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.

The ladies I this office make things easy as pie. Well, as easy as probating a will could be…read more They are super nice and informative. Very pleasant to deal with. Make sure you have cash or a check if you're probating. There is a fee

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!

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.

Happy Valentine's Day to all the true believers out there. Here at the Philadelphia Family Court…read moreour motto is simple and heartfelt -- enjoy all the flowers and chocolate and remember we'll be seeing at least 50% of you real soon. XOXOXO from the PFC. BTW, Cupid says Hi.

Judge Sulman is incompetent. And he should've never been a judge. Do families some justice and…read morequit. You know that you don't belong on that bench to say the least. He and Cooper family law will have compensate the damages to my property. Sulman showed no respect to judge Fords PFA and Cooper the crook attorney added their bias "baseless" comments on court documents as a result there is over a hundred thousand dollars worth of damages to my personal property that he or family court will have to address once all the damages is accounted and civil suit is filed. How would Sulman feel if someone caused damages to his property whether directly or indirect. Does he know how much it cost to replace a soiled and rotted joist and everything sitting atop of it. Kitchen and bathroom. I would like to make this case public every step of the way. Pics will be posted later with court documents. I hope judge Sulman has the decency and understanding to step down and own his incompetence. U know what you did in that court room. Even the officer in the court room was confused. Sulman should strongly consider STEPPING DOWN!!! And Cooper the crook shame on you. Never underestimate a family lawyers greed.Family court needs to pay close attention to Coopers tactics.

Philadelphia, PA - this is a review for the City Hall Tower Tour. I'm irresistibly attracted to…read moreobservation decks and old towers, so when I discovered that Philadelphia's City Hall doesn't just offer building tours but also a panoramic Tower Tour from atop its clock tower, I didn't question whether I really NEED to see the bird's eye view of yet another city. Located just a short walk from my hotel and something I can squeeze in before check-out, well that sealed it. The tour is very intimate, as each group maxes out at four people, owing to the tower's narrow dimensions, so you're basically on a private tour. There are plenty of time slots however, as the tour departs every 15 minutes, but booking in advance is highly recommended if not imperative (isn't everything these days!). It is only available Monday-Friday from 10am-2:45pm cos, government building. The experience was wonderful from top to bottom. The ladies in the visitor center were so nice and chatted with us as we waited for the tour to begin, and even gave my kiddo a pair of binoculars which he clutched onto with excitement and didn't put down for the rest of the day. Our guide Kim was genuinely warm, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable. She took our photos, kept things interesting, and capped it all off with an awesome list of insidery tips about what to do and see - places I hadn't even known about. I've done several dozen observation towers around the world and they never get old. This one's a departure from the usual glossy skyscraper presentation with a slick immersive elevator ride (in fact the elevator ride's pretty rickety), but if you like history and high places, and the luxury of zero crowds, this is a cool hidden gem.

Philadelphia City Hall has become a must-visit for me whenever I am in the city for running events…read morelike the Independence Blue Cross Broad Street Run or the Philadelphia Distance Run. My trips just don't feel complete without stopping by to take in its architecture. I remember the 2022 Broad Street Run vividly, falling in love with the building's design around mile five of the course. Being near it, I must say, it has an astonishing presence. I learned that it was designed by Scottish-born architect John McArthur Jr. and Thomas Ustick Walter in the French Second Empire style, with construction spanning from 1871 to 1901. The exterior tower was completed by 1894, although the interior was not finished until 1901. At the very top stands a 37-foot bronze statue of William Penn, the founder of Philadelphia. At 548 feet, this made it the tallest habitable building in the world from 1894 to 1908. City Hall sits on one of the five original urban park squares laid out by William Penn. Geometrically, it is the center of the other four squares within Center City--an area fittingly renamed Penn Square. If you are planning a trip to Philadelphia, I highly recommend including a walk around this iconic landmark on your itinerary, though it is bound to catch your eye unexpectedly while you are downtown. One of my favorite sculptures on the outer perimeter is of Octavius Catto, a trailblazing civil rights leader, educator, and athlete whose contributions to racial equality in 19th-century America remain profound. ~ Be obsessively grateful ~ Thomas G

I was here yesterday and told I could court back today once I printed certain paperwork! I spent…read moreover $8 to park, again, heart patient through traffic and all just to be told once I got upstairs that the building would be closed last minute! I work during the week and this is urgent to get filed and I dont know when I can get back down here. The city doesn't care, they just wanted the day off. What a waste of all the things I moved around to be here when the hours are clearly 9-5pm!!!! a week hold up costs me money and time waiting just to get into litigation or mediation. I hate the way this city runs.

Go with a lawyer. The Judges will listen to a lawyer if the lawyer says midgets grow in the…read moresunlight. They badger pro se plaintifs, and they are as daft a dead pet hamster. The municipal court system in Philadelphia is run by idiots, and is reminiscent of the 1960's Planet of the Apes starring Charleton Heston. Yes, seriously. On the other hand simply try to avoid the judges. See if you can settle out of court and sometimes the action of bringing suit against someone gets attention. Do not expect human intelligence from the judges and by all means turn your cell phone off.

Still trying to get our brother medical attention. He has serious medical issues and symptoms that…read moreif left untreated could be life threatening. This is a violation of his 8th amendment rights and he is suffering. Failing to acknowledge and address health complaints, not administering the necessary medications or treatment needed to manage or cure inmate health conditions, releasing inmates from medical quarters prematurely, delaying the treatment of an inmate's medical condition, not responding to emergency health issues as soon as possible Failing to diagnose a serious health condition of an inmate- he has experienced ALL of this at FDC. We are making calls and emails to anyone who will listen!

Great Food. I have been told by several Felons that if you are going to do time best food on the…read moreEast Coast. Arch St Philadelphia. Not easy to get in might need to look ahead

The U.S. Bankruptcy Courthouse is a fantastic display of the classic Art Deco style of…read morearchitecture. The ridiculously long hallways are all marble while the seating alcoves of a medium dark wood like the bright pews of a mid-century Catholic Church. The courtrooms have ceilings that are two plus stories high. The courtrooms have hand carved wooden United States seals behind the judges benches. I was told that the A/C is always running in order to keep the wooden seals from expanding and contracting thus causing cracking. The entire courthouse will remind you of classic movies with grand courtrooms as the backdrop. Would that new courthouse had the same character and wonderful finishes.