[2] The First Judicial District's respective courts preside over all state and local jurisdiction civil and criminal matters that occur within the county of Philadelphia's borders.
The Adult probation and parole services for Philadelphia are under the jurisdiction of the Common Pleas court.
Through a 1999 Order of then Administrative Judge John W. Herron, the Commerce Case Management Program was created within the trial division's civil section, effective January 1, 2000.
[19][20] Among other judges who have served in the Commerce Court are Judges Howland W. Abramson,[21] Mark I. Bernstein,[21] Gene D. Cohen,[22] James C. Crumlish, III,[23] Pamela Pryor Dembe,[24] Vincent J. DiNubile, Jr.,[25] Remy I. Djerassi,[26] C. Darnell Jones, II,[27] Arnold L. New,[28] Paula A. Patrick,[23] Albert John Snite, Jr.,[29] and Leon W.
[30][31] The Commerce Court provides "Advice to Counsel" and Supervising Judge Fletman has posted her Courtroom Procedures.
[33] Since the Commerce Court's inception, its design has required that opposing counsel, and often the litigants themselves, participate in mandatory settlement conferences facilitated by Judges Pro Tempore (JPTs).
These JPTs are not judges, but seasoned commercial and business lawyers with training or experience as mediators and neutrals.
JPTs must also have at least 10 hours of ADR training "or shall have participated as a neutral, JPT, or mediator in a minimum of 3 ADR proceedings, including but not limited to mediations, settlement conferences and private arbitrations, involving" actions of a nature falling in the Commerce Courts jurisdiction.
[40] In providing guidance to litigants and their lawyers, the Commerce Court makes these opinions searchable by topic as well.
The Municipal Court maintains jurisdiction over criminal cases where the maximum punishment possible for an offender is less than five years imprisonment.
The civil division of the Municipal Court also has jurisdiction over all landlord-tenant disputes, residential or commercial, irrespective of the amount in controversy.