montgomery County overview.

How does a Lower Merion case move, step by step?

1. The stop or arrest, usually by Lower Merion police.
2. Preliminary arraignment and bail. Montgomery County's Pretrial Services Division is the bail agency. The Clerk of Courts in Norristown takes in-person bail in cash only, and people held go to the county correctional facility in Eagleville. The payment rules are on our Norristown page. The bail types are in how bail works in Pennsylvania.
3. The preliminary hearing in the Narberth building. If you are held only on this case it must be scheduled within 14 days of the preliminary arraignment, or 21 days if you are released (Pa.R.Crim.P. 540(G)); see the preliminary hearing.
4. ARD or the trial track. Montgomery County'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 Lower Merion Police Department?

The department's township page lists its headquarters at 71 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, with separate command lines for the Superintendent of Police, the Operations Division and Staff Services. The township's own contact address is 75 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore. The police pages include a FAQ, a services section and a transparency section, and the township offers a mobile app called LM Report-It.

For a person charged with a crime, the police department matters in two ways. First, its officers write the complaint and are usually the main witnesses at the preliminary hearing. Second, reports, body camera video and other records are evidence the defense will want. In a pending case, video and reports usually come through discovery from the District Attorney after arraignment. The DA's Office says it uses Axon Justice, a secure digital evidence management system, to share discovery with defense attorneys; the deadlines are explained in arraignment and the motions that follow, which use the same statewide rules.

Is a Lower Merion parking ticket a criminal matter?

No. The township runs a Parking Services Department that lists parking tickets online, permits and forms, the E-Z Park smart card and Parkmobile. Those are separate from criminal or traffic charges filed in a district court. A traffic citation for a moving violation, or a summary criminal citation such as disorderly conduct, is different: it goes to one of the three Narberth courts, and paying it is a guilty plea under the statewide rules. See summary offenses in Pennsylvania for what that plea means.

Who prosecutes cases from Lower Merion?

The Montgomery County District Attorney's Office prosecutes every adult criminal case in the county. Its 2025 annual report says the Trials Division handles all adult criminal cases, typically 6,500 to 8,500 a year less those diverted, and that its prosecutors are responsible for their cases from preliminary hearings through trial and sentencing. The report lists dedicated community justice units only for Norristown and Pottstown; it does not describe one for Lower Merion.

The same report describes a Juvenile Division that runs the Youth Aid Panel program for young people ages 10 to 18 charged with non-violent, low-level offenses such as retail theft, trespassing, disorderly conduct and low-level drug possession. Eligible juveniles meet with a panel of trained adult volunteers instead of a juvenile court judge.

What changes the answer?

• Which part of the township. Three courts share the building; your papers name the right one.
• Narberth and West Conshohocken. Those boroughs also use this building, through 38-1-07 and 38-1-06.
• A DUI. Adult Probation lists Alcohol Highway Safety School as two Saturdays in Norristown or Willow Grove, or two weekdays in Lansdale; see the DUI process after an arrest for the shared statewide steps.
• Drug charges. Possession, intent to deliver and small-amount marijuana are graded under the statewide law; see drug possession penalties.
• ARD eligibility. The DA describes ARD as generally for first-time offenders, with costs and community service done before the ARD date.
• Age. A juvenile may be eligible for the Youth Aid Panel instead of juvenile court.

For example: a DUI stop on Lancaster Avenue

Here is a hypothetical. A driver is stopped by Lower Merion police on Lancaster Avenue late on a Saturday and charged with DUI after a blood test. He is released and later receives a summons naming District Court 38-2-04, Suite 200, at 925 Montgomery Avenue. He works in Center City and plans to drop by after work, then sees the county list the court as open to the public only until 4:00 p.m., so he arranges the morning off.

He has no prior record, so his lawyer looks at ARD, which in Montgomery County generally means waiving the preliminary hearing and finishing community service and costs before the ARD date. He also watches for PennDOT mail, because a license suspension runs on its own track; see when PennDOT suspends a license after a DUI. This example only shows the local path; it does not predict a result.

What mistakes do people make with Lower Merion cases?

• Walking into the wrong suite. Three courts share one address.
• Assuming the court is in Ardmore. The police are in Ardmore; the courts are in Narberth.
• Arriving after 4:00 p.m. That is when the courts close to the public.
• Paying a citation without advice. Payment is a guilty plea.
• Treating a parking ticket and a citation alike. One goes to Parking Services, the other to a court.
• Ignoring PennDOT. License suspensions run separately from the court case.

What should I do this week?

1. Find the court number and suite on your papers.
2. Follow every bail condition.
3. Write down what happened, with times and places.
4. Keep any PennDOT notices and note their deadlines.
5. Read the first-week checklist after a criminal charge; the statewide steps apply here.
6. Book a consultation before the preliminary hearing.

Frequently asked questions

Where are the Lower Merion district courts?

All three are at 925 Montgomery Avenue, Narberth, in Suites 100, 200 and 300.

Where is the Lower Merion police station?

At 71 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, on the same street as the township's 75 East Lancaster Avenue address.

What hours are the courts open?

The county lists 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for the public, with the office open until 4:30 p.m.

Does Narberth use the same courts?

Yes. Narberth Borough is in District Court 38-1-07, and West Conshohocken is in 38-1-06, both in the same building.

Where does the case go after the preliminary hearing?

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

Do you handle King of Prussia cases too?

Yes; see King of Prussia and Upper Merion cases. We also cover Pottstown cases.

Call Giribaldi Law at (610) 891-8303 or contact us online for a free consultation about a Lower Merion, Ardmore or Narberth case. Evening and weekend appointments are available.