Bradford County

Bradford County follows Pennsylvania law on arrests, release, and courts. These rules are the same in every county in the state; the full set covers prosecutors, defense, and jails too.

Who decides release first

Outside Philadelphia, a magisterial district judge sets bail at the preliminary arraignment. In Philadelphia, an arraignment court magistrate appointed by the Municipal Court sets it; magistrates need not be lawyers if they complete a training program. Neither may set bail for murder or voluntary manslaughter; a Common Pleas judge does.

Pa.R.Crim.P. 51942 Pa.C.S. 1515(a)(4)42 Pa.C.S. 1123(a)(5)

Time to see a judge

A person arrested without a warrant must have a preliminary arraignment without unnecessary delay. The rule sets no hour limit. The U.S. Supreme Court's 48-hour rule for a probable cause finding applies as the federal floor.

Pa.R.Crim.P. 516(A)

Money bail

Money bail is allowed. The rules list five kinds of release, from release on recognizance to a money condition no larger than needed to ensure the person appears.

Pa.R.Crim.P. 524(C)

Courts

The Court of Common Pleas, organized in 60 judicial districts, tries felonies and misdemeanors. Magisterial district judges hear summary offenses, the lowest grade, and hold first arraignments and preliminary hearings. In Philadelphia, the Municipal Court tries crimes punishable by up to five years without a jury.

Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania, Courts of Common Pleas42 Pa.C.S. 151542 Pa.C.S. 1123

Judges and magistrates

Common Pleas judges win a contested election for a 10-year term, then run in yes-or-no retention elections without party labels. Magisterial district judges are elected in contested elections to six-year terms and need not be lawyers. All other judges must be members of the bar.

Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania, How Judges Are Elected

Read from the statutes and court rules cited, 2026-09-30. The prison board statute covers counties of the third to fifth class and those that opt in; Philadelphia and Allegheny run jails under other arrangements not read here.

• Sayre borough5,431
• Athens township5,161
• Athens borough3,243
• Towanda borough2,791
• Ridgebury township2,254
• Canton township2,145
• Troy township1,567
• Canton borough1,531
• Smithfield township1,467
• Troy borough1,408
• Wysox township1,397
• Litchfield township1,304
• Springfield township1,303
• Sheshequin township1,256
• Wyalusing township1,254
• Orwell township1,188
• Towanda township1,109
• Wilmot township1,086
• South Waverly borough1,069
• Tuscarora township1,052
• Ulster township1,051
• Monroe township1,037
• Rome township1,010
• Albany township983
• North Towanda township983
• Columbia township968
• Wells township952
• Granville township942
• South Creek township933
• Asylum township911
• Warren township903
• Standing Stone township771
• Windham township768
• Franklin township763
• Terry township760
• Pike township695
• Herrick township668
• West Burlington township662
• Wyalusing borough653
• Leroy township642
• Monroe borough621
• Rome borough547
• Burlington township536
• Stevens township490
• New Albany borough358
• LeRaysville borough293
• Overton township253
• Sylvania borough237
• Burlington borough188
• Armenia township141
• Alba borough123

Every city, village, town, and township with any of its land in Bradford County, largest first. Population, the whole place's: Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020 to 2024.

• State Police: Bradford CountyState police agency38,969 served
• Sayre Police DepartmentCity police department6,445 served
• Athens Township Police DepartmentCity police department5,098 served
• Athens Police DepartmentCity police department3,217 served
• Towanda Police DepartmentCity police department2,768 served
• Canton Police DepartmentCity police department1,708 served
• No name PA0081800City police department1,296 served
• Troy Police DepartmentCity police department1,242 served
• No name PA0080700City police department1,068 served
• No name PA0081200City police department379 served
• Bradford County Sheriff's OfficeSheriff or county police
• Bureau of Forestry: Bradford CountyOther state agency
• Office of Attorney General Region 1: Bradford CountyOther state agency
• Reading Northern Railroad: Bradford CountyOther agency
• State Park Rangers: Mount PisgahOther state agency

Agencies: FBI NIBRS master file 2025 batch headers; names from the FBI agency list, pulled 2026-09-29. An agency that serves several counties appears on each. Population served is the FBI's figure.