Eastern District of Pennsylvania

With Philadelphia assigned as one of 10 regional centers for federal agencies, federal resources within the District are abundant. As one of the nation's largest, the District Court has 37 sitting judges, five bankruptcy court judges and 11 magistrate judges. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, with 19 judges, is also located within the federal courthouse in the city. In addition to its historical sites, Philadelphia is home to major Department of Defense (DOD) buying commands, a bulk mail center, an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regional return center, and many other facilities.

In contrast to the urban character of its largest city, the District's eight other counties, Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Lehigh, Montgomery, and Northampton, reflect a mixture of settings and cultures. With the completion of a new interstate highway and the redevelopment of its regional airport, the Lehigh Valley cities of Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton are now in a position to reap the benefits of the suburban expansion that has been occurring across the country. Chester, Montgomery, and Bucks counties have recognized significant growth in both residential and business development based in large part to the success of the technology and retail industries. Lancaster County, with its farms and rolling hills, remains home to the Pennsylvania Dutch, farmers, tradesmen, and other artisans who supply all of the District's communities with fresh produce, new home construction, crafts and many other products.