How the Mercer County Courthouse (civil) is rated depends on what side of the bar you find…read moreyourself. If you are a plaintiff seeking justice for a wrong done to you, you will likely find a fair level of compensation for pain and suffering or breach of contract, and feel some satisfaction with your experience in the building. However, as a defendant it is more likely you will dread what this institution has done to you. All matters of social interactions that go sideways can find themselves being evaluated and judged here, although those that cross the criminal line will be heard and disposed of at the criminal courthouse a few blocks away. The four story hall of justice was originally designed for both civil and criminal cases and although less than 20 years old, legal conflicts have risen so fast that not only a second new building was needed just for the bad boys, and a third (the currently being renovated old courthouse annex) for the county prosecutor staff. The taxpayers can't be happy about that. There aren't enough judges to hear the cases that don't settle, so the wait for your day in court is often years after the events that began the long course to an uncertain outcome. It is frustrating and unpleasant, yet it is the system chosen to resolve conflicts with confrontations minimized. Oh, and the elevators are as slow as the slog to justice.

We went here to apply for guardianship for our autistic son and parking was available with metered…read moreparking. Security guards at entrance with metal detectors and asked them what floor for guardianship and they had no idea. Went to 4 th floor for civil cases as told by a friend and the officers there had no idea either but we found it in my paperwork application and on yelp on my phone. Thank goodness at least they were nice about everything. I forgot two signatures and raced back a second time before closing time with doors locked upstairs and the lady at the guardianship office let me in. Thank goodness! Hope our application gets approved soon.

Went on a *SATURDAY* to get passports for my 3 kids. The lady helping us was on fire! Like a…read moremachine! She sped us through the process and it was so easy. You do have to enter via Orange Street on the weekends and walk down a pathway. But it was such a great experience compared to a post office!

This imposing marble structure, dating back to 1872, is the County Seat of Delaware County, the…read moresecond version since the Eastern part of the old Chester County was carved out into its own Delaware County in 1784 and 24 years since the county seat of Delaware County was transfered from Chester to the newly created Borough of Media. Entering this building is a step back in the history of the United States. The earliest European settlements in the area were not English, but Swedish, back to the 1640s. And the history of the area is vividly displayed in the exhibits and pictures in the courthouse as well as the many statues surrounding the expansive grounds. Much of the historical statuary in the area is devoted to the Civil War, which claimed an inordinate number of patriots from Delaware County fighting to maintain our country as one union. Other than the mandatory security screening at the entrance, the building is very accessible, one scant block from the 101 SEPTA Trolley and four blocks from the Media train station. Parking on the other hand, is a hassle and meter only.

County Clerk's office: perfectly on time for my appointment. Helped with all the various paperwork,…read morefriendly staff even pointed out how I could do some things myself and save significant money. A really polite staff made the experience simple and actually took way less time than I expected.

The main courthouse is centrally located in downtown Somerville on 20 North Bridge Street. There…read moreare plenty of places across the street to grab a sandwich, or get a cup of coffee. The court itself has a new wing and an historic wing. . The Old Historic Wing is just off the main corridor. Once inside you can see all the beauty from yesteryear. There are gold columns, and ornate carvings. There is so much history and character. There are several metered lots to park in. I prefer lot # 7 off of High Street. Make sure you bring plenty of quarters. It's 50 cents per hour. If attending court, it could take hours. I would suggest minimum of 4 hrs. Otherwise,you will have to walk back and put in more money to avoid getting a ticket. I would suggest arriving 15-20 minutes before your court time. There is usually some type of sign in and each floor has seating. I've been coming here for 4 years now, Domestic Violence, Divorce, and Child Support/ Alimony non payments I've had quite a bit of ups and downs because each department is run differently and communication is not the best with each other. Always make a copy of everything you submit to the court. Paperwork gets easily lost. If you mail it send it return receipt . The security personnel are very professional and friendly when asked a question and do a great job! They are very strict with cell phone use, and no photos or taping is allowed. Somerset County Courthouse is very over crowded. There aren't enough judges to hear all the cases and it can take months to get a court date with a judge. Seating in the different courtrooms are packed so sometimes plaintiffs and defendants are seated near each other or out in the halls. If you are handicapped or need assistance please call ahead and make special arrangements. There is also a full time interpreter for people who speak Spanish. The court is very good with this. When it comes to domestic violence there needs to be more training. The staff and the court really don't understand what truly goes on, and in my case really did more harm then good. There should be several domestic violence advocates, and counselors on the premises at all times to help battered women. Judges shouldn't allow the victims to be re-victimized and be put on trial and made to relive the nightmares all over again. There truly needs to be stricter enforcement when both parties sign a settlement agreement which supersedes the court order. If one parent doesn't follow it then there should be swift and immediate action. Otherwise, why bother having a settlement agreement. The only way to correct this is to file a $50 motion for each dispute, and wait for another trial.. Motions are costly and take way too long to get results which leave a lot of mom's helpless , homeless, and broken. If you have any problems at the courthouse contact the Ombudsman . ( In the Judiciary, the ombudsman is a neutral staff person who answers questions, addresses concerns from the public and is responsible for enhancing customer service in the courts. The ombudsman provides a bridge between the courts and the community, to enhance public access and improve customer service.)

