Chester County
16 Magisterial District Courts
Chester County criminal cases are heard across 16 Magisterial District Courts, each covering specific municipalities. Find the court handling your case below.
Court of Common Pleas
Chester County Court of Common Pleas
Chester County Justice Center, 201 West Market Street, West Chester, PA 19380
610-344-6000Preliminary hearings are heard at the Magisterial District Court covering the municipality where the case arose. Cases held for court then move to the Justice Center in West Chester for formal arraignment, pretrial proceedings, and trial.
If You've Just Been Arrested in Chester County
Stay calm, and be careful what you say and to whom — including on the phone from a holding cell.
Note your court date and the charges against you if you can. Don't discuss the details of what happened with anyone except your attorney. Then call — the sooner you have someone in your corner, the more options stay open.
Magisterial District Courts
D.C. 15-1-01
Marc Lieberman
West Chester, PA 19380
D.C. 15-1-02
Vacant
West Chester, PA 19380
D.C. 15-1-03
Gregory Hines
Coatesville, PA 19320-3446
D.C. 15-1-04
Marian T. Vito
West Chester, PA 19382
D.C. 15-2-01
James C. Kovaleski
Phoenixville, PA 19460
D.C. 15-2-03
Anthony DiFrancesca
West Chester, PA 19382
D.C. 15-2-07
N. Paige Simmons
Exton, PA 19341
D.C. 15-3-01
John Hipple
Pottstown, PA 19465
D.C. 15-3-04
Albert Iacocca
Kennett Square, PA 19348
D.C. 15-3-05
Scott A. Massey
Oxford, PA 19363
D.C. 15-3-06
J. Timothy Arndt III
Honey Brook, PA 19344
D.C. 15-3-07
Joe Heffern
Parkesburg, PA 19365
D.C. 15-4-01
Lauren Holt
Wayne, PA 19087
D.C. 15-4-02
Ann Feldman
Downingtown, PA 19335
D.C. 15-4-03
Erin Bruno
Exton, PA 19341
D.C. 15-4-04
Matthew Seavey
Kennett Square, PA 19348
Diversion Programs in Chester County
ARD (Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition)
A pretrial diversion program for people with little or no prior record, screened by the District Attorney's Office, with charges dismissed and expungement available on successful completion. Chester County runs ARD on an unusually early clock: the county's own instructions direct DUI defendants to apply at the preliminary hearing, and admission requires waiving the preliminary hearing and all pretrial motions. That makes the decision one to discuss with an attorney before the first court date, not after.
Drug Court
A pretrial diversion track for eligible people with a substance use disorder facing non-violent or first-offense charges. It runs a minimum of twelve months and up to two years, and successful completion makes the participant eligible to have the charges dismissed and petition for expungement.
Recovery Court
Chester County's post-conviction counterpart to Drug Court, for people whose criminal history or charges fall at the higher end of the sentencing guidelines and who are therefore outside Drug Court's eligibility. Applications are due within thirty days of formal arraignment, and the program generally runs two to three years.
Mental Health Court
For Chester County residents diagnosed with a serious and persistent mental illness that is connected to the charged conduct. It runs on two tracks — a pretrial diversion track of roughly one to two years, and a post-conviction track of roughly two to three years. Clinical eligibility is assessed separately from legal eligibility, which the District Attorney's Office determines.
Veterans Court
Open to veterans and active-duty service members, expressly including Guard members and reservists, charged with a misdemeanor or felony in Chester County. Like Mental Health Court it runs a pretrial diversion track and a post-conviction track, and connects participants with the VA and community providers.
Law Enforcement Treatment Initiative (LETI)
A pre-arrest option unique among the counties served here: a person with a substance use disorder can approach any law enforcement officer in Chester County and be referred to treatment rather than charged. Because it operates before charges are filed, it sits outside the court process entirely.
Eligibility for any diversion program depends on the specific charge and record — this is general information, not a guarantee of eligibility or outcome.
Chester County — Frequently Asked Questions
What happens after an arrest in Chester County? +
Most cases begin with a preliminary arraignment and then a preliminary hearing at the Magisterial District Court covering the municipality where the arrest happened. Chester County's district judges rotate through an on-call night schedule, so preliminary arraignments can happen outside business hours. Cases held for court move to the Court of Common Pleas at the Justice Center in West Chester.
If I'm charged with DUI in Chester County, when do I have to apply for ARD? +
Earlier than most people expect. The District Attorney's published ARD instructions direct DUI defendants to apply at their preliminary hearing, and admission to the program requires waiving that hearing along with all pretrial motions. That is a significant decision with real trade-offs, and it lands at the very first court date — which is exactly why it's worth talking through with an attorney before you appear.
Which court will hear my case — the Magisterial District Court or Common Pleas? +
Preliminary matters — arraignment, the preliminary hearing, and most summary and traffic offenses — are handled at the Magisterial District Court for the municipality where the case arose. Chester County has sixteen of them, spread from Oxford and Kennett Square to Phoenixville and Wayne. Cases that continue past the preliminary hearing move to the Court of Common Pleas in West Chester.
What happens if I miss a court date in Chester County? +
Missing a court date can result in a bench warrant. If that has already happened, it is far better addressed directly and promptly than avoided — the situation rarely improves on its own. Call to discuss the specific circumstances rather than waiting to see what happens.
Where is the county prison, and what should I know about bail? +
Chester County Prison is at 501 South Wawaset Road, West Chester. Depending on which bail authority set it, bail may be posted at the Clerk of Courts, at a Magisterial District Court, or at the prison itself. One easily-missed obligation: the county requires a defendant released on bail to contact the Clerk of Courts within 48 hours of release.
Facing charges in Chester County? Speak directly with the attorney.
Call 484-944-0834