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Magisterial District Court 38‑2‑03
Gilbertsville, Montgomery County, PA | 38th Judicial District | 610-326-1145
Magisterial District Court 38-2-03, in Suite 20 at 1050 East Philadelphia Avenue in Gilbertsville, serves five townships in western Montgomery County. Find contact details, jurisdiction, hearing resources and local bail information.
Center City Bail Bonds is a private company. It does not operate this court, has no office there and is not affiliated with Montgomery County or the Pennsylvania courts.
Court 38-2-03Gilbertsville38th Judicial District
About District Court 38-2-03
Magisterial District Court 38-2-03 is one of 29 district courts in Montgomery County, part of Pennsylvania's Unified Judicial System. It serves Douglass, Lower Frederick, New Hanover, Upper Frederick and Upper Pottsgrove Townships from an office on East Philadelphia Avenue (Route 73) in Gilbertsville. Gilbertsville is a postal and community name inside Douglass Township, not a separate municipality.
District courts handle preliminary arraignments and preliminary hearings in criminal cases, summary offenses, traffic citations, local ordinance violations and smaller civil claims such as landlord-tenant disputes. Most felony and misdemeanor cases do not end here: when charges are held for court, the case moves to the Court of Common Pleas in Norristown.
Court Number
38-2-03
Use this number when calling the court or searching dockets.
Location
Gilbertsville
1050 East Philadelphia Avenue, Suite 20, Gilbertsville, PA 19525
Judicial District
38th District
Montgomery County's judicial district.
Service Area
Five Townships
Douglass Township; Lower Frederick Township; New Hanover Township; Upper Frederick Township; Upper Pottsgrove Township
Court Contact & Office Hours
These details come from the county's official district court list, effective January 5, 2026. District courts keep business hours and are not open around the clock.
Office Address
Court 38-2-03
- 1050 East Philadelphia Avenue, Suite 20
- Gilbertsville, PA 19525
Court Contact
Phone, Fax & Email
- Primary Telephone
- 610-326-1145
- Secondary Telephone
- 610-326-4213
- Fax
- 610-326-6513
- Official Court Email
- DC38203@montgomerycountypa.gov
Hours
Weekdays
- Office hours: 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM
- Public hours: 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM
Check holiday closings, hearing times and whether a hearing is in person or by video with the court before you travel. Hours can change.
Official sources:County District Court List (Jan. 5, 2026)(opens in a new tab)Magisterial District Courts(opens in a new tab)
Areas Served by Magisterial District Court 38-2-03
The county's boundary directory assigns five whole townships to Court 38-2-03: Douglass, Lower Frederick, New Hanover, Upper Frederick and Upper Pottsgrove.
Gilbertsville is the court's postal location and an unincorporated community in Douglass Township. A Gilbertsville mailing address does not by itself decide which court handles a case; the township where the case is filed does.
This district is separate from Court 38-2-02, which serves the Upper Perkiomen boroughs and townships to the north. Nearby Berks County communities, including the Berks County part of Douglass, use Berks County courts and are not covered by this page.
Douglass & New Hanover
Douglass and New Hanover Townships
Both assigned to Court 38-2-03. Gilbertsville lies within Douglass Township.
The Fredericks
Lower & Upper Frederick Townships
Both assigned to Court 38-2-03 along the Perkiomen Creek corridor.
Upper Pottsgrove
Upper Pottsgrove Township
Assigned to Court 38-2-03. Neighboring Pottsgrove-area municipalities may use a different court.
Use the district number on your summons, citation or docket (MJ-38203 for this court) to confirm jurisdiction. Cases from the Berks County side of the line go to Berks County courts.
Official sources:County District Court List (Jan. 5, 2026)(opens in a new tab)PA Supreme Court Reestablishment Order (2023)(opens in a new tab)County District Boundaries Page(opens in a new tab)
Criminal Court Proceedings
Pennsylvania criminal cases usually begin at a district court. Schedules, hearing formats and judicial decisions vary from case to case.
- 1Arrest and complaint: police file a criminal complaint, or a summons is mailed for some lower-level charges.
- 2Preliminary arraignment: the defendant is told the charges and rights, often by video and sometimes before an on-call issuing authority after hours.
- 3Initial bail decision: the issuing authority decides release conditions. Monetary bail or immediate release is never guaranteed.
- 4Preliminary hearing: usually held at Court 38-2-03. The judge decides whether the prosecution has shown enough evidence to hold the charges for court.
