Keyword search across all of the laws in the states. Subject-area tabs above allow you to narrow results. Click the advanced search for further refinement.
Every law can be saved to the Reform Builder
See conflicts of interest policy recommendations in CJPP’s Policy Guide
Below are all of the laws that govern the structure of courts that match your search criteria.
120 Results
State | Statute | Description/Statute Name | Statutory language | Court/legal body | Function | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Add to Dashboard
|
South Carolina | S.C. Code Ann. § 22-3-10; § 22-3-540 | Concurrent civil jurisdiction |
Magistrates have concurrent civil jurisdiction in the following cases:
(1) in actions arising on contracts for the recovery of money only, if the sum claimed does not exceed seven thousand five + See morehundred dollars;
(2) in actions for damages for injury to rights pertaining to the person or personal or real property, if the damages claimed do not exceed seven thousand five hundred dollars;
(3) in actions for a penalty, fine, or forfeiture, when the amount claimed or forfeited does not exceed seven thousand five hundred dollars;
(4) in actions commenced by attachment of property, as provided by statute, if the debt or damages claimed do not exceed seven thousand five hundred dollars;
(5) in actions upon a bond conditioned for the payment of money, not exceeding seven thousand five hundred dollars, though the penalty exceeds that sum, the judgment to be given for the sum actually due, and when the payments are to be made by installments an action may be brought for each installment as it becomes due;
(6) in any action upon a surety bond taken by them, when the penalty or amount claimed does not exceed seven thousand five hundred dollars;
(7) in any action upon a judgment rendered in a court of a magistrate or an inferior court when it is not prohibited by the South Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure;
(8) to take and enter judgment on the confession of a defendant in the manner prescribed by law when the amount confessed does not exceed seven thousand five hundred dollars;
(9) in any action for damages or for fraud in the sale, purchase, or exchange of personal property, if the damages claimed do not exceed seven thousand five hundred dollars;
(10) in all matters between landlord and tenant and the possession of land as provided in Chapters 33 through 41 of Title 27;
(11) in any action to recover the possession of personal property claimed, the value of which, as stated in the affidavit of the plaintiff, his agent, or attorney, does not exceed the sum of seven thousand five hundred dollars;
(12) in all actions provided for in this section when a filed counterclaim involves a sum not to exceed seven thousand five hundred dollars, except that this limitation does not apply to counterclaims filed in matters between landlord and tenant and the possession of land;
(13) in interpleader actions arising from real estate contracts for the recovery of earnest money, only if the sum claimed does not exceed seven thousand five hundred dollars; and
(14) in actions for damages arising from a person's failure to return leased or rented personal property within seventy-two hours after the expiration of the lease or rental agreement, such damages to be based on the loss of revenue or replacement value of the property, whichever is less, if the damages claimed do not exceed seven thousand five hundred dollars; however, the lease or rental agreement must set forth the manner in which the amount of the loss of revenue or replacement value of the item leased or rented is calculated. Magistrates shall have exclusive jurisdiction of all criminal cases in which the punishment does not exceed a fine of one hundred dollars or imprisonment for thirty days, except cases in which an offense within the jurisdiction of a magistrate is included in the charge of an offense beyond his jurisdiction or when it is permissible to join a charge of an offense within his jurisdiction with one or more of which the magistrate has no jurisdiction. Magistrates shall have concurrent but not exclusive jurisdiction in the excepted cases. The provisions of this section shall not be construed so as to limit the jurisdiction of any magistrate whose jurisdiction has been extended beyond that stated above.
|
Magistrates' Courts | Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
South Carolina | S.C. Code Ann. § 14-25-45 | Powers, duties, and jurisdiction of municipal courts |
Each municipal court shall have jurisdiction to try all cases arising under the ordinances of the municipality for which established. The court shall also have all such powers, duties and + See morejurisdiction in criminal cases made under state law and conferred upon magistrates. The court shall have the power to punish for contempt of court by imposition of sentences up to the limits imposed on municipal courts. The court shall have no jurisdiction in civil matters.
|
Municipal Courts | Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
South Carolina | S.C. Code Ann. § 14-23-1150 | Jurisdiction of judges |
Every judge of probate, in his county, shall have jurisdiction:
(a) as provided in Sections 62-1-301 and 62-1-302, and other applicable sections of the South Carolina Probate Code;
(b) to issue marriage + See morelicenses, in form as provided by the bureau of vital statistics of the Department of Health and Environmental Control; to record, index, and dispose of copies of marriage certificates; and to issue certified copies of such licenses and certificates;
(c) to perform the duties of the clerk of the court of common pleas in proceedings in eminent domain for the acquisition of rights-of-way by railway or canal companies when such clerk is disqualified by reason of ownership of or interest in any lands over which it is sought to obtain such right-of-way;
(d) to inquire into and adjudge, in such proceedings as may be authorized by law, the involuntary commitment of persons suffering from mental illness, intellectual disability, alcoholism, drug addiction, and active pulmonary tuberculosis.
