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Pennsylvania Local Directory

Pennsylvania City & County Seat Directory

All 56 incorporated Pennsylvania cities and all 67 county seats — municipality class, the Court of Common Pleas that hears injury cases from that community, its judicial district, courthouse address and published phone, and the magisterial district court where an official directory publishes the assignment.

Court details come from the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System and county court directories. Magisterial district numbers are shown only where an official source publishes the municipality-to-district map; otherwise use the UJS magisterial district judge directory. Confirm any address or number with the court before relying on it for a filing deadline.

Showing 99 of 99 municipalities

Which Pennsylvania court will handle your case

Which Pennsylvania court hears my injury case?
Personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits are filed in the Court of Common Pleas for a county where venue is proper under Pa. R.C.P. 1006 (and Pa. R.C.P. 2179 for corporate defendants). Magisterial district courts handle small civil claims — currently up to $12,000 under 42 Pa. C.S. § 1515(a)(3) — not serious injury claims.
What is a magisterial district court?
Magisterial district courts are Pennsylvania's first-tier trial courts. Each district is identified by a number in the form judicial-district-court-office (for example 05-2-27). They handle summary offenses, preliminary arraignments, landlord-tenant matters, and small civil claims. Philadelphia is the exception: it uses the Philadelphia Municipal Court instead.
Does it matter which municipality the crash happened in?
Yes. The municipality determines the responding police department and the crash report you will need, and it sits inside the county that fixes your venue and your magisterial district. It can also matter for liability: a claim against a borough, township, or city is a claim against a local agency, which requires written notice within six months (42 Pa. C.S. § 5522) and is subject to the damages cap in 42 Pa. C.S. § 8553.
How long do I have to file in Pennsylvania?
Two years from the date of injury for most personal injury and wrongful death claims (42 Pa. C.S. § 5524; 42 Pa. C.S. § 5524(2)). Claims involving a government body carry the additional six-month notice requirement. Missing either deadline generally ends the claim.
See the full county courthouse directory (all 67 Courts of Common Pleas) →

Not sure which court your claim belongs in?

Venue and the six-month notice rule for municipal defendants are decided early and are hard to undo. Talk it through with Sean Quinlan, Esq. — free and confidential, no fee unless we win.

Call (717) 724-7503Start a free case review