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United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

One of the nation’s oldest federal trial courts, this district has served eastern Pennsylvania since the early days of the Republic. It hears major civil and criminal cases across a region anchored by Philadelphia and several other courthouse locations.

1 Audiobook

Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) Ruling

Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) Ruling

by United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

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Created as part of the original federal judiciary in 1789, the court that eventually became the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania traces its roots to the first generation of U.S. courts. The separate Eastern District was formally established in 1818, and early proceedings were held in Philadelphia, including at Independence Hall.

Today, the court serves nine counties in eastern Pennsylvania: Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, and Philadelphia. Its courthouses are located in Philadelphia, Allentown, Reading, and Easton, and it operates within the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

The district is known for both its long history and its large, active docket. According to the court’s official site, it is led by Chief Judge Wendy Beetlestone, with a full bench of district, senior, and magistrate judges handling the broad range of federal matters that come before it.