Magisterial District Court 38‑2‑04

Magisterial District Court 38-2-04 is one of 29 district courts in Montgomery County, part of Pennsylvania's Unified Judicial System. It serves designated voting districts of Lower Merion Township — not the whole township — from Suite 200 of a shared court building at 925 Montgomery Avenue. Two other district courts, 38-1-06 (Suite 100) and 38-1-07 (Suite 300), use the same building with their own phones and jurisdictions.

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.

Lower Merion Township is split among three district courts. Court 38-2-04 handles only its designated voting districts; Courts 38-1-06 and 38-1-07 handle others.

The county boundary page lists Lower Merion districts 3-1, 7-1, 7-2, 7-3, 8-1, 8-3, 9-1, 9-2, 9-3, 12-1, 12-2, 12-3, 13-1, 13-2, 13-3, 14-1, 14-2 and 14-3 for this court. The Supreme Court's reestablishment order also references districts 3-2 and 3-3. Because the sources differ, this page does not present a final, exhaustive list.

The safest way to confirm the court for a case is the district number printed on the summons, citation or docket, or a call to the court office.

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 Lower Merion districts, 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 38-2-04 is in Suite 200 at 925 Montgomery Avenue, Narberth. Check the suite number on your paperwork before going in — Suites 100 and 300 are different courts.

We have not verified parking arrangements at this office, so none are listed. Check posted signs on arrival and allow extra time.