Criminal Justice Policy Program at Harvard Law School
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50-State Criminal Justice Debt Reform Builder Bringing transparency to areas of significant legal complexity.
Structure of Courts
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Function
Below are all of the laws that govern the structure of courts that match your search criteria.
10 Results
| State | Statute | Description/Statute Name | Statutory language | Court/legal body | Function | |
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California | Cal. Con. art. VI, § 2 | Supreme Court; justices; time for convening; concurrence required for judgment; acting Chief Justice |
The Supreme Court consists of the Chief Justice ofCalifornia and 6 associate justices. The Chief Justice may convene
the court at any time. Concurrence of 4 judges present at + See morethe
argument is necessary for a judgment.
An acting Chief Justice shall perform all functions of the Chief
Justice when the Chief Justice is absent or unable to act. The Chief
Justice or, if the Chief Justice fails to do so, the court shall
select an associate justice as acting Chief Justice.
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Supreme Court | Creation of the courts |
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California | Cal. Con. art. VI, § 3 | Courts of appeal; districts; divisions; power; concurrence required for judgment; acting presiding justice |
The Legislature shall divide the State into districts eachcontaining a court of appeal with one or more divisions. Each
division consists of a presiding justice and 2 or more associate
justices. + See more It has the power of a court of appeal and shall conduct
itself as a 3-judge court. Concurrence of 2 judges present at the
argument is necessary for a judgment.
An acting presiding justice shall perform all functions of the
presiding justice when the presiding justice is absent or unable to
act. The presiding justice or, if the presiding justice fails to do
so, the Chief Justice shall select an associate justice of that
division as acting presiding justice.
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Court of Appeals | Creation of the courts |
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California | Cal. Con. Art. VI, Sec. 4 | Superior courts; officers and employees; appellate divisions |
In each county there is a superior court of one or morejudges. The Legislature shall prescribe the number of judges and
provide for the officers and employees of each superior + See morecourt. If
the governing body of each affected county concurs, the Legislature
may provide that one or more judges serve more than one superior
court.
In each superior court there is an appellate division. The Chief
Justice shall assign judges to the appellate division for specified
terms pursuant to rules, not inconsistent with statute, adopted by
the Judicial Council to promote the independence of the appellate
division.
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Superior Court | Creation of the courts |
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California | Cal. Con. art. VI, § 12 | Supreme Court; review | The Supreme Court may review the decision of a court of appeal in any cause. | Supreme Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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California | Cal. Const. art. VI, § 1 | Judicial power | The judicial power of this State is vested in the Supreme Court, courts of appeal, and superior courts, all of which are courts of record. | Judicial power generally | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Michigan | Michigan State Constitution Article VI Sec. 10 | Michigan State Constitution Article VI Sec. 10 | The jurisdiction of the court of appeals shall be provided by law and the practice and procedure therein shall be prescribed by rules of the supreme court. | Court of appeals | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Michigan | Michigan State Constitution Article VI Sec. 13 | Michigan State Constitution Article VI Sec. 13 |
The circuit court shall have original jurisdiction in all matters not prohibited by law; appellate jurisdiction from all inferior courts and tribunals except as otherwise provided by law; power to + See moreissue, hear and determine prerogative and remedial writs; supervisory and general control over inferior courts and tribunals within their respective jurisdictions in accordance with rules of the supreme court; and jurisdiction of other cases and matters as provided by rules of the supreme court.
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Circuit Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Michigan | Michigan State Constitution Article VI Sec. 15 | Michigan State Constitution Article VI Sec. 15 |
In each county organized for judicial purposes there shall be a probate court. The legislature may create or alter probate court districts of more than one county if approved in + See moreeach affected county by a majority of the electors voting on the question. The legislature may provide for the combination of the office of probate judge with any judicial office of limited jurisdiction within a county with supplemental salary as provided by law. The jurisdiction, powers and duties of the probate court and of the judges thereof shall be provided by law. They shall have original jurisdiction in all cases of juvenile delinquents and dependents, except as otherwise provided by law.
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Probate court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Michigan | Michigan State Constitution Article VI Sec. 1 | Michigan State Constitution Article VI Sec. 1 |
The judicial power of the state is vested exclusively in one court of justice which shall be divided into one supreme court, one court of appeals, one trial court of + See moregeneral jurisdiction known as the circuit court, one probate court, and courts of limited jurisdiction . . .
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Judicial power | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Michigan | Michigan State Constitution Article VI Sec. 1 | Michigan State Constitution Article VI Sec. 1 |
The judicial power of the state is vested exclusively in one court of justice which shall be divided into one supreme court . . . and courts of limited jurisdiction + See morethat the legislature may establish by a two-thirds vote of the members elected to and serving in each house.
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Limited jurisdiction court | Creation of the courts |