Thursday, March 28, 2024

Visiting the Courthouse for Civics Education

Welcome to the Courthouse!

The Lycoming County Courthouse encourages school groups and community organizations to visit us to learn about the processes of the Court of Common Pleas and its vital role in our government.  Sit in on trials, hearings, and other court proceedings and observe the justice system first hand.  Speak with officers of the court and learn about their experiences, and how they view their role in the judicial system of Pennsylvania.

Before you Visit:

School or civic groups who wish to observe a Court session (trials, hearings, etc.) should contact courtscheduling@lyco.org for more information and/or to schedule a visit.  Visits will be scheduled according to the availability of appropriate court proceedings, and number of attendees may be limited, depending on the courtroom in question.  In addition, cases involving children or sexually-oriented crimes will NOT be made available for viewing. The Court schedule is available on the Courthouse website at https://courtscheduling.lyco.org/

Building Hours

The Lycoming County Courthouse is open between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.  The building is closed on all major holidays.

Entering the Building

Be prepared to pass through security screening at your point of entry.  To enter the building efficiently, please try to carry as little as possible on the day of your visit (backpacks, bags, etc.).  All items are screened in metal detectors; you will be asked to remove all metal (belts, keys, change, etc.) from your person.  NO CELLPHONES ARE PERMITTED IN THE COURTHOUSE.  You will not be permitted to enter the Courthouse with a cell phone, and the Courthouse will not store it for you.

Visitor Etiquette

To ensure the safety and enjoyment of all visitors and users of the courthouse, please review the following rules with your students and/or guests PRIOR to arrival:

  •  Please tour the building quietly, as working offices and Courtrooms are adjacent to all public hallways.
  •  No photography or audio/video recording is allowed inside the Courtroom.
  •  Consumption of food or beverages is permitted only in the Employee Lounge and Juror Lounge.
  • Touching of portraits or other artifacts on exhibit is strictly prohibited.
  • Visitors unable to maintain proper behavior will be asked to leave the building.

We look forward to your visit!

For more information on Pennsylvania’s commitment to civics education, please see https://www.pacourts.us/civics-ed.

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