Monroe County Court of Common Pleas
The Court of Common Pleas is Pennsylvania's general trial court. Monroe County is the 43rd Judicial District, and the court sits at the Monroe County Courthouse in Stroudsburg. The court site describes Common Pleas as the court that hears civil cases with a significant amount in controversy and trials for serious crimes. It also has original jurisdiction over matters not exclusively assigned elsewhere, appellate jurisdiction over judgments from minor courts, and appeals from certain state and local government agencies.
The court campus anchors Court Administration, Common Pleas judges, the Prothonotary, Clerk of Courts, Clerk of Orphans' Court, jury services, custody, domestic relations, juvenile probation, and pretrial/DUI services. The Pennsylvania UJS county profile lists the courthouse at 610 Monroe Street, Stroudsburg, PA 18360, phone 570-420-3400, with weekday public hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Monroe court site lists Court Administration at 570-517-3009 and fax 570-517-3866.
Monroe County Courthouse
43rd Judicial District
610 Monroe Street
Stroudsburg, PA 18360
570-517-3009
UJS courthouse phone: 570-420-3400
Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
The manifest image comes from the official Monroe County Common Pleas judges page.
The court page ties Monroe County trial records to the 43rd Judicial District rather than a generic district court structure.
Monroe County Common Pleas Judges
The Monroe court site states the Court of Common Pleas has seven judges elected to 10-year terms, with a president judge and a court administrator for the district. The research captured the names Jonathan Mark, David J. Williamson, Janet Jackson, Jennifer Harlacher Sibum, C. Daniel Higgins, Jr., Margherita Patti-Worthington, Stephen M. Higgins, and Patrick Best in the judges page list or image continuation. Because the research notes a count mismatch between seven judges and eight captured names, active status should be checked on the official court page for time-sensitive use.
Judges hear the full range of Monroe County Common Pleas work. That can include serious criminal cases, major civil matters, family cases, appeals from Magisterial District Courts, agency appeals, and orders connected to court departments. Dockets and documents are accessed by case type, not by browsing a judge page alone.
Important: The judge list in the research included a count mismatch. For a hearing or filing, rely on the current docket or court calendar.
Monroe County Magisterial District Courts
Below Common Pleas, Monroe County has nine Magisterial District Courts. These lower courts handle traffic citations, summary offenses, landlord-tenant cases, civil claims not exceeding $12,000, preliminary arraignments, bail, warrants, preliminary hearings, and committing-judge duties in criminal proceedings. They also provide a strong local court footprint because districts are spread across boroughs and townships rather than being housed only at the courthouse.
| Court Number | Jurisdiction | Judge | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 43-2-01 | Stroudsburg Borough | Hon. Donald A. Johnson | Pocono Outlet Complex, 823-A Ann Street, Stroudsburg, PA 18360 | 570-420-3492 |
| 43-2-02 | East Stroudsburg Borough | Hon. Michael Wolbert | 98 Day Street, East Stroudsburg, PA 18301 | 570-420-3496 |
| 43-3-01 | Coolbaugh Township | Hon. Danielle Travagline | 5560 Municipal Drive, Tobyhanna, PA 18466 | 570-894-8566 |
| 43-3-02 | Hamilton Township, Stroud Township | Hon. Paul J. Gasper | 1211 North Fifth Street, Stroudsburg, PA 18360 | 570-420-3494 |
| 43-3-03 | Jackson Township, Pocono Township | Hon. Daniel Kresge | 3361 Route 611, Suite 4, Bartonsville, PA 18321 | 570-629-1460 |
| 43-3-04 | Chestnuthill, Eldred, Polk, Ross Townships | Hon. Colleen Mancuso | 1479 Route 209, PO Box 218, Brodheadsville, PA 18322 | 570-992-4919 |
| 43-4-01 | Delaware Water Gap, Middle Smithfield, Smithfield | Hon. Jamie Levy | 1155 Red Fox Road, PO Box 1127, Marshalls Creek, PA 18335 | 570-223-1287 |
| 43-4-02 | Barrett, Mount Pocono, Paradise, Price | Hon. Phillip R. Riley | 1200 Route 390, Suite 102, Cresco, PA 18326 | 570-595-2520 |
| 43-4-04 | Tobyhanna, Tunkhannock | Hon. Richard White | 1878 Route 940, Suite 203, Pocono Pines, PA 18350 | 570-646-7949 |
Common Pleas vs MDJ Courts
Monroe County does not use a county-court or justice-court model like some other states. The practical comparison is between the Court of Common Pleas, the Magisterial District Courts, and the appellate courts above Common Pleas. The table reflects Pennsylvania terminology from the Monroe structure map.
