Article V.
The Judiciary

Section 1. The courts

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Unified judicial system

The judicial power of the Commonwealth shall be vested in a unified judicial system consisting of the Supreme Court, the Superior Court, the Commonwealth Court, courts of common pleas, community courts, municipal courts in the City of Philadelphia, such other courts as may be provided by law and justices of the peace. All courts and justices of the peace and their jurisdiction shall be in this unified judicial system.

The courts

Unified judicial system

The judicial power of the Commonwealth shall be vested in a unified judicial system consisting of the Supreme Court, the Superior Court, the Commonwealth Court, courts of common pleas, community courts, municipal and traffic courts in the City of Philadelphia, such other courts as may be provided by law and justices of the peace. All courts and justices of the peace and their jurisdiction shall be in this unified judicial system.

The courts

The judicial power of this Commonwealth shall be vested in a Supreme Court, in courts of Common Pleas, courts of Oyer and Terminal and General Jail Delivery, courts of Quarter Sessions of the Peace, Orphans’ Courts, Magistrates’ Courts, and in such other courts as the General Assembly may from time to time establish.

Of the judicial power

The Judicial power of this Commonwealth shall be vested in a Supreme Court, in Courts of Oyer and Terminer and General Jail Delivery, in a Court of Common Pleas, Orphans' Court, Register’s Court, and a Court of Quarter Sessions of the Peace, for each county; in Justices of the Peace, and in such other Courts as the legislature may, from time to time, establish.

Courts of Justice shall be Established in the City of Philadelphia and in every County of this State.

Redlined Comparison between 1874 and 1969 Amendment (includes interim changes)

Removed from 1874 Added to 1969

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