Lehigh County’s form of government is by Home Rule Charter, which provides local government with local control. A Home Rule Charter transfers authority over municipal matters from state laws to a local charter that’s drafted, adopted, and amended by voters in the municipality. A home rule charter is a local constitution: it sets up the government structure and determines its authority and its limitations. Under home rule, the county or municipality can do anything that’s not specifically denied by the state constitution, the General Assembly, or the charter itself. 

Resources and Additional Reading:
What is home rule? written by Kate Lao Shaffner, WPSU for WHYY
Lehigh County County Home Rule Charter (PDF)

Lehigh County government provides the following services (links in this section go to Lehigh County web page):

• Human Services at the local level (Children & Youth, Mental Health / Mental Retardation, Drug & Alcohol, Aging, etc.)
• Criminal Justice System (Courts, Prison, Probation, etc.)
• Cedarbrook Nursing Homes for the financially disadvantaged
• Veterans Affairs
• Voter Registration and Election Board
• Emergency management; bridge maintenance; parks maintenance
• Farmland and open space preservation program

• Administration — This department is comprised of departments responsible for day-to-day operations: the Assessment Office, Fiscal Department, Human Resources Department, Procurement Department, and Veteran’s Affairs
• Assessment Office — maintenance of property assessment rolls and updating property assessments based on new construction or fires.
• Fiscal Department — responsible for ensuring Lehigh County is in a solid financial position; promoting the fiscal integrity of the county departments and agencies; providing financial analysis of county operating practices
• Human Resources — hiring and retaining qualifies applicants; training; mitigating risk through employee benefits such as healthcare and workers’ compensation.
• Procurement Department — responsible for the purchase of all construction services, equipment, furniture, materials, nonprofessional services and supplies at the lowest possible cost consistent with the quality needed for proper and effective operations of all County departments.
• Veterans Affairs — provide veterans and their family members with assistance regarding federal, state and local benefits, and information assistance during the application process.
• Human Services — assists individuals and families in becoming self-sufficient and endeavors to improve the quality of life for the community. Assistance is provided through the services of these Offices: Information and Referral, Aging and Adult, Children and Youth, Drug and Alcohol, Early Intervention, HealthChoices, Integrated Services, Intellectual Disabilities, and Mental Health.
• General Services — emergency management; bridge maintenance; real estate; facilities planning, construction and maintenance; vehicle acquisition and maintenance; property dispositions; and maintenance of parks.
• Corrections — responsible for detention of adult and juvenile offenders; overall administration of Lehigh County’s Jail in Allentown and Community Corrections Center in Salisbury Township; and facilitation of Juvenile Detention services via contracts with neighboring counties.
• Information Technology — provides computing, network infrastructure, software applications and related services, and support and maintenance of technology-based resources to all County entities.

The Lehigh County website has a complete list of links to all county departments.

All Elected County Officials Serve a Term of 4 Years
(Office titles in this section are linked to more information on this page)
County Executive
County Commissioners (4 elected countywide, 5 elected by districts)
Controller
Coroner
District Attorney
Sheriff
Clerk of Courts
District Magisterial Judge (14 Districts)
Common Pleas Court Judge

• Supervises and directs county agencies
• Appoints, suspends or removes county employees
• Executes and enforces motions, resolutions and ordinances of the Board
• Exercises veto power
• As Chief Budget Officer prepares annual operating and capital budgets and submits them to the Board prior to September 1 each year
• Represents the County in deliberations with other governmental bodies
• Assures that all laws relating to the affairs and government of the County are duly executed and enforced
• Reports the activity of the County agencies to the Board
• Signs deeds, contracts and papers on behalf of the County
• Appoints and dissolves voluntary citizen advisory boards to advise the Executive on matters concerning the Executive office, including a Prison Board
• Declares a “state of emergency,” whenever there is an immediate threat to life, health and/or property of Lehigh County residents and takes appropriate actions to meet the emergency
• Recommends legislative actions that may be in the best interests of the County
  See Lehigh County Home Rule Charter for complete details

The Lehigh County Executive’s yearly salary is $75,000

The Lehigh County Board of Commissioners consists of 4 members who are elected countywide and 5 members who are elected by district. At-large and district commissioners are elected in alternating municipal elections.

►FIND YOUR COMMISSIONER DISTRICT — Lehigh County has a tool for finding your County Commissioner District, Voting District and Polling Place by entering your address Find Information Here

District 1: Coplay, Slatington, Heidelberg, Lynn, Lowhill, North Whitehall, Washington, Weisenberg, Whitehall
District 2: Alburtus, Lower Macungie,  South Whitehall , Upper Macungie
District 3: Allentown Wards 1, 14, 15, 16, 19; Bethlehem Wards 10, 11, 12, 13; Catasauqua, Fountain Hill, Hanover Township
District 4 Allentown Wards 2 through 11, 13 (Dist. 1 & 2), 17, 18
District 5 Allentown Wards 12, 13 (Dist. 3 & 4), Coopersburg, Emmaus, Macungie, Lower Milford, Salisbury, Upper Milford, Upper Saucon

Link to detailed map of commissioner’s districts, including municipal boundaries, streets and roads
(Lehigh County Website)

The Board of Commissioners is the legislative branch of County government and has all the legislative powers that may be exercised by the County under the Constitution, the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Lehigh County Home Rule Charter.

