What should I expect at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown for a criminal or DUI case?

Last updated October 4, 2026.

A Montgomery County criminal or DUI case starts at one of 30 district courts and, once held for court, moves to the Montgomery County Courthouse at 2 E. Airy Street in Norristown. The biggest local difference is ARD: the District Attorney expects most applicants to waive both the preliminary hearing and formal arraignment, and to finish community service and pay costs before admission.

Our Media office is a short drive from the Montgomery County courts, where we regularly appear. For an overview of how we defend criminal charges, see our criminal defense page.

How does a Montgomery County case move through the Courthouse, step by step?

1. District court. The case is filed in the magisterial district court for the place where the offense allegedly happened (Pa.R.Crim.P. 130). Montgomery County's list effective January 5, 2026 shows 30 district courts, each with its own hours; three of them, 38-1-15, 38-1-16 and 38-2-09, share 601 DeKalb Street in Norristown. Local details are on our Norristown page. Upper Merion cases are covered on King of Prussia and Upper Merion. Ardmore and Narberth cases are on Lower Merion and Ardmore. Cases at 1 Security Plaza are on our Pottstown page.
2. Bail. Bail is set at the preliminary arraignment. Under Montgomery County Local Rule 530, the county's Pretrial Services Division is the bail agency for the 38th Judicial District.
3. Preliminary hearing. The district judge decides whether there is a prima facie case. A Montgomery County local rule lets the defense make an audio recording of the hearing, but only after telling the district judge before it starts, and never a video recording (Local Rule 542(H)).
4. ARD decision point. The DA's office asks for a written ARD application as soon as possible after the preliminary hearing, and generally requires a waiver of the preliminary hearing and formal arraignment for admission.
5. Court of Common Pleas. Cases held for court go to the Courthouse in Norristown, where Court Administration prepares the criminal trial lists, including ARD and license suspension lists, and posts criminal court calendars online.
6. Plea, trial or sentence. The case ends with ARD, a plea, a trial verdict or a dismissal; sentences to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility, including DUI weekend sentences, are served at 60 Eagleville Road.

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

Where do I go inside the Montgomery County Courthouse?

Montgomery County's mailing address for the Courthouse offices is P.O. Box 311, Norristown. Always use the courtroom and time on your notice, and check the online criminal calendar the day before.

How does ARD work in Montgomery County?

The Montgomery County DA describes ARD as generally available to first-time offenders with no prior criminal conviction and no prior ARD. Applications go to the DA's ARD Unit on the fourth floor, by email or mail, and police and victims get a chance to comment. If approved, the applicant is normally placed on probation, ordered to pay fines and costs and to complete community service, and is admitted by a judge of the Court of Common Pleas. After completion, the person may petition to expunge the record.

Adult Probation's ARD page adds steps that surprise people from other counties:

• Community service hours must be completed before the ARD date, scheduled through the ARD Unit's Community Service Division.
• All court costs must be paid before admission unless a hardship request is granted, and a hardship request must reach the ARD Division at least one week before the ARD deadline.
• The total on the acceptance letter is an estimate; the docket on the state court portal, or the Clerk of Courts, has the actual amount due.
• Supervision on ARD is generally by a remote reporting service rather than office visits: you report once a month on the day of the month you were born.

The DA's page itself says both that people should apply soon after the preliminary hearing and that they generally must waive the preliminary hearing to get ARD, so timing should be planned with a lawyer from the first week. Our side-by-side comparison of DUI ARD in Delaware, Chester and Montgomery counties shows how this differs from Media.

What extra steps does a Montgomery County DUI involve?

Every DUI charge requires a Court Reporting Network evaluation, which the county's DUI Unit schedules and which usually takes 45 minutes to an hour. A full drug and alcohol assessment, done through the county's provider Rise Above, is required when there is a prior DUI, the driver was under 21, a controlled substance was involved, the driver refused testing, or the BAC was 0.16% or higher. Out-of-county residents also complete their assessment through Rise Above. Alcohol Highway Safety School is a 12.5-hour classroom course, offered over two consecutive Saturdays in Norristown or Willow Grove or two consecutive weekdays in Lansdale, and the DUI Unit schedules it after the CRN. The DUI program takes payment only through ePay, not cash or checks.

