
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 2, 2001 and January 28, 2002]
[CITE: 28USC118]

 
               TITLE 28--JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE
 
                     PART I--ORGANIZATION OF COURTS
 
                       CHAPTER 5--DISTRICT COURTS
 
Sec. 118. Pennsylvania

    Pennsylvania is divided into three judicial districts to be known as 
the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of Pennsylvania.

                            Eastern District

    (a) The Eastern District comprises the counties of Berks, Bucks, 
Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, and 
Philadelphia.

           Court for the Eastern District shall be held at Allentown, 
                      Easton, Lancaster, Reading, and Philadelphia.

                             Middle District

    (b) The Middle District comprises the counties of Adams, Bradford, 
Cameron, Carbon, Centre, Clinton, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, 
Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Lackawanna, Lebanon, Luzerne, 
Lycoming, Mifflin, Monroe, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Pike, Potter, 
Schuylkill, Snyder, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Union, Wayne, Wyoming, 
and York.

           Court for the Middle District shall be held at Harrisburg, 
                  Lewisburg, Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, and Williamsport.

                            Western District

    (c) The Western District comprises the counties of Allegheny, 
Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Clarion, Clearfield, 
Crawford, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Greene, Indiana, Jefferson, 
Lawrence, McKean, Mercer, Somerset, Venango, Warren, Washington, and 
Westmoreland.

        Court for the Western District shall be held at Erie, Johnstown, 
                                     and Pittsburgh.

(June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 888; Pub. L. 91-272, Sec. 6, June 2, 
1970, 84 Stat. 297; Pub. L. 95-573, Sec. 4, Nov. 2, 1978, 92 Stat. 2458; 
Pub. L. 102-396, title IX, Sec. 9161, Oct. 6, 1992, 106 Stat. 1947; Pub. 
L. 105-277, div. A, Sec. 101(b) [title VI, Sec. 624(a)], Oct. 21, 1998, 
112 Stat. 2681-50, 2681-116.)


                      Historical and Revision Notes

    Based on title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Sec. 184 (Mar. 3, 1911, ch. 
231, Sec. 103, 36 Stat. 1123; Mar. 3, 1913, ch. 113, 37 Stat. 730; June 
6, 1914, ch. 104, 38 Stat. 385; Sept. 9, 1914, ch. 296, 38 Stat. 713; 
Apr. 26, 1926, ch. 185, 44 Stat. 324; June 27, 1930, ch. 634, 46 Stat. 
820; Aug. 3, 1935, ch. 433, 49 Stat. 514; May 13, 1936, ch. 385, 49 
Stat. 1271; June 13, 1938, ch. 351, 52 Stat. 674; Mar. 5, 1942, ch. 143, 
56 Stat. 132).
    Provisions relating to maintenance of offices at certain places by 
the clerks and marshals were omitted as covered by sections 541 [see 
561] and 751 of this title.
    Provisions for the continuance of terms were omitted as covered by 
section 139 of this title.
    Provisions with respect to the return of process, and the places of 
keeping court papers, were omitted as matters for determination by rule 
of court or for the action of the judicial council in cooperation with 
the Administrative Office of the United States Courts.
    The provisions for trial of cases at Lewisburg and Erie unless 
counsel consent to trial elsewhere were omitted as inconsistent with the 
uniform practice provided by this title.
    Changes were made in phraseology and arrangement.


                        Senate Revision Amendment

    By Senate amendment to the bill, Blair County was transferred from 
the Middle District to the Western District of Pennsylvania. This was in 
conformity with Act July 11, 1947, ch. 224, 61 Stat. 310, which so 
amended section 184 of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., the source of this 
section. See 80th Congress Senate Report No. 1559.


                               Amendments

    1998--Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105-277, Sec. 101(b) [title VI, 
Sec. 624(a)(1)], substituted ``and Philadelphia'' for ``Philadelphia, 
and Schuylkill''.
    Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 105-277, Sec. 101(b) [title VI, 
Sec. 624(a)(2)], inserted ``Schuylkill,'' after ``Potter,''.
    1992--Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 102-396 inserted ``Lancaster,'' before 
``Reading''.
    1978--Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 95-573 provided for holding court at 
Johnstown.
    1970--Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 91-272 provided for holding court at 
Allentown and Reading.


                    Effective Date of 1998 Amendment

    Pub. L. 105-277, div. A, Sec. 101(b) [title VI, Sec. 624(b)], Oct. 
21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681-50, 2681-116, provided that:
    ``(1) This section [amending this section] and the amendments made 
by this section shall take effect 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act [Oct. 21, 1998].
    ``(2) This section and the amendments made by this section shall not 
affect any action commenced before the effective date of this section 
and pending on such date in the United States District Court for the 
Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
    ``(3) This section and the amendments made by this section shall not 
affect the composition, or preclude the service, of any grand or petit 
jury summoned, impaneled, or actually serving on the effective date of 
this section.''
