Magisterial District Court 52 3 01

05/30/2025

There are text messages being sent to people regarding their vehicle registration being in danger of suspension for not paying their fines. Some of these recipients have fines, while others do not. Please be aware that neither my office, nor PENNDOT will suspend your vehicle registration for unpaid traffic citations, nor are we sending text messages regarding this.

If you are late on your fine, you will receive a document titled "DL-38", which is your notice that your operating privilege will be suspended, if you do not make your payment or respond to a citation.

You may get a phone call from our office, which may show up as Lebanon County Correctional Facility, as a courtesy reminder of a past due payment. We do not always have the time or staffing to do this, but we will do this on occasion. We also may send an email reminder from a domain ending in mdjs.pacourts.us or from an address that has the court number in it. That email will always have your docket number and instructions to call the office if you have any questions.

The state is currently rolling out a text / email reminder system, however, that system is not live in Lebanon County.

If you do get a questionable text message, notify your local police department and request that a report be completed, as this is a scam. You may also notify the PA Attorney General's Office of the scam text message. Please do not click on any suspicious links.

02/13/2024

The County of Lebanon is open for business today. There are lots of state roads that are being shut down due to accidents and falling wires.

ALL HEARINGS SCHEDULED IN DISTRICT COURT 52-3-01 WILL BE CONTINUED TODAY!

Please do not drive in this weather. It is not safe to be on the roads!

11/11/2023

Happy Veterans Day to all who have served! Be well and enjoy the day! 🇺🇸

11/08/2023

Thank you to all 7,960 people who cast a vote for me. I appreciate the opportunity to continue to serve as your Magisterial District Judge. It is truly an honor to serve the residents of this district.

09/20/2023

With school in full swing, I thought it would be a good reminder to post the law regarding school bus stops.

The only time an operator is exempt from stopping is when there is a physical divider between the lanes of travel, such as a concrete barrier or grassy median.

All traffic at an intersection MUST stop, even if the school bus is not within the intersection. Many urban bus stops are located at intersections and many rural stops are at the end of a driveway. Regardless of the location, all vehicles MUST stop, unless there is a physical Barr between the bus and opposing lanes of travel.

The penalties for the violation include:

• $250 fine, plus court costs
• Five points on your driving record
• 60-day license suspension

08/28/2023

The students in Lebanon County are back to school today. Please drive safely and allow extra time for bus stops.

09/28/2021

Just a friendly reminder that Pennsylvania’s “purple paint law” went into effect last year, which gives landowners the option of using purple paint, rather than signs, to post their properties and alert others that their lands are private, and trespassing is not permitted.

Landowners using purple paint to mark their properties must use vertical lines that are at least 8 inches long and 1 inch wide and must be painted 3-5 ft from the base of the tree. Painted markings on various trees must be within 100 feet of each other.

Remember to always ask for permission before entering private property. If given permission, please be respectful and follow the landowner’s restrictions for hunting on their property.

Read more about the purple paint law on page 19 of your 2021-22 Hunting and Trapping Digest ➡️ https://bit.ly/2WZOdJm.

05/18/2021

There have been an uptick in citations being issued to youth riding MOPEDS. The Vehicle Code definitions and requirements for MOPEDS and the required licensing is as follows below. In short, an operator MUST have a class “M” license to operate a MOPED. They are also subject to insurance, registration and inspection requirements.

"Motorized pedalcycle" A motor-driven cycle equipped with operable pedals, a motor rated no more than 1.5 brake horsepower, a cylinder capacity not exceeding 50 cubic centimeters, an automatic transmission, and a maximum design speed of no more than 25 miles per hour or an electric motor-driven cycle equipped with operable pedals and an automatic transmission powered by an electric battery or battery pack-powered electric motor with a maximum design speed of no more than 25 miles per hour.

A Class “M” License or Permit must be obtained prior to operating a Motorized Pedalcycle. The definition of a Class “M” license is as follows:

CLASS M (minimum age 16): A Class M driver's license will be issued to those persons 16 years of age or older who have demonstrated their ability to operate a motorcycle or motor-driven cycle. If a person is qualified to operate only a motorcycle or motor-driven cycle, they will be issued a Class M driver's license. If you test on a motor-driven cycle, an "8" restriction will appear on your driver's license. This restriction prohibits you from operating a motorcycle. If you test on a 3-wheeled motorcycle, a "9" restriction will appear on your driver's license. This restriction prohibits you from operating a 2-wheeled motorcycle.

04/21/2021

Happy Administrative Professionals Day to my staff and all the administrative professionals out there!

You all work hard every day, and no matter what comes your way, you take on the challenge with a smile. I appreciate the hard work that each and every one of you do. You are what keeps this office running so smoothly. I appreciate you all and all that you do!

03/22/2021

Please keep this law in mind the next time you want to check out an “abandoned” building, or you’re out hiking in the warm weather. Many times “No Trespassing” signs are torn down, so this law tries to remedy that situation.

Please also keep in mind that if a property is fenced off, it likely means that the property owner does not want anyone entering, regardless of how easy it is to bypass the fence.

HARRISBURG, PA - Landowners who post their properties now have the option of using purple paint rather than signs to alert others that lands are private and trespassing isn’t permitted.

02/18/2021

The County of Lebanon is still slated to open at regular time tomorrow morning. If you are scheduled for a Preliminary Hearing at the courthouse tomorrow, please check in with 100.1 FM and WGAL Channel 8, if you wake up to the expected snowfall, to see if the Country remains open or if there are any changes.