Porter’s court back in session at new location in Charleroi

The magisterial judge is in a temporary location while his office is being repaired.

Court operations for Magisterial District Judge Eric Porter have officially resumed at a temporary location in Charleroi following the condemnation of the court’s longtime home on Fallowfield Avenue.

According to an update issued Monday by Washington County Courts, Porter’s office has been relocated to 250 Chamber Plaza and will remain there until further notice due to ongoing infrastructure issues at the original building.

Court proceedings resumed at 1 p.m. Monday. Regular office hours will continue thereafter from 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. The office phone number remains 724-483-6373.

The relocation follows last week’s cancellation of hearings after extensive water damage was discovered inside the court building. Borough officials said the damage was caused by a water leak and ultimately led code enforcement officers to deem the structure unsafe for occupancy.

Charleroi Borough Manager Joe Manning previously said county court administrators, Judge Porter and state IT officials worked to arrange the temporary move so court operations could resume with minimal disruption. Equipment was transferred to the Chamber Plaza site over the weekend, allowing staff to prepare the space for public use.

The condemned building will remain closed while the property owner addresses required repairs. Borough code enforcement officials are continuing to monitor the situation, and no timeline has been announced for when the court may be able to return to its original location.