Susquehanna County

Susquehanna 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.

• Bridgewater township2,618
• Clifford township2,016
• Lenox township1,842
• Forest City borough1,770
• Silver Lake township1,691
• New Milford township1,634
• Great Bend township1,591
• Montrose borough1,512
• Auburn township1,441
• Springville township1,441
• Harford township1,325
• Dimock township1,324
• Susquehanna Depot borough1,297
• Gibson township1,270
• Hallstead borough1,217
• Forest Lake township1,184
• Rush township1,163
• Liberty township1,137
• New Milford borough748
• Jackson township737
• Franklin township710
• Lathrop township695
• Choconut township693
• Lanesboro borough669
• Brooklyn township646
• Herrick township637
• Great Bend borough581
• Oakland township541
• Oakland borough527
• Ararat township478
• Harmony township399
• Jessup township395
• Middletown township383
• Thompson township344
• Thompson borough327
• Apolacon township319
• Hop Bottom borough291
• Little Meadows borough239
• Union Dale borough225
• Friendsville borough162

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

• State Police: Susquehanna CountyState police agency32,310 served
• Forest City Police DepartmentCity police department8,389 served
• No name PA0580800City police department2,085 served
• Silver Lake Township Police DepartmentCity police department1,494 served
• No name PA0580100City police department1,336 served
• Montrose Police DepartmentCity police department1,266 served
• No name PA0580600City police department1,169 served
• Great Bend Police DepartmentCity police department615 served
• No name PA0580500City police department548 served
• Lanesboro Police DepartmentCity police department492 served
• No name PA0581200City police department422 served
• No name PA0581500City police department318 served
• No name PA0581100City police department241 served
• No name PA0581800City police department220 served
• Bureau of Forestry: Susquehanna CountyOther state agency
• Office of Attorney General Region 1: Susquehanna CountyOther state agency
• No name PA0580000Sheriff or county police

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.