This place is beautiful! Worth taking a little walk through of history. The details in the ceilings…read moreand fixtures are amazing.

It was a surprisingly PLEASANT experience. I was here a couple of days ago with my friend. She was…read morethere to contest a speeding ticket and we were both concerned that it would be this HUGE ordeal. It was raining, we were kinda running late. We arrived 5 mins before her appointment at 2:30pm, walked in, went through the metal detectors, everyone was friendly and greeted us, gave us directions to exactly where we needed to go... my friend spoke to a woman and told her the situation, she then spoke to a judge, signed a paper, paid her ticket and we were done. From the moment we walked in, handled the ticket, paid and walk back out... I would say it took no more than ten minutes... I would lean more towards eight minutes. Everyone was super friendly and the place was just about empty. It was appreciated.

Surprisingly, things went really well. No drama, no chaos, everyone followed instructions, judge…read morecame out quickly and got right to dealing with your tickets. The judge in courtroom A (white older guy with a blonde toupee) was fair, funny and allowed you to explain what happened. Both tickets ($122 each) for not signing my registration card and allegedly making an "illegal" U turn were dismissed. They said I owed $75 bucks from 2003?!?! Really? I was advised to write the administrative judge to get that thrown out. Oh, if you ever get pulled over by a very very nasty officer like I did, google their full name and district, you'll be surprise what comes up about them. Typically where there is smoke, there is fire!! Remember to do everything with a big SMILE, it irritates people and can turn a bad situation around!

I know! I know!! Jury Duty sometimes feels like a setup, but it's your civic duty. Make sure you…read moreget there early because the lines to get in are always super long, especially because cases are ACTUALLY occurring while you're going through the juror selection process. Make sure you are early enough to stop and get something to eat because they no longer offer food other than from a vending machine. Once in the juror selection room, make sure you pay attention to all instructions. Watch the little video and fill out the questionnaire honestly. The staff that I've interacted with have always been kind and courteous as long as you are the same. It sucks to sit there for hours, but there is a bright side. Your JUROR badge gets you a 10% discount at any of the shops in Reading Terminal Market. One tip I've always found works: if you really don't want to be selected for jury duty, act like you do want to be there! This particular occasion, I wasn't selected, received my $9 check and was on my way.

My stepdad has long drilled it into my head that jury duty is a civic responsibility, and I have to…read moresay I agree with him. As much as I still dread to see the jury duty slip come through the mail slot, I accept the call to action. Maybe it's my easygoing attitude that keeps landing me in the jury box! I just completed my second stint as a juror on a criminal case (first time in Philly - the other case was when I was a NJ resident). I have to say, I found the whole thing fascinating, if a bit time consuming. There are inconveniences involved for sure. The expense of getting to and from, not to mention lunches out each day. But probably the worst is giving up your cell phone the moment you get into the court room. They take this so seriously, even though they send you home with all the Internet access in the world each night. I don't understand it and I suspect it has more to do with not trusting people to have their phone on airplane mode or off in the courtroom, than it does with having Internet access. Pro-tips for potential jurors: serving on jury duty even for just a day will get you discounts at nearby restaurants and some Reading Terminal Market vendors. Be sure to ask about the discount! Also, you can bring coffee or other beverages into the building, but not in glass or aluminum containers. We had a laid-back judge who also allowed us to bring beverages into the courtroom. Trust me, you're gonna need a steady infusion of coffee if you get selected. Overall, my experience was interesting and fairly pleasant, but I'm off the hook for the next three years and not sad about it. I'm sure I'll be back at some point, hopefully in the distant future.

Very clean facility. All staff our polite with no attitude…read moregiven Was there for jury duty You must goto market street side to access building with less aggravation

Served Federal jury duty here, the jury clerks were very nice. Judge was very nice. Nice facility…read moreoverall and very close to the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall and visitor's center.

I was treated very nice and kindly THERE my matter was taken care of perfessionly, the Lawyer was…read moreGreat and the Judge listened to TO MY STORY.. She let me speak,Cry Express my feelings. I was very grateful for that. I asked her to help my nephew although I was WAS the one sent him to jail and filed the restraining order I wanted him to get help cause he wasn't taken his medicine the drugs was making him crazy and he was already diagnosed Paranoid sicofranic. Anyway THE JUDGE HEARD BOTH SIDES AND GRANTED My wish she sent my nephew to a PSYCHIATRIST CENTER AND HE'S GETTING THE HELP NEEDED FINALLY. So I thank the court system.

I want to thank the people who work there! They help me with my divorce in every possible way!…read moreAll employees are super polite and knowledgeable!