The license side runs separately. Adult Probation's ARD page says an ARD license suspension, if one applies, takes effect within 60 days, with notice from PennDOT. For the suspension rules themselves, read when PennDOT suspends your license after a DUI.

How is bail paid and refunded in Montgomery County?

The Clerk of Courts takes bail Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. For in-person bail, cash is the only form of payment, the person posting must be at least 18 and must bring photo ID. If the defendant is held at the Correctional Facility, cash bail can be paid there after hours, on weekends and on holidays. Wire transfers take one to two business days, and when bail is wired the defendant is automatically listed as the surety.

The Clerk warns that a surety is responsible for the full bail amount, that a refund requires the defendant to attend every scheduled hearing, and that the court may apply bail money to unpaid fines or costs. The five types of release, and how a judge chooses among them, are covered in how bail works in Pennsylvania.

What changes the answer?

• Prior record. The DA's ARD page limits the program generally to people with no prior conviction or ARD, and the DUI statute adds its own bars (75 Pa.C.S. 3807). If ARD is not available, our page on whether to accept ARD or fight a DUI weighs the choice.
• Whether the preliminary hearing is held or waived. A hearing tests the evidence (Pa.R.Crim.P. 542 and 543); a waiver is generally required for Montgomery County ARD.
• Whether you can pay costs by the ARD deadline. Unpaid costs can delay admission unless a hardship request is filed a week ahead.
• Whether the charge is a summary offense. A summary conviction in a district court can be appealed to the Clerk of Courts within 30 days of the hearing for a new trial (Pa.R.Crim.P. 460), and a late appeal needs a motion to file nunc pro tunc. See what a summary offense is in Pennsylvania.
• Where you live. A PennDOT license suspension appeal is filed with the Prothonotary of the county where you live, not with the Montgomery County Clerk of Courts. Drivers from New Jersey or Delaware should read our page for out-of-state drivers charged with DUI in Pennsylvania.
• The sentence. People sentenced to report on their own, such as for a weekend sentence, must arrive at the Correctional Facility on the date and time on their commitment papers, with two copies of those papers, free of drugs and alcohol.

How busy are the Montgomery County criminal courts?

The District Attorney's 2025 annual report gives a sense of scale. In 2025 the office docketed 6,676 criminal cases and recorded 1,009 ARD dispositions, with ARD participants completing 30,489 hours of community service, often on crews that clean up Norristown and Pottstown. The office also handled 674 summary appeals and 281 indirect criminal contempt hearings, and it works with the county's 50 municipal police departments. The report describes separate community justice units that prosecute cases arising in Norristown and in Pottstown. Those are the DA's figures, published by the county; they describe caseload, not any individual outcome.

For example: a weekend DUI stop in King of Prussia

Here is a hypothetical. A first-time driver is stopped in Upper Merion Township on a Saturday night and charged with DUI. The case is filed at the district court that covers that part of the township, and the driver is released with a hearing date. With a lawyer, the driver asks the DA's ARD Unit to consider an application soon after charges are filed, and is told that admission will require waiving the preliminary hearing and formal arraignment.

The driver schedules the CRN evaluation with the DUI Unit, which then books two Saturday classes in Norristown. Community service is arranged with the ARD Unit and finished before the ARD date, and the costs listed on the docket are paid at the Clerk of Courts on the second floor. A judge admits the driver into ARD in Norristown, supervision begins by monthly remote check-in, and any PennDOT suspension takes effect within 60 days, with notice by mail. This is only an illustration; real cases depend on their facts and the DA's discretion.

What mistakes do people make in Montgomery County?

