Under the Pennsylvania district court system, you may have been summoned or notified to appear in your local court because you were arrested or received a citation for a certain kind of offense. The district courts hear in the state commonly handle traffic violations, such as driving with a suspended license, failure to yield, speeding, some cases of driving while intoxicated, and ignoring a stop sign or a red light. District courts also commonly hear minor offenses called summary criminal offenses, which include underage drinking, shoplifting, criminal mischief, disorderly conduct, loitering, and harassment. Finally, district courts also handle landlord tenant disputes and municipal code violations, as well as small civil claims up to $12,000.

Even though these offenses are referred to as “minor,” the punishments that can result from a conviction of one of these offenses are anything but minor. The fines that result from a conviction can be hundreds of dollars. You may even have to spend time in jail, up to 90 days behind bars for your first offense and even up to 180 if this is not your first conviction in district court.

But you do not have to go into your district court proceeding alone. After you have been arrested or received your citation, contact our offices right away so that we can put you in touch with an experienced district court attorney who will be able to help you with your case.

Brookhaven District Court

The district court that serves the Brookhaven area is called District Court 32-2-39. In addition to Brookhaven, District Court 32-2-39 also serves Chester Township, Parkside, and Upland in Delaware County. To get to the court, visit the Brookhaven Municipal Building at 2 Cambridge Road, Suite 300 in Brookhaven. You can also contact them by calling their phone number at 610-874-8178 or by sending a fax to the number 610-874-7893.

This district court is presided over by the Honorable Judge C. Walter McCray, III. His role in your court proceeding, whether it is a traffic hearing, an arraignment, a preliminary criminal hearing, or a non-jury trial, is to determine whether or not to convict you, and if so, what sentence or penalty to impose. This is why it is important to understand what is at stake if you are convicted in district court, and why you should get in touch with an experienced attorney right away.

Your Attorney Can Help

A strong defense is the best way to ensure that you do not have to pay hundreds of dollars in fines or spend weeks or months in jail. But developing a defense that will have your penalties reduced or your charges dismissed can be challenging. If you get in touch with your attorney as soon as possible, you will have plenty of time before your court date to work on this defense with your attorney.

Our lawyers have handled cases of summary offenses and traffic offenses in district courts all over the state of Pennsylvania, including in Delaware County. Not only are we familiar with the judges and the processes of the district court system, but we will able to keep you comfortable and informed throughout the process. Do not wait to call us, so that you can receive the best legal representation available for your district court proceeding.