Opposition To Montgomery County Court Administration’s Planned Closure Of Jenkintown Magisterial District Court

Posted on January 10th, 2022

I am a 26-year Jenkintown resident, past Jenkintown Borough council member, past volunteer coach, local lawyer, and local law firm owner in Jenkintown, PA.  In 2024, the current Magisterial District Judge, Elizabeth McHugh of local court 38-1-02 intends to retire.  Montgomery County Court Administration has announced plans to eliminate and consolidate her Court with neighboring Abington and Cheltenham courts.  I intend to run for this Judgeship, hoping to continue serving my community as judge, and keep this Court open.  I oppose the closure of this Court, and I ask that you also oppose its closure.  Court 38-1-02 is an important community resource, and its closure negatively impacts not only Jenkintown, but also Abington and Cheltenham.  Let me explain why.

The Montgomery County Court Administration’s proposal eliminates what has historically been Jenkintown’s local court.  This elimination increases the caseload of Abington’s Judge Price and Cheltenham’s Judge Cerski by 50%.  The proposal also eliminates Abington’s other physical courthouse, combining all four Courts into the existing Jenkintown building at 117 Old York Road.  The Jenkintown Borough, the Jenkintown School District, the Jenkintown Police Department, and the Jenkintown Fire Company will then all be under Judge Price’s jurisdiction (Abington).  Here is a link to the proposal: https://www.montcopa.org/directory.aspx?EID=541.

The reasoning behind the proposal appears to be the cost savings of the rent for the one current Abington court adjacent to the police station.  This small savings sacrifices so much for our community.  Simply put, the short-term savings does not factor in the long-term loss.  The current Cheltenham/Jenkintown Magisterial District Court 38-1-02 handles all community traffic cases, local criminal cases, preliminary hearings of criminal cases, civil lawsuits, some juvenile matters, school issues, fire code enforcement, and landlord tenant disputes. 

Because these matters impact our community members’ day-to-day lives, we benefit from having a Judge who understands and lives in the community, and one whose caseload is not overwhelmed.  We need a Judge with the time and commitment to serve us.  State law mandates our local District Court be in, and of, the community—a regulation County officials are now looking to bypass.  If we do not oppose Montgomery County Court Administration’s planned closure of our local Court 38-1-02, then Court Administration would in essence “outsource” our local issues and disputes to a Judge already very busy with a full docket in Abington.  This negatively impacts the administration of criminal and civil justice in Jenkintown, as well as Abington and Cheltenham. 

The serious consequences of Magisterial District Court 38-1-02 closure include:

• Our police will increasingly be pulled out of our community when needed for courthouse matters, causing overtime and disruption of community policing.  Jenkintown police maintain jurisdiction and responsibility of this physical courthouse, even after the County removes their judge.  The courthouse can expect to be increasingly overburdened with people and parking.
• Local police emergency response time will increase and, logically, our community’s safety will suffer.  

• For everyone seeking resolution of a local court matter, their travel time may increase if the courthouse is later moved out of Jenkintown. Those people from Abington will immediately lose their courthouse across from the police station, increasing the burden on citizens and police alike.
• Consolidation of four courts will be too crowded for the building’s physical limitations—not a good idea during a pandemic.  There is insufficient parking, waiting rooms, and meeting rooms, heightening security risks, including the safe transport of prisoners by the Sheriffs.  
• Consolidation gives the judge less time to address every case and every person as an individual.  Something the law requires and our community deserves.  This diminishes the quality of our justice system—a loss which is immeasurable. 

The solution: your immediate email, or letter—opposing closing and consolidating our Cheltenham/Jenkintown/ Abington Magisterial District Courts—will help our community avoid these problems.

• Court Administration invites public comment on its proposal.
• Your comment opposing elimination of the Cheltenham/Jenkintown Magisterial District Court must be received by the Deputy Court Administrator, contact information below, no later than Monday, January 31, 2022.  
• To comment, send your email, or letter—indicating your opposition to Court Administration’s proposal to eliminate our Cheltenham/Jenkintown Magisterial District Court.  
• Address your email or letter to:

John E. Savoth, Esq.

jsavoth@montcopa.org

Deputy Court Administrator

P.O. Box 311

One Montgomery Plaza

Norristown, PA 19403-0311

• I urge you to send your email, or letter, before January 14, 2022.

If you wish to review numbers and statistics, here’s a link to the Court’s Magisterial District Elimination Proposal that I suggest you oppose. https://www.montcopa.org/directory.aspx?EID=541

Thank you for your community participation.  Please email or call me with any questions.  My cell is (215) 704-4295.  

Sincerely, R. Emmett Madden, Esquire