Often called "the people's court," magisterial district courts are the first tier of Pennsylvania's judicial system. Magisterial District Judge Donna R. Butler handles everything from traffic tickets to homicides in her Emmaus courtroom. She also officiates at many weddings.
Her venue includes Emmaus, Macungie and Upper Milford Township. Early in 2010, Butler's court moved from a strip mall at the other end of Emmaus. Its current quarters originally were a service station, then a sportswear store. Butler was appointed to fill a vacancy on the court in 1997 and later won her first election to retain her seat.