Rydal-Meadowbrook Civic Association

The Keystone State had a population of 1,819,777 in 2009. The capitol is Harrisburg and its government is much like that of the federal government, with three branches that provide checks and balances to the others. However, the executive, legislative and judicial branches are all subject to elections. The Commonwealth has an extensive web site: www.state.pa.us/ 

Your elected officials in Pennsylvania can be reached at the following addresses:  

Governor Tom Corbett
www.governor.state.pa.us/   

State Capitol: 
225 Main Capitol Building, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120 
Phone: 717-787-2500  Fax: 717-772-8284  

Southeast Office:
200 South Broad Street, 11th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19102
Phone: 215-560-2640  Fax: 215-560-3458
Counties Served: Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Northampton, Montgomery and Philadelphia 

State Senator Leanna Washington
www.senatorwashington.com    

Email: washington@pasenate.com
District Map: Click here to see the 4th Senatorial District 

State Capitol: 
Senate Box 203004, Harrisburg, PA 17120-3004  

District Office Address:
1555-D Wadsworth Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19150 
215-242-0472  Fax: (215) 753-4538   

State Representative Josh Shapiro  
pahouse.com/shapiro

Email: Submit inquires via one-way web form on the web site.
District Map: Click here to see Legislative District 153  

State Capitol:
105-B East Wing, PO Box 202153, Harrisburg, PA 17120-2153 
Phone: 717-783-7619  Fax: 717-780-4754   

District Office Address: 
1175 Old York Road, Abington, PA 19001 
Phone: 215-517-6800  Fax: 215-517-6828   

The judiciary in Pennsylvania has undergone an overhaul in recent years, with local magisterial judges now required to obtain some basic legal training prior to taking office after their election.   

The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania has seven elected justices:

Chief Justice Ronald D. Castille
1818 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103  

Justice Thomas G. Saylor
Fulton Building, 200 North Third Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101   

Justice J. Michael Eakin
4720 Old Gettysburg Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 

Justice Max Baer
One Oxford Centre, 301 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219  

Justice Debra McCloskey Todd
One Oxford Centre, 301 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219  

Justice Seamus P. McCaffery
Centre Square West, 1500 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102  

Justice Joan Orie Melvin
Grant Building, 330 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 

Pennsylvania also has two statewide intermediate appellate courts:
http://www.courts.state.pa.us/T/SuperiorCourt/ http://www.courts.state.pa.us/T/Commonwealth/  

Major civil and criminal cases are heard in the Court of Common Pleas:
http://www.courts.state.pa.us/T/CommonPleas/ 

There are 546 magisterial district judges based in community courts throughout the Commonwealth who decide small claims, landlord-tenant disputes, traffic cases and minor criminal matters: http://www.courts.state.pa.us/T/SpecialCourts/  

Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts (PMC) is a statewide, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to reform Pennsylvania's courts in order to achieve the ideal of fair and impartial courts to which all can come for justice.
http://www.pmconline.org/ 

Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has a web site (click here) that shows political and administrative boundaries, transportation networks, geological and mining details, environmental complaints, emergency response incidents, streams and water resources in the Commonwealth. Click here to see a map of the counties in the state.