Pennsylvania Magisterial District Court: Civil Claims Guide

If you are suing someone for money in Pennsylvania outside of Philadelphia, your case goes to a Magisterial District Court. These courts — sometimes called MDCs or "district courts" — operate across 66 of the state's 67 counties and handle civil claims up to $12,000. Philadelphia has its own system, the Municipal Court Civil Division, with different forms and procedures.

What Magisterial District Courts Handle

Under 42 Pa.C.S. § 1515(a)(3), MDCs have jurisdiction over civil money claims up to $12,000, exclusive of interest and court costs. This covers three types of cases:

• Contract claims (assumpsit) — unpaid invoices, broken service agreements, withheld security deposits, contractor disputes
• Damage claims (trespass) — property damage from a neighbor's tree, a car accident, damaged goods, or conversion of personal property
• Civil fines and penalties — statutory enforcement actions up to $12,000

MDCs cannot grant injunctions, specific performance, or declaratory judgments. They also cannot hear claims against Commonwealth parties (state agencies, PennDOT, state universities) under 42 Pa.C.S. § 8501.

Finding the Right Magisterial District

Each county is divided into magisterial districts, each with its own Magisterial District Judge. Under Pa.R.C.P.M.D.J. Rule 302, you must file in a district where at least one of these is true:

• The defendant resides, works, or regularly does business there
• The transaction or incident giving rise to the claim happened there
• The property involved is located there

Filing in the wrong district leads to rejection or transfer delays. You can look up the correct district using the UJS Web Portal at pacourts.us, which maps addresses to magisterial districts.

The Procedural Rules: Pa.R.C.P.M.D.J.

The Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure Governing Actions and Proceedings Before Magisterial District Judges (Pa.R.C.P.M.D.J.) control everything from filing through appeal. The rules most relevant to a plaintiff filing a civil claim include:

Rule 301 — defines the scope of civil actions before MDJs

Rule 302 — venue selection (where to file)

Rule 305 — hearing scheduling (12 to 60 days from filing)

Rule 307 — service requirements (at least 10 days before hearing)

Rule 308 — counterclaim procedures (defendant must file at least 5 days before hearing)

Rule 319 — default judgment when defendant fails to appear

Rule 321 — hearing procedure and evidence presentation

Rule 322 — judge must render a decision within 5 days if taken under advisement

Rules 1002–1005 — appeal process to the Court of Common Pleas

Filing a Civil Complaint

You file using the statewide AOPC Form 308A (the civil complaint form sometimes referenced online as "MDJS 301A," which is an internal docketing code, not the public form name). The complaint requires your legal name and address, the defendant's legal name and address, a factual summary of the claim, and an itemized damage calculation.

Submit the original signed complaint plus enough copies for each defendant (typically original plus three copies). Include the filing fee by check, money order, or card (acceptance varies by court) and two self-addressed stamped envelopes.

Filing Fees by Claim Amount

Base fees are set by 42 Pa.C.S. § 1725.1. With mandatory state surcharges and a county automation fee, total filing costs run:

Service fees are additional — roughly $20–$35 for certified mail, or $35–$75 for constable personal service. If you cannot afford these fees, file an In Forma Pauperis petition under Pa.R.C.P.M.D.J. Rule 206.

What to Expect at the Hearing

MDC hearings are less formal than Court of Common Pleas trials, but standard principles of evidence and relevance still apply. Bring original documents plus two paper copies of every exhibit. The judge, the defendant, and you each need a set.

Text messages, emails, and photos must be printed — judges will not review content on your phone screen. If you need a witness who will not come voluntarily, apply for a subpoena (Form AOPC 313, $10 fee plus statutory witness fees).

The judge may announce the decision at the hearing or take it under advisement, in which case the ruling comes within 5 days.

Appeals Are a Full Reset

Either side has 30 calendar days from the judgment date to appeal to the Court of Common Pleas. The appeal is de novo — the Common Pleas judge hears the entire case from scratch, without reference to the MDJ hearing.

If the plaintiff appeals, they must file a formal Court of Common Pleas Civil Complaint within 20 days of filing the Notice of Appeal. Common Pleas filing fees run approximately $120–$160.

For the complete filing process — from demand letters through hearing preparation — the Pennsylvania Small Claims Filing Guide covers every step for both MDCs and the Philadelphia Municipal Court.

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