Emmaus Magisterial District 31-1-03 Judge Donna R. Butler, was again certified for service as a member of Pennsylvania’s Unified Judicial System after successful completion recently of continuing legal education course work.

Conducted by the Minor Judiciary Education Board and the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts, the education program for magisterial district judges is held in Harrisburg.

The week-long instructional program is designed to ensure magisterial district judges remain current in a variety of legal topics and management techniques required to fairly adjudicate cases and effectively supervise a district court office.

Included in this year’s curriculum are updates on bankruptcy law, motor vehicle code, civil law, landlord/tenant and blighted property update, illegal dumping, ethics, audits, judicial security, constable update, judicial district operations and programs, AOPC legal update, mental health, bail, contempt, sovereign citizens, employment law and AOPC representation, updates on evidence and search and seizures, MDJS update and Judges Concerned for Judges intervention and technology scams and tricks.

Continuing education course work is required by statute of each of more than 500 Pennsylvania magisterial district judges, with approximately 50 judges attending one of 13 such classes during each academic year.

Magisterial district judges represent the “grass roots” level of Pennsylvania’s judicial system. In counties other than Philadelphia, magisterial district judges have jurisdiction over summary, criminal and motor vehicle cases, landlord/tenant matters and other civil actions where the amount claimed does not exceed $12,000.

Magisterial district judges may also accept guilty pleas in misdemeanor cases of the third degree under certain circumstances.

Magisterial district judges also have jurisdiction to issue arrest and search warrants and to hold arraignments and preliminary hearings in criminal cases.