• Enacts, amends or repeals ordinances, resolutions, and motions
• Adopts a budget
• Makes appropriations
• Incurs indebtedness
• Levies taxes, assessments and service charges
• Adopts the Administrative Code and the Personnel Code. 

Commitees: Commissioners also serve on committees, which deal with specific county issues.
https://www.lehighcounty.org/Departments/Commissioners/Committee-Structure

►The County Commissioners designated the distribution of Covid-19 American Rescue Plan Act funds.*
They are also responsible for the opiod settlement funds — $17.6 million, to be paid over 18 years, from a $1 billion settlement reached with pharmaceutical companies which manufacture opioids.*

* Link to article about Lehigh County use of ARPA funds and Lehigh County Use of opioid settlement funds.

Commissioners’ Meetings: 2nd and 4th Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.

The Clerk of Judicial Records oversees the Judicial Records Office which maintains records for the 31st Judicial District Court of Common Pleas, includes Civil, Criminal and Register of Wills records. This office also maintains all deeds for land ownership in Lehigh County. The Recorder of Deeds Division now provides an easily searchable in an electronic database and are available to the public, unless otherwise stipulated by law. Term 4 years.

The Clerk of Judicial Records’ yearly salary is $66,300.

The Controller is an independent office that serves as a fiscal watchdog.

• Responsible for conducting fiscal oversight of County operations
• Audits the accuracy and completeness of records and files pertaining to the receipt and disbursement of county funds by all officers, agents, and employees of the County
• Ensures County compliance with county, state and federal regulations
• Maintains the County’s ethics hotline
• Ensures the integrity of the public bidding process
• Serves as Secretary of the Retirement Board

Term 4 years. The Controller’s yearly salary is $62,500

The Coroner’s office is responsible for investigating and determining the cause and manner of death of persons who expire within the boundaries of Lehigh County.
Term 4 years. The Coroner’s yearly salary is $66,300.

The District Attorney is the Chief Law Enforcement Officer of the County

• Prosecutes all misdemeanor all misdemeanor and felony cases arising in the county
• Must fairly and efficiently prosecute individuals charged with committing crimes
• Works closely with all police departments in the county and state and federal law enforcement officials on investigations, crime-fighting and public safety initiatives
• Regional Intelligence Interface Center (RIIIC) integrates police records allowing law enforcement professionals to cooperate and easily search records
• Central Booking Station allows officers to use their time more efficiently

Term 4 years. The District Attorney’s yearly salary is $182,184

• Sheriff ‘s Office serves all original civil, criminal and protection from abuse documents issued by the Court of Common Pleas
• Provides security for the County’s courtrooms, judges and buildings
• Transports prisoners
• Holds sales to collect debts on both real and personal property
• Investigates and apprehends fugitives and bail jumpers
• Preserves the peace at riots and civil strike injunctions
• Issues permits to carry a concealed weapon within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, after an appropriate background investigation is completed

Term 4 years. The Sheriff ‘s yearly salary is $66,300

Magisterial Courts are part of the State Court System. Lehigh County has 14 Magisterial District Courts, each staffed by an elected Magisterial District Judge, located throughout the county, staffed by an elected Magisterial District Judge. They preside over the following:

• Criminal cases involving misdemeanors of the third degree and summary offenses
• Offenses under the Vehicle Code, and first-time charges of driving under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances where the defendant pleads guilty.
• Preliminary hearings to determine if probable cause exists in criminal cases to hold the defendant for trial and to set bail.
• Landlord/tenant disputes, civil cases where the claim does not exceed $12,000.00
• Applications for emergency relief in connection with claims of domestic abuse and sexual violence and intimidation.

Appeals from the Magisterial District Judge go to the Court of Common Pleas.

Magisterial District Judge’s yearly salary is $91,597

For More Information, See PA Judicial System Page On this Website
Magisterial Court Districts were reorganized in June 2022 Source Pennsylvania Supreme Court No. 492 Magisterial Rules Docket

The Court of Common Pleas in Lehigh County is part of the State Court System.

• The Court of Common Pleas of Lehigh County is a general jurisdiction trial court located in the Lehigh County Courthouse, 455 West Hamilton Street, Allentown PA 18101-1614 Allentown, Pennsylvania.
• The judges interpret laws and resolve issues between individuals, organizations and government.
• There are ten full time judges providing judicial services to the citizens of Lehigh County. Each full time judge is assigned to one or more of the court divisions.
• Criminal/Juvenile Division
• Combined Civil/Motion/Family Court Division
• Orphans’ Court Division
• The court provides judicial oversight to Court Administration, Adult Probation, Juvenile Probation, the Domestic Relations Section, the Court Transcription Unit, the Protection from Abuse Office, the Court Interpreting Unit, the Child Custody Office and the Law Library.
• The Court decides appeals from decisions by various administrative bodies such as Zoning and Tax Assessment Boards, as well as appeals of from the decisions of the Magisterial District Justices.
• The Court provides administrative services to the fourteen offices that comprise the Magisterial District Court System of Lehigh County.

Appeals from the Court of Common Pleas go to either the Superior Court or the Commonwealth Court, depending upon the subject matter of the case. (Appeals from those courts go to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.)

A Common Pleas Judge’s yearly salary is $183,184

For More Information, See PA Judicial System Page On This Website