Mercer County Courthouse: What to Expect

Last updated October 5, 2026.

The Courthouse in Mercer is a working court building inside a historic landmark, and knowing its layout and its calendar takes some of the stress out of a first visit. This page covers what happens on each kind of court date, where the offices are, and the local rules that apply in this building. Which district court files a case, and the county's ARD and bail rules, are on the Mercer County courts page. How I defend cases once they reach this court is on the main criminal defense page.

What happens at each court date, step by step?

The county's local rules and its 2026 court calendar set this sequence:

Arraignment court. On the Tuesday of the eighth week after the preliminary hearing, or the twelfth week in a DUI case. If no arraignment court sits that Tuesday, it is the next one scheduled (Local Rule 571(a)). The notice gives the courtroom number.
The ARD hearing, in an eligible DUI case. Immediately after the arraignment, once the District Attorney has said whether you are eligible (Local Rule 571(h)).
Pretrial motions. Requests such as suppression of evidence go into one omnibus motion, due within 30 days after arraignment (Pa.R.Crim.P. 578, 579(A)); the court's calendar sets its own criminal omnibus days.
Call of the List. Calendar days where open cases are called and either resolved or listed for trial.
Criminal trials. Held in set trial weeks on the calendar.
Sentence Court. Sentencing after a plea or verdict, on its own calendar days.

Rule 600 adds an outer limit: trial in a court case must generally start within 365 days of the complaint, not counting delay the Commonwealth did not cause (Pa.R.Crim.P. 600). The preliminary hearing that comes first, and whether charges can be dropped there, is explained in what happens at a preliminary hearing.

What is in the Courthouse?

The county's self-guided tour and office pages place the offices this way. The main number is (724) 662-3800, followed by an extension.

Offices at the Mercer County Courthouse and Annex, per the county
Office	Where	Extension or phone
Courtrooms 1 and 2	Second floor, the two original courtrooms
Courtrooms 3 and 4	Third floor area, with judges' chambers and jury rooms
Clerk of Courts	First floor, Suite 112	Ext. 2248
Prothonotary	First floor, Suite 105	Ext. 2263
Victim Witness	First floor
District Attorney	Suite 209	Ext. 2287
Court Administration	Third floor, Suite 310	Ext. 2516
Assembly Room	Ground floor, west wing	Used for DUI school
Public Defender	Courthouse Annex, 120 South Diamond Street, Suite 1	Ext. 2528
Specialty Courts and probation programs	120 South Diamond Street, Suite 2	Ext. 2425

Court Administration handles the scheduling of every matter and asks callers to have the case caption and number ready. The Mercer County Jail is not in the Courthouse; it is at 55 Thompson Road, Mercer.

What should I know before a court date?

One way in. Since 2021 the south entrance, on the ground floor, has been the only public entrance and the security checkpoint. The screening station closes at 4:30 p.m.
Leaving and coming back. The county's access policy says anyone who leaves the lobby area for the basement public restrooms must go back through security.
Closing time. The Courthouse closes for business at 4:30 p.m. on weekdays, and Sheriff's deputies clear the building, except for people in court proceedings that run late.
Holidays. The 2026 calendar lists the days the Courthouse is closed, including Columbus Day and Veterans Day.
Accommodations. The court posts an ADA policy and request form for people who need a disability accommodation.

What happens at Tuesday arraignment court?

The district judge gives you the arraignment notice at the end of the preliminary hearing, and the form says it is the only notice you will receive. You must appear unless you sign a written waiver before the date, or a bench warrant issues. Moving the date requires the approval of the President Judge, or the most senior judge available (Local Rule 571(f)). In a DUI case you must tell the court whether your evaluation recommended treatment and whether you completed it; if not, the court may change your bail to require treatment through the TASC program (Local Rule 571(g)). The court's calendar spreads arraignment Tuesdays across all four courtrooms. The evaluation itself is described in the CRN evaluation and alcohol highway safety school.

What happens at the ARD hearing?

For an eligible DUI, it follows the arraignment in the same session, and the District Attorney keeps ARD application forms there for people without a lawyer charged with a first DUI or boating DUI. The ARD order continues the case while you are in the program plus ninety days (Local Rule 310). A $150 DUI administration fee is paid through the Clerk of Courts, and safety school is the Mercer County Counter Attack School Program or its equivalent where you live. During ARD the license suspension depends on the blood alcohol level, as explained in how long ARD suspends your license. The general program rules are in ARD in Pennsylvania.

Where do I post bail or pay costs?

