Perry County

Perry 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.

• Carroll township5,284
• Wheatfield township3,219
• Penn township3,136
• Marysville borough2,681
• Saville township2,615
• Centre township2,524
• Rye township2,288
• Spring township2,113
• Tyrone township1,996
• Juniata township1,814
• Oliver township1,750
• Newport borough1,621
• Watts township1,570
• Duncannon borough1,391
• Southwest Madison township1,305
• Liverpool township1,183
• Tuscarora township1,161
• Buffalo township1,151
• Bloomfield borough1,090
• Miller township993
• Greenwood township970
• Liverpool borough850
• Northeast Madison township845
• Millerstown borough736
• Jackson township533
• Toboyne township488
• Howe township345
• Blain borough278
• Landisburg borough261
• New Buffalo borough48

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

• State Police: Perry CountyState police agency44,178 served
• No name PA0501100City police department3,201 served
• Marysville Police DepartmentCity police department2,738 served
• No name PA0500400City police department2,293 served
• No name PA0501400City police department2,097 served
• No name PA0500300City police department1,530 served
• No name PA0500200City police department1,471 served
• Bureau of Forestry: Perry CountyOther state agency
• Forest Rangers: Tuscarora State Forest District 3Other state agency
• Office of Attorney General Region 2: Perry CountyOther state agency
• No name PA0500000Sheriff or county police
• State Park Rangers: Little BuffaloOther 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.