Pennsylvania § 3101 Qualifications of judicial officers generally

Pennsylvania Statutes

§ 3101 — Qualifications of judicial officers generally

Pennsylvania § 3101

JurisdictionPennsylvania

Title 42JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE

PartPART III

Ch. 31SELECTION AND RETENTION OF JUDICIAL OFFICERS

Subch.QUALIFICATIONS GENERALLY

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Bluebook

42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3101 (2026).

Text

(a)General rule.--Judges and magisterial district judges shall be citizens of this Commonwealth. Judges, except judges of the Pittsburgh Magistrates Court and the Traffic Court of Philadelphia, shall be members of the bar of this Commonwealth. Judges of the Supreme, Superior and Commonwealth Courts, for a period of one year preceding their election or appointment and during their continuance in office, shall reside within this Commonwealth. Other judges and magisterial district judges, for a period of one year preceding their election or appointment and during their continuance in office, shall reside within their respective districts, except when temporarily assigned to another district pursuant to law. Judges and magisterial district judges shall be at least 21 years of age.

(b)Mental

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(a) General rule.--Judges and magisterial district judges shall be citizens of this Commonwealth. Judges, except judges of the Pittsburgh Magistrates Court and the Traffic Court of Philadelphia, shall be members of the bar of this Commonwealth. Judges of the Supreme, Superior and Commonwealth Courts, for a period of one year preceding their election or appointment and during their continuance in office, shall reside within this Commonwealth. Other judges and magisterial district judges, for a period of one year preceding their election or appointment and during their continuance in office, shall reside within their respective districts, except when temporarily assigned to another district pursuant to law. Judges and magisterial district judges shall be at least 21 years of age.

(b) Mental health review officers.--Mental health review officers shall be members of the bar of this Commonwealth without restriction as to county of residence and where possible should be familiar with the field of mental health. Judges of the Philadelphia Municipal Court may be appointed mental health review officers.

Legislative History

(Apr. 28, 1978, P.L.202, No.53, eff. 60 days; Oct. 5, 1980, P.L.693, No.142, eff. 60 days; May 27, 1994, P.L.250, No.37, eff. imd.; Nov. 30, 2004, P.L.1618, No.207, eff. 60 days) 2004 Amendment.Act 207 amended subsec. (a). See section 29 of Act 207 in the appendix to this title for special provisions relating to construction of law. References in Text.The Traffic Court of Philadelphia, referred to in this section, was abolished by Joint Resolution No.2 of 2016. Cross References.Section 3101 is referred to in sections 3131, 4121 of this title.