Percentage bail is deposited with the district judge or the Clerk of Courts: 10% of the amount set, never less than $50, with no professional bondsmen allowed (Local Rule 528). After the case ends, the Clerk returns the balance, minus fees and costs allowed by law, within 20 days to the person who posted it. Fines, costs and restitution are enforced by the Cost Collections Department, which works under the Clerk of Courts, and the county's website links to the statewide online payment page. More about release conditions is in how bail is set after an arrest.

What programs might apply after a plea?

Probation with restrictive conditions. The county explains that Act 115 of 2019 replaced county intermediate punishment with an order of probation that can carry restrictive conditions; the county's program office is at 120 South Diamond Street.
Treatment Court. For people with a drug or alcohol problem who are not eligible for ARD and not charged with a violent or registration offense. It lasts two to three years, with mandatory treatment, random testing, frequent court appearances, community service and program fees. Applications are made with your attorney and screened by the District Attorney, the team and the court.
Medication in Treatment Court. The court's policy allows medication-assisted treatment or medical marijuana with a medical professional's opinion, from one dispensary, with monthly purchase printouts.
Mental Health Court and Veterans Treatment Court. Both have their own referral and application forms through the Specialty Courts coordinator.

Mandatory minimum DUI sentences, which these programs work around, are in the Pennsylvania DUI penalties chart.

What about appeals and license suspensions?

The Prothonotary, the keeper of civil records, takes appeals of district judge civil judgments and of license suspensions, and accepts filings only in person or by mail. It sells a driver's license suspension appeal packet for $3.50. A summary criminal conviction is appealed through the Clerk of Courts within 30 days (Pa.R.Crim.P. 460(A)), and the 2026 calendar sets separate days for summary appeals and license appeals. A PennDOT suspension appeal is its own civil case, as explained in appealing a PennDOT license suspension.

What changes the answer at the Courthouse?

A DUI charge. It moves arraignment to the twelfth week and puts the ARD hearing right after it.
A written waiver. With one, you need not appear at arraignment, but a DUI defendant must still report on treatment in writing.
Custody. The calendar sets separate Jail Review days for people held in the county jail.
A probation violation. Violations can lead to the hearing described in probation violation hearings.

A worked example

For example, take a hypothetical case (not a real one): a woman from Grove City is charged with a first DUI, and her preliminary hearing is held before the district judge for District 3-2. At the end she receives a notice for arraignment on the Tuesday of the twelfth week after the hearing, in a numbered courtroom in Mercer, and keeps it, since no second notice comes. Her evaluation recommended outpatient treatment, so she starts it before the date. On the Tuesday she enters through the south entrance, tells the court on the record that treatment is under way, and hears the District Attorney confirm her ARD eligibility. Her ARD hearing follows in the same session, she pays the $150 administration fee with her other costs through the Clerk of Courts, and she schedules the Counter Attack School.

Common mistakes at the Courthouse

Waiting for a reminder. The arraignment notice is the only one.
Asking the district judge to move arraignment. Only the President Judge, or the senior judge available, can approve it.
Coming in after 4:30 p.m. The screening station closes and deputies clear the building.
Skipping recommended treatment. The court may make it a bail condition.
Emailing a civil filing. The Prothonotary takes filings only in person or by mail.

What to do this week

Find your arraignment notice and put the date and courtroom on your calendar.
Check the case on the UJS Portal.
Call the Public Defender at extension 2528 if you need appointed counsel.
For a DUI, finish or schedule any treatment the evaluation recommended.
Plan to arrive early enough for the single security line at the south entrance.

Frequently asked questions

What are the Courthouse hours?

The county says the Courthouse closes for business at 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. The Public Defender's office in the Annex keeps 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. hours.

Is the Courthouse historic?

Yes. The current building, the third courthouse on the same site, opened in 1911, was designed in the Beaux-Arts style and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. A restoration that began in 2001 added the fourth courtroom.

How do I schedule a visit at the jail?

The jail asks visitors to call the Booking Department the day before, after 7:00 p.m. and no later than 7:00 a.m. on the day of the visit. Visitors must be on the approved list and bring photo identification.

Where can I find a lawyer if I do not qualify for a public defender?

The county lists the Mercer County Lawyer Referral Service, PO Box 1032, Hermitage, (724) 342-3111. Courthouse staff cannot give legal advice.

Do you handle cases at this Courthouse?

Yes. I represent people in DUI and criminal cases in the Mercer County Court of Common Pleas. If your case is in Beaver County, see what to expect at the Beaver County Courthouse.

If you have a court date in Mercer for a DUI or criminal case, I can tell you what that date is for and how to prepare. You can read more about my practice, and the first consultation is always free and confidential.

What to expect at the Mercer County Courthouse for a DUI or criminal case