Bucks County 07-1-04 Magisterial District Court

You may be anxious about your upcoming court date in a Bucks County Magisterial District Court, and you may wish you knew more about what was going to happen. If you or a family member has been summoned to appear in court on a criminal or traffic charge, it is always a worrisome time. It’s important to have an experienced attorney by your side to represent you. Your attorney can answer your questions and provide effective guidance.

Fienman Defense has appeared in Pennsylvania’s Magisterial Courts hundreds of times, providing clients with a caring and tenacious defense.

If you received a notification to appear in Bucks County Magisterial District Court 07-1-04 in Levittown or got a summons for a traffic citation, preliminary arraignment, preliminary hearing, bench warrant or non-jury trial in this court, you will appear before Magisterial District Judge, TERRENCE P. HUGHES, SR.

Magisterial District Courts are minor courts responsible for deciding all traffic and non-traffic citations. Bucks County Magisterial District Courts handle preliminary arraignments and preliminary hearings for criminal cases, landlord/tenant disputes up to $8,000, and civil cases with smaller damage claims.

There are two Magisterial District Courts in Levittown so it is important for you to carefully check your paperwork to make certain you appear in the correct court.

Magisterial District Courts in Bucks County, Pennsylvania

Bucks County Magisterial District Courts decide all summary offenses, Pennsylvania’s least serious offense level. These include offenses such as criminal mischief, harassment, disorderly conduct, underage drinking, driving with a suspended license and first offense retail theft like shoplifting.

Pennsylvania’s Magisterial District Courts are presided over by magisterial judges who can administer oaths and perform marriages, with over 20 Magisterial District Courts throughout Bucks County. Criminal cases start in these courts before working their way up to the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas.

Every year Bucks County district courts handle approximately 130,000 cases, including approximately 10,000 criminal cases.

Bucks County criminal cases begin in Magisterial District Court. Misdemeanor and felony case start with preliminary arraignments and preliminary hearings. The next step in the court system for misdemeanor and felony cases is the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas.

If you are charged with a traffic or criminal offense in Bucks County, you will need an experienced defense attorney. Depending on the circumstances of your case, there are many defenses that a skilled lawyer can use to help you.

Even minor offenses such as summary offenses can turn into big problems for you or a loved one. If you are convicted of a summary offense, you can face up to 90 days in jail and a fine up to $300.  With a prior conviction, your punishment might be as many as 180 days in jail.

How a Bucks County Attorney Can Help You in a Levittown Courtroom

It may be tempting to plead guilty to a summary offense so you can put the whole experience behind you. You may believe you can handle your court case yourself. However, you do need to retain an attorney because the outcome of your case will be critically important to your future.

Not only can you land in jail, which will disrupt your life and can even cost you your job, but you may also be burdened with a criminal record that will have far-reaching implications for you.

It’s important to retain an experienced criminal defense attorney in Bucks County who can defend you against your charges.

For more information on the Magisterial District Courts in Bucks County, see Bucks County court site information. To find more information about your case, visit the Unified Judicial System of Pennslyvania Web Portal here.