NOTICE
Currently, we are accepting new cases in person. Appointments are preferred.
The Philadelphia Municipal Court deals with cases involving a written lease or verbal rental agreement. The court can evict a tenant (the person renting a unit) or make one side pay the other. This is called a money judgment. A money judgment can be any amount. The court does not deal with cases involving a squatter and cannot force a landlord to make repairs.
A landlord can start a case to get the money a renter owes them. For example, a tenant might owe a landlord money for a repair when the security deposit does not cover the cost. A landlord can also start a case to evict a tenant if:
Landlords must go through the legal court process to evict a tenant. Landlords cannot change the locks, cut off utilities or remove a tenant’s belongings from the property. These actions are illegal and come with penalties, fines, and damages. If you are a tenant trying to get your security deposit back, you can start a small claims case or start landlord-tenant case.
Get free legal advice or a lawyer
If you are a tenant with a low income you can get free legal advice or a lawyer from these organizations.
Pay a Lawyer for Help
Call 215-686-7000 for general court information.