| Feature | Court of Common Pleas | Magisterial District Courts | Appellate Courts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil scope | Significant civil matters, family cases, appeals from minor courts | Civil claims up to $12,000 and landlord-tenant matters | Review of lower-court decisions |
| Criminal scope | Serious crimes, pleas, trials, sentencing | Preliminary arraignments, bail, warrants, preliminary hearings, summary offenses | Appeals in criminal or government-related matters |
| Record access | C-Track for civil, UJS for criminal dockets, local clerk offices for copies | UJS Case Search and MDJ office contact | UJS appellate docket search |
| Local office | Courthouse in Stroudsburg | Nine district offices across Monroe County | Superior Court, Commonwealth Court, and Supreme Court of Pennsylvania |
The official Monroe County Magisterial District Judges page is the source for the local MDJ list and jurisdiction details.
Monroe County Case Flow
Cases move through Monroe County courts based on the type of claim or charge. Civil Common Pleas filings generally start with the Prothonotary and C-Track, while many criminal cases first appear in Magisterial District Court for early proceedings before moving to Common Pleas. Traffic and landlord-tenant cases often stay at the MDJ level unless appealed.
Criminal flow: Arrest or complaint › preliminary arraignment in MDJ court › bail or release decision › preliminary hearing › information filed in Common Pleas › arraignment › motions or plea/trial › disposition and sentencing › appeal if filed.
Civil flow: Complaint or petition filed › service and response › motions or case management › hearing, settlement, or trial › order or judgment › post-trial motion or appeal if filed.
Monroe County Court Divisions
The Court of Common Pleas handles civil, criminal, family, juvenile, and Orphans' Court-related matters through court offices and departments. Civil records are filed with the Prothonotary. Criminal records are filed with the Clerk of Courts. Divorce and custody matters are in the family side of Common Pleas, with the Custody Department and Domestic Relations providing local court services. Orphans' Court matters connect to the Clerk of Orphans' Court and Register of Wills.
Court Administration also supports calendars, interpreter requests, ADA accommodations, jury services, juvenile probation, pretrial/DUI services, local rules, and forms. Monroe County research notes that language access is available at no cost for named parties, witnesses, victims, and persons acting in loco parentis in Common Pleas and MDJ proceedings.
Search Monroe County Court Records
Civil Common Pleas records are searched through Monroe County C-Track Public Access and related Prothonotary resources. Criminal Common Pleas, MDJ criminal, traffic, landlord-tenant, summary, and appellate dockets are searched through the Pennsylvania UJS portal. Certified copies, older civil docket books, sealed-record questions, and records not posted online require the local custodian.
The record route is therefore tied to the clerk. Civil case copies go to the Prothonotary. Criminal Common Pleas copies go to the Clerk of Courts. Marriage licenses and Orphans' Court matters go to the Clerk of Orphans' Court or Register of Wills as applicable. A general Monroe County court docket search can identify the case first, but it may not supply certified documents.
Federal Court Records Near Monroe County
Federal records are not held by the Monroe County Court of Common Pleas. Monroe County falls within the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Federal civil rights, federal criminal, diversity, prisoner, employment, and other federal cases use federal court systems rather than Monroe County C-Track or UJS county dockets.
The manifest includes the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania as a district-court mapped image source.
That source helps separate county trial court records from federal records filed in the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
Federal electronic records are searched through PACER and CM/ECF. The PACER CM/ECF lookup for the Middle District of Pennsylvania identifies the correct federal filing court.
PACER is the federal search route, so a missing federal case in Monroe County systems does not mean the federal record does not exist.
Middle District Filing Systems
The Middle District uses NextGen CM/ECF for federal electronic filing. That federal login is separate from Monroe County C-Track civil e-filing and Pennsylvania PACFile criminal filing. A Monroe County civil case in Common Pleas will not be filed in federal CM/ECF unless it is a federal case or has been removed to federal court.
The Middle District CM/ECF login is included in the manifest for the trial-court mapped page.
The separate login reinforces that Common Pleas case access and federal filing access are different systems.
Bankruptcy records also do not sit with the Monroe County Court of Common Pleas. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania handles bankruptcy cases for the federal district.
Bankruptcy filings should be searched through federal bankruptcy channels, not the county Prothonotary or Clerk of Courts.
Monroe County Appeals Path
Appeals from Monroe County Common Pleas generally go to the Superior Court for civil, criminal, family, and related matters. Government agency and many state or local government cases may go to the Commonwealth Court. The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania sits at the top of the state court system and has discretionary review in many matters. Appeals from Magisterial District Court judgments can move to the Court of Common Pleas first.
Note: The appeal court can change the docket location, but local Common Pleas filings and certified copies may still require the original Monroe County custodian.