Plan to Expand District Courts Reach Sent to PA Supreme Court for Approval

The Bristol Borough District Court boundaries will expand if the new proposal is approved by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

Bucks County Court Administrator Stephen Heckman said the final proposal was submitted on February 25 for the courts review and approval.

The Borough’s District Court that Judge Frank W. Peranteau, Sr presides over will have no voting districts added or taken away, Heckman added.

The new proposal does expand the courts reach.

The submitted plan calls for:

• Cases filed by State Park Rangers arising from activity in the Neshaminy State Park will be
  transferred from the jurisdiction of Magisterial District No. 07-1-01 (Magisterial District
  Judge Michael W. Gallagher) to that of Magisterial District No. 07-1-02 (Magisterial
  District Judge Frank W. Peranteau, Sr.
• Pennsylvania State Police criminal filings arising from activity on Interstate Route 95 from
  the Philadelphia boundary to mile marker 40, north bound, and from mile marker 40, south
  bound to the Philadelphia boundary will be transferred from the jurisdiction of Magisterial
  District No. 07-1-01 (Magisterial District Judge Michael W. Gallagher) to that of
  Magisterial District No. 07-1-02 (Magisterial District Judge Frank W. Peranteau, Sr.).

Prior to the new proposal’s release, there was talk of the Bristol Court closing. 

A source with intimate knowledge of the “original draft plan” said opposition from the Bucks County Magisterial Justices Association, which represents judges working out of the county’s 18 district court locations, was a major factor in killing off that proposal.

The outlined modifications will be effective January 1, 2023. if approved, county officials said.