• Waiting on community service. Hours must be done before the ARD date, not during the program.
• Bringing a card or check for in-person bail. The Clerk accepts only cash for in-person bail.
• Filing a license appeal in the wrong office. It goes to the Prothonotary where you live, not the Clerk of Courts.
• Missing the 30-day summary appeal window. After 30 days, only a nunc pro tunc motion is possible.
• Relying on the acceptance letter total. The county says it is an estimate; check the docket.
• Video recording a preliminary hearing. Montgomery County allows audio only, and only after telling the district judge.

What should I do this week?

1. Find your district court number on the complaint or citation and check its hours on the county list; several open as early as 7:30 a.m. and close to the public by 3:00 p.m.
2. Calendar the preliminary hearing and any PennDOT deadlines.
3. For a DUI, call the DUI Unit to schedule the CRN evaluation.
4. Talk with a lawyer about ARD before deciding whether to hold or waive the preliminary hearing.
5. If someone is held at the Correctional Facility, plan bail: cash at the Clerk of Courts during the day, or at the facility after hours.
6. Look up the case on the state court portal and keep every notice.

Our step-by-step guide to what happens after an arrest follows the same statewide stages, with Delaware County details for comparison.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Montgomery County Courthouse?

At 2 E. Airy Street in Norristown, with county office hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. The Clerk of Courts is on the second floor and the DA's ARD Unit on the fourth floor.

Do I have to waive my preliminary hearing for Montgomery County ARD?

The DA's page says an applicant generally must waive the preliminary hearing and formal arraignment to receive ARD. It also says to apply as soon as possible after the preliminary hearing, so discuss timing with a lawyer early.

Can I pay Montgomery County court costs online?

Yes. Adult Probation's ARD page says costs can be paid in person or by mail at the Clerk of Courts, online through the state court portal, or by phone. Checks and money orders by mail must arrive at least two weeks before the ARD date.

How do I report on Montgomery County ARD?

The county says ARD participants generally report through a remote monitoring service instead of in person, once a month on the date matching their birthday. Missing check-ins can lead to in-person reporting at Adult Probation.

Where are DUI classes held in Montgomery County?

The county's Alcohol Highway Safety School is held in Norristown and Willow Grove on two consecutive Saturdays, or in Lansdale on two consecutive weekdays. The DUI Unit schedules the class after the CRN evaluation.

Can a Montgomery County ARD record be expunged?

The DA's page says that after successful completion the applicant may petition the court to expunge the record. Our page on whether a DUI can be expunged or sealed covers what PennDOT keeps afterward.

Is Montgomery County different from Delaware County?

Yes, in timing and steps: Delaware County requires ARD papers 14 days before formal arraignment, while Montgomery County focuses on the period after the preliminary hearing and on completing service and costs before admission. Compare what to expect at the Delaware County Courthouse.

Questions clients ask about cases at the Montgomery County Courthouse

These pages explain Pennsylvania rules that apply to cases in Norristown as much as anywhere in the state.

DUI cases

• What happens if I refused a breath or blood test in Pennsylvania?
• Can I drive during a DUI suspension in Pennsylvania, and what changes with the new ignition interlock license?
• Is a third DUI a felony in Pennsylvania?
• What is the two-hour rule for DUI tests in Pennsylvania?
• What if my DUI involved a crash with injuries in Pennsylvania?
• What does a DUI mean for a commercial driver's license in Pennsylvania?

Criminal cases

• Can I clear my criminal record in Pennsylvania? (expungement, limited access and Clean Slate)
• What are the maximum penalties for each grade of crime in Pennsylvania?
• How serious is a robbery or burglary charge in Pennsylvania?
• Is retail theft a felony in Pennsylvania?
• How does the value of property change a theft charge in Pennsylvania?
• How long does sex offender registration last in Pennsylvania?
• Are disorderly conduct and public drunkenness crimes in Pennsylvania?
• Is reckless driving a crime in Pennsylvania?

Protection From Abuse orders

• What happens if I am accused of violating a PFA order in Pennsylvania?
• Do I have to give up my guns when a PFA is entered in Pennsylvania?

For an overview of the county, see our page on criminal and DUI cases in Montgomery County. Call Giribaldi Law at (610) 891-8303 or contact us online for a free consultation about a Montgomery County case.