A tradition going back as far as anyone can remember in Northampton will no longer be part of the borough.

A justice of the peace will no longer hear minor civil disputes and criminal cases from an office in the borough. The magisterial district judge office and courtroom in Northampton will be shut down. The last day of operation for the minor judiciary office and courtroom at 21st and Center streets will be Tuesday, June 30.

Borough Manager Gene Zarayko at the May 14 council meeting advised borough lawmakers of the closing of the office.

"I received a letter from Robert A. Hawke, district judge, that the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court will be closing our local magisterial office, and all cases will need to go the district court that is located in Cherryville, effective July 1, 2015," Zarayko said.

The closing resulted from the mandated merger of the magisterial district offices based on the two district courts having a low caseload.

Diane Marakovits served as magisterial district judge in Northampton but resigned in December to return to the staff of Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin.

Marakovits' six-year term would expire at the end of 2015. She would have had to run for another term had she remained. Retired District Judge Joan Marinkovits was appointed to the vacant magisterial office on an interim basis.

Hawke, whose office is in Lehigh Township, is a retired Lehigh Township police officer and detective. He was unopposed in the May 19 primary election.

Warren Longenbach and Charles Kutzler had served as justices of the peace in the past. The office had been located on Main Street, near Laubach Avenue. And years back, justices of the peace often operated out of their residences.