- 5Held for court: the case moves to the Court of Common Pleas in Norristown for formal arraignment, pretrial matters and trial.
Bail Procedures at Magisterial District Court 38-2-03
Bail is a judicial decision based on the charges, the person's history, ties to the community and the risk of missing court. Pennsylvania options include release on recognizance, unsecured bail (no money paid up front) and monetary bail, which may be posted in cash or through a surety where the law allows. Judges can add conditions such as no-contact orders or reporting requirements, and can later change bail on request.
For arrests in these five townships, the preliminary arraignment may be by video or before an on-call issuing authority after hours. Setting bail is the court's role; paying it is a separate step. Montgomery County publishes direct-payment rules through the Clerk of Courts on weekdays and at the correctional facility after hours when the person is held there. Do not assume cash bail can be paid at the district court office.
After release, the defendant must attend every hearing and follow every condition. Missing court can lead to a bench warrant and forfeited bail.
Court Records & Docket Information
District court dockets are public through the Pennsylvania UJS portal. Search by name or docket number; dockets from Court 38-2-03 begin with MJ-38203.
- A docket is not an inmate locator. It does not show whether someone is in custody now.
- Hearing dates can change. Confirm with the court office named on the docket.
- Sealed, juvenile and some other records are restricted and do not appear in public search.
- Ask court staff about procedure for a specific case; they cannot give legal advice.
Directions to District Court 38-2-03
Court 38-2-03 is in Suite 20 at 1050 East Philadelphia Avenue, Gilbertsville. Some older directories show 1881 Swamp Pike; that is not the current office. Use the Philadelphia Avenue address for directions.
We have not verified parking arrangements at this office, so none are listed. Check posted signs on arrival and allow extra time.
Court Address
District Court 38-2-03
- 1050 East Philadelphia Avenue, Suite 20
- Gilbertsville, PA 19525
- Phone: 610-326-1145
Related Courts & Local Resources
Courthouses Directory
Search all 29 Montgomery County district courts.
Montgomery County Courthouse
Court of Common Pleas, Clerk of Courts and bail payment details.
Montgomery County Bail Bonds
County overview, jail information and bail steps.
Correctional Facility
The county's adult jail in Eagleville.
UJS Case Search
Official statewide docket search.
Magisterial District Courts
County district court instructions and forms.
District Court 38-2-03 FAQs
Short answers about Magisterial District Court 38-2-03.
At 1050 East Philadelphia Avenue, Suite 20, Gilbertsville, PA 19525, per the current state court directory.
No. Some older directories list 1881 Swamp Pike, but the current state listing is 1050 East Philadelphia Avenue, Suite 20. Use the newer address.
The phone is 610-326-1145 and the fax is 610-326-6513.
Montgomery County's official district court directory, effective January 5, 2026, publishes weekday office hours of 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM and separate public counter hours of 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. These are published hours, not real-time confirmation. Holidays, special closures and hearing schedules may differ. Call Court 38-2-03 at 610-326-1145 before visiting.
Douglass, Lower Frederick, New Hanover, Upper Frederick and Upper Pottsgrove Townships in Montgomery County.
No. Gilbertsville is a community and postal name in Douglass Township. The township where a case is filed decides the court, not the mailing address.
They are separate courts. 38-2-02 in Red Hill serves the Upper Perkiomen boroughs and townships; 38-2-03 in Gilbertsville serves the five townships listed above.
Charges and rights are explained and release conditions are decided, often by video. After-hours arrests may go before an on-call issuing authority instead of this office.
Yes. As an issuing authority it can set or modify bail and hold preliminary hearings. Release, any amount and any conditions are judicial decisions and are never guaranteed.
The county lists the Clerk of Courts at the Norristown courthouse on weekdays and the correctional facility after hours when the person is held there. Do not assume every form of payment is accepted at the district office.
Search the UJS portal by name or docket number; dockets from this court begin with MJ-38203. A docket does not show whether someone is in custody. Confirm dates with the court office.
Call the Montgomery County Correctional Facility at 610-635-7100. A court docket shows the case, not custody status. Our Montgomery County jails guide lists every county facility.
Court Location & Directions
Magisterial District Court 38-2-03 is a court facility. Center City Bail Bonds is a private company with no office at this building.
Magisterial District Court 38-2-03
1050 East Philadelphia Avenue, Suite 20
Gilbertsville, PA 19525
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