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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

What can you really say? You're here for a gross experience and I'm always anxious walking up to…read morethe ominious building. There is a security check and conveyer belt as you walk in, plenty of security guards and someone you sign in with. We were excited to have an early time but we weren't so thrilled to find out that we had to wait regardless. This was based on which parties were 'completely present'. We lucked out and truly were first. Make sure to take your 'pacifier' (iPhones, etc. electronics) with you, b/c you're usually in for a long wait and day - blach!

If you are a primary parent coming into this courtroom hoping your circumstances will be…read moreunderstood, be prepared for the possibility that they may not be. My experience before Judge Daniels left me feeling completely unheard. I came to court seeking a more balanced sharing of parental responsibilities and support for our children. Instead, I felt dismissed, patronized, and criticized while the realities of my situation were minimized. I left the courtroom feeling that the burdens on me as the primary parent had increased rather than decreased. The process did not leave me feeling supported, understood, or confident that the practical realities facing my family had been fully considered. Court decisions affect real people long after the hearing ends. They affect housing stability, finances, mental health, and most importantly, children. My experience left me feeling that those consequences were not given the weight they deserved. I cannot speak for anyone else's experience, but I can say that I walked away feeling defeated, unheard, and deeply disappointed.

I've only been to this courthouse once for jury duty and this is the only courthouse I've ever been…read moreto, so I'm working on no baseline at all for comparison. I have a feeling I may come back to rewrite this review if I go to another courthouse that's better or worse than this one. Although I'm sure these are necessary, security procedures are bothersome. I take it the court doesn't like cameras, but people were getting stopped even for bringing in Kindles. As for jury duty itself, the whole experience was a lot of waiting in the jury assembly room. However, I did like that they explained everything that was going on. If nothing else, it was an education in how the court system works and how it relates to the constitution. As far as building amenities go, there wasn't much. There was just this one Dunkin Donuts in the lower level. You don't get a very long break during the day when on jury duty and everyone goes on break at the same time. The result: a long line to order and almost not enough time to get food. Also, the restroom toilet was overflowing but maybe I just caught them on a bad restroom day. The final part that was a bit annoying is the stairs are reserved only for emergency use. When a hundred of us jurors were called up to the courtroom for jury selection, I'm sure it would've gone faster if some of us could take the stairs instead of waiting on the elevators.

Out-of-State Jurisdiction Overreach and Total Disregard for Rights…read more​The Delaware State Judicial System is completely broken. My constitutional right to a jury trial was waived without my consent. I did not ask for this, I did not sign off on it, and I did not agree to it. The court did it on their own authority, stripping away my rights, and then tried to tell me to come back for a "mental health hearing" instead. ​To make matters worse, I don't even live in Delaware. I live an hour and a half away from where these courts are located, and I am not driving out of state for a hearing I never agreed to. ​A jury trial is a fundamental right. It is not something the judicial system can just wave away or substitute with an unwanted hearing because it fits their agenda, especially for someone who lives completely out of state. Bypassing a trial by jury and trying to force someone into a mental health hearing without permission is a massive overreach and a total denial of due process. The Delaware courts need to hear this loud and clear: you do not have the right to manipulate the legal process to strip citizens of their basic rights. Absolute disgrace.

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.