A criminal complaint or hearing notice can leave you trying to answer several questions at once: what the charges mean, where to appear, what your release conditions require, and whether to speak with the investigating officer. In the Macungie area, even identifying the right district court requires more than reading the mailing city.
Madsen Law Offices handles Lehigh County criminal-defense matters from our office at 680 Wolf Avenue, Easton, PA 18042. We can review the papers, identify the next required step, and discuss the defense issues that need attention. This page provides local orientation for matters connected with Macungie Borough, Lower Macungie Township and Upper Macungie Township.
Schedule a Consultation with our Easton office. Call (484) 548-0529 or use our contact page. Have the complaint, hearing notice and any release order available.
Identify the municipality and the alleged incident
Macungie Borough, Lower Macungie Township and Upper Macungie Township are separate municipalities. A postal address containing “Macungie” does not establish that an incident occurred in the borough. The agency named on a police report is useful information, but it does not settle the court assignment by itself.
Under Pennsylvania's criminal venue rule, proceedings generally begin before the issuing authority for the district where the offense allegedly occurred. The rule also allows exceptions and transfers. Your residence, ZIP code or the closest court office should not be used as a substitute for checking the actual incident location and the case papers.
The borough and the townships have different districts
The current district structure distinguishes the three municipalities:
| Municipality | Geographic magisterial district assignment |
|---|---|
| Lower Macungie Township | 31-3-02 |
| Upper Macungie Township | 31-3-02 |
| Macungie Borough | 31-3-03 |
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court's reestablishment order and the county's current district resources support these assignments. The court also provides an official address lookup. Its results are estimates based on geographic information, and the court directs users to verify them with Court Administration before legal action, particularly near a boundary.
This table identifies geographic districts. It does not determine where every hearing will occur. DUI procedures, custody status, transfers and case-specific orders can affect the next listing. Keep the latest written notice and resolve conflicting instructions before traveling.
Older papers may reflect a different assignment
An older document can refer to former District 31-2-03. The county's 2022 orders redistributed new filings and transferred specified existing criminal cases. The treatment of an already pending case was not identical to assigning every new matter from its present-day municipality.
Bring the original papers and later notices together. An old district number does not establish that a case disappeared or that a current court date may be ignored. The case history and subsequent orders need to be checked; a current map alone cannot reconstruct that history.
DUI cases require a separate location check
Lehigh County's published administrative procedure establishes DUI Central Court for cases charging DUI under 75 Pa.C.S. § 3802. The originating district court has scheduling and case-maintenance responsibilities, and the procedure includes qualifications tied to custody status and other circumstances. A Macungie-area incident therefore does not mean that every DUI preliminary hearing will take place at the office associated with the municipality.
Review the summons and later instructions for the actual date, location and attendance requirement. The Lehigh County criminal-procedure guide explains the county's DUI track; our DUI defense page addresses the broader defense issues. An evaluation appointment, a license issue and a criminal hearing are different matters to identify when preparing the case.
Prepare for the next decision
A preliminary hearing concerns whether there is a sufficient basis to hold the charges for court; it is not the trial that decides guilt. Whether to contest or waive a hearing should follow a review of the charge and the available record. A proposed waiver or continuance deserves attention before it is signed or treated as approved.
For a consultation, useful starting materials include:
- The complaint and affidavit of probable cause.
- Every summons, hearing notice and later scheduling order.
- Bail papers and written release or supervision conditions.
- A dated outline of the incident and the police agency involved.
- Relevant messages, photographs or other records you already possess.
- Papers from a related probation, parole or other pending case.
The list is a preparation aid, not a requirement to obtain every record before contacting us. Tell us what is missing. Keep the original documents so the complete wording, attachments and dates can be reviewed.
Match the approach to the case
The next step may involve reviewing the accusation, examining the available evidence, preparing for a hearing or considering an appropriate resolution. A program application is one possible issue to evaluate; it does not replace reviewing the defense. Pennsylvania's ARD procedure permits Commonwealth counsel to seek consideration of a court case, but a first charge does not by itself establish admission.
Our criminal-defense overview discusses the broader work. Use the county procedure guide for the fuller bail, arraignment and program sequence. The purpose of the local review is to connect those issues to the papers and decisions in your case, without promising a particular result.
Macungie criminal-defense FAQs
Does my Macungie mailing address decide which district court handles a charge?
No. The alleged incident location, the applicable venue rule and any transfer or special procedure matter. The borough is assigned geographically to 31-3-03; Lower and Upper Macungie townships are assigned to 31-3-02. Read the current notice rather than selecting a court from your mailing address.
Will every hearing be at that district office?
No. A geographic district assignment is not a promise about every later listing. Lehigh's DUI Central Court procedure and other case-specific circumstances can change the location. Check the date, address and type of event on the latest court notice.
Why do my older papers mention 31-2-03?
The county changed district assignments and transferred cases in 2022. Different provisions addressed new filings and specified pending criminal matters. Counsel should review the docket and subsequent notices rather than assume an older number is still the correct destination.
Is a preliminary hearing the same as a trial?
No. It addresses whether the charges may proceed to court, rather than deciding guilt at trial. Bring the complaint and hearing notice so the purpose of that event and the decision whether to contest or waive it can be discussed.
Can I contact the firm before I have all the records?
Yes. Start with the papers you have and identify what is missing. Let us know the next scheduled date and whether any release conditions or proposed documents need prompt review. We will discuss the appropriate next step and proposed scope of representation.
Schedule a Consultation
For a criminal matter connected with the Macungie area, call Madsen Law Offices at (484) 548-0529 or visit our contact page. Our office is at 680 Wolf Avenue, Easton, PA 18042. Bring the current court papers so the discussion can focus on the actual charge, location and next decision.
General information about Pennsylvania procedure; not advice for an individual case. Contacting the firm or reading this page does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Official references
- Pennsylvania Supreme Court, June 28, 2022 Lehigh district reestablishment order, PDF pp. 1 and 3.
- Lehigh official district lookup and district directory.
- Lehigh 2022 transfer-order packet, PDF pp. 2, 4–5.
- Pa. R. Crim. P. 130, venue and transfers; Rule 542, preliminary hearing.
- Lehigh DUI Central Court order, PDF pp. 1, 4–7; 2023 amendment.
- Pa. R. Crim. P. 310, ARD consideration.