Pennsylvania courts of common pleas

The name derives from the medieval English court of Common Pleas.

[1] They hear civil cases with a significant amount in controversy and trials for serious crimes.

The courts are established by Article V, Section 5 of the Pennsylvania Constitution: There shall be one court of common pleas for each judicial district (a) having such divisions and consisting of such number of judges as shall be provided by law, one of whom shall be the president judge; and (b) having unlimited original jurisdiction in all cases except as may otherwise be provided by law.The courts of common pleas are organized into 60 judicial districts, 53 comprising one of Pennsylvania's 67 counties, and seven comprising two counties.

Judges of the common pleas courts are elected to ten-year terms.

A president judge and a court administrator serve in each judicial district.