In Pennsylvania, police departments usually file charges for the DUI incident directly with magistrates in the district the offense occurred. They do not present the motorist with the charges.
Within two weeks to a month of the traffic incident, drivers receive the DUI charges in the mail. These will include a request for fingerprints and a summons to appear for a preliminary hearing in district court. During this hearing, the police must prove they have enough evidence for the Court of Common Pleas to take the case.