Potter County

Potter 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.

• Coudersport borough2,174
• Harrison township1,092
• Roulette township1,077
• Shinglehouse borough1,076
• Eulalia township1,051
• Sweden township827
• Galeton borough789
• Sharon township704
• Genesee township682
• Bingham township664
• Ulysses township615
• Austin borough606
• Hebron township546
• Ulysses borough532
• Homer township483
• Allegany township456
• West Branch township431
• Hector township346
• Pike township333
• Oswayo township303
• Keating township241
• Abbott township235
• Portage township180
• Clara township147
• Summit township139
• Oswayo borough121
• Pleasant Valley township116
• Wharton township93
• Stewardson township69
• Sylvania township60

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

State Police: Potter County sends the reports for Potter County's own FBI code, PA0530000.

• State Police: Potter CountyState police agency11,546 served
• Coudersport Police DepartmentCity police department2,293 served
• Shinglehouse Police DepartmentCity police department1,059 served
• Galeton Police DepartmentCity police department948 served
• Bureau of Forestry: Potter CountyOther state agency
• Forest Rangers: Susquehannock State Forest District 15Other state agency
• Office of Attorney General Region 2: Potter CountyOther state agency
• State Park Rangers: Lyman RunOther state agency
• State Park Rangers: Ole BullOther 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.