Lancaster County Court to hold night court

Lancaster County and city officials are trying to cut down on warrants and jail populations by hold night court sessions. 

They’ll open up the Lancaster County Courtroom 24 on May 30 and June 27th from 4:30- 7:00 p.m. to allow those who can’t get away from work to go before a judge. 

They’ll only deal with non-custody matters. This means no jail time is required. 

Here are the cases they’ll hear: misdemeanor non-custody cases, misdemeanor warrants and pleas, felony non-custody docket calls or preliminary waivers in felony cases not yet bound over to the District Court and felony non-custody matters where the Defendant’s will be pleading to charges that are being reduced to misdemeanor charges. 

There will be no evidentiary hearings, no trials, no preliminary hearings, no bond reviews of individuals in custody and nobody in custody will be transported for hearings. 

If you have an outstanding warrant on a Class 1 Misdemeanor where sentencing has been missed and the Court placed a “Hold For Court” order, you will be lodged in jail until the next business day. If you have a felony warrant you’ll also go to jail and go to court the next day. 

They ask you to have your attorney file a motion ahead of the dates requesting a hearing time. 

If you don’t have an attorney or have any questions, call the county clerk at 402-441-8959.