Have you been arrested for a summary criminal offense, or charged with a traffic violation, in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania? If you have, the likely next step is that you will be notified or summoned to appear in your local district court, or magisterial court. While this may seem like a daunting task, and while you certainly should take it seriously, you will have the assistance of an experienced district court lawyer to help you throughout the process.

Each district court serves a certain number of voting districts, or in some cases entire townships or boroughs. Each county has numerous different district courts, which are each presided over by one elected judge. District courts are the first courts to hear certain kinds of cases: specifically traffic offenses, summary criminal offenses, municipal violations, small claims (under $12,000), and most landlord tenant disputes.

The most common kinds of cases heard in district courts are those involving speeding, underage drinking, running red lights or stop signs, loitering, failing to yield, harassment, driving with a suspended license, disorderly conduct, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and shoplifting. Depending on the offense and where you are in your case, you will be summoned to district court for an arraignment, a preliminary criminal hearing, a traffic hearing, or a non-jury trial presided over by the magisterial judge. Your notice or summons should inform you as to what the charges against you are and at what stage you are in the process.

Bridgeport District Court

Within Montgomery County, the district court serving the Bridgeport area is District Court 38-1-25. This court is presided over by the Honorable Judge James P. Gallagher.

District Court 38-1-25 serves Bridgeport Borough and Upper Merion Township (specifically, voting districts Belmont 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, and Candlebrook 1 and 2). The address of the court is 128 West 4th St. in Bridgeport, and its contact information is 610-277-3377 (phone number) and 610-277-3379 (fax number).

During your proceeding in Judge Gallagher’s courtroom, you will have to convince the judge that you should have your penalty or sentence reduced or the charges against you dismissed altogether. Otherwise, you could be facing some incredibly steep penalties for seemingly minor offenses -- for example, you could face hundreds of dollars in fines, and even up to 90 days in jail or more if you are a repeat offender. These penalties can obviously place a burden on you and your loved ones, which is why it is important to go into your court hearing with a solid defense.

But you do not have to do this alone. By calling our offices as soon as you receive your notice or summons, you and your attorney will have plenty of time to prepare and practice your defense, so that you can go into your hearing calm and with confidence. Our attorneys have spent years helping clients prepare for their hearings in Montgomery County district courts, and our experience will mean that you will get the best legal representation available for your proceeding in district court. Don’t wait -- call our offices today and get in touch with an experienced lawyer to help you with your case.