|
Probate Courts | Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
South Carolina | S.C. Code Ann. § 14-5-390 | Jurisdiction of judge within circuit wherein he resides |
Every circuit judge in this State shall at all times have jurisdiction to discharge and perform all the duties of his office within the circuit wherein he resides, except the + See moreholding of circuit courts therein when some other circuit judge shall be engaged in holding such courts.
|
Circuit Courts | Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
South Carolina | S.C. Code Ann. § 14-29-30 | Veterans treatment court programs may be established |
Each circuit solicitor may establish a veterans treatment court program. Each circuit solicitor that accepts state funding for the implementation of a veterans treatment court program must establish and administer + See moreat least one veterans treatment court program for the circuit within one hundred eighty days of receipt of funding. The circuit solicitor must administer the program and ensure that all eligible persons are permitted to apply for admission to the program.
|
Veterans Treatment Court | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
South Carolina | S.C. Code Ann. § 14-31-40 | Mental health court program may be established |
each circuit solicitor may establish a mental health court program under one of the formats defined in Section 14-31-30. An offender arrested or convicted for any charges, except those excluded + See moreunder the provisions of Section 16-1-130, who are suffering from a diagnosed, or diagnosable mental illness, including those with a co-concurring disorder of substance abuse, may be eligible for referral to a mental health court program. In cases involving victims, proper notice shall be given to victims pursuant to Section 16-3-1525. Proper notice to a victim is not achieved unless reasonable attempts are made to contact the victim and the victim is either nonresponsive or cannot be located after a reasonable search. (b) Each circuit solicitor that accepts state funding for the implementation of a mental health treatment court program must establish and administer at least one mental health court program for the circuit within one hundred eighty days of receipt of funding. The circuit solicitor must administer the program and ensure that all eligible persons are permitted to apply for admission to the program.
|
Mental Health Court | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
South Dakota | S.D. Const. art. V, § 2 | Supreme Court |
The Supreme Court is the highest court of the state. It consists of a chief justice and four associate justices. Upon request by the Supreme Court the Legislature may increase the number of justices to seven. All justices shall be selected from compact districts established by the Legislature, and each district shall have one justice.
|
Supreme Court | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
South Dakota | S.D. Const. art. V, § 3 | Circuit courts |
The circuit courts consist of such number of circuits and judges as the Supreme Court determines by rule. |
Circuit Courts | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
South Dakota | S.D. Const. art. V, § 4 | Courts of limited jurisdiction |
Courts of limited jurisdiction consist of all courts created by the Legislature having limited original jurisdiction. |
Courts of limited jurisdiction | Creation of the courts, Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
South Dakota | S.D. Const. art. V, § 5 | Jurisdiction of the courts |
The circuit courts have original jurisdiction in all cases except as to any limited original jurisdiction granted to other courts by the Legislature. The circuit courts and judges thereof have the power to issue, hear and determine all original and remedial writs. The circuit courts have such appellate jurisdiction as may be provided by law.
|
Circuit Courts | Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
South Dakota | S.D. Const. art. V, § 5 | Jurisdiction of the courts |
The Supreme Court shall have such appellate jurisdiction as may be provided by the Legislature, and the Supreme Court or any justice thereof may issue any original or remedial writ which shall then be heard and determined by that court. The Governor has authority to require opinions of the Supreme Court upon important questions of law involved in the exercise of his executive power and upon solemn occasions.
|
Supreme Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
South Dakota | S.D. Codified Laws § 16-12A-2.2 | Pursuant to the provisions of S.D. Const., Art. V, § 4, there is hereby established within each judicial circuit a magistrate court |
Pursuant to the provisions of S.D. Const., Art. V, § 4, there is hereby established within each judicial circuit a magistrate court. |
Magistrat Courts | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
South Dakota | S.D. Codified Laws § 216-6-12 | Original criminal jurisdiction of circuit court |
The circuit court has exclusive original jurisdiction to try and determine all cases of felony, and original jurisdiction concurrent with courts of limited jurisdiction as provided by law to try and determine all cases of misdemeanor and actions or proceedings for violation of any ordinance, bylaw, or other police regulation of political subdivisions.
|
Circuit Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
South Dakota | S.D. Codified Laws § 216-12B-11 | Jurisdiction--Trial of minor criminal cases |
A magistrate court with a magistrate judge presiding has concurrent jurisdiction with the circuit courts to try and determine all cases of misdemeanor and actions or proceedings for violation of any ordinance, bylaw, or other police regulation of a political subdivision.
|
Magistrate Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Vermont | Vt. Const. ch. 2 § 4 | Judiciary powers |
The judicial power of the State shall be vested in a unified judicial system which shall be composed of a Supreme Court, a Superior Court, and such other subordinate courts as the General Assembly may from time to time ordain and establish.
|
State courts | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Vermont | Vt. Const. ch. 2 § 30 | Supreme court jurisdiction |
The Supreme Court shall exercise appellate jurisdiction in all cases, criminal and civil, under such terms and conditions as it shall specify in rules not inconsistent with law. The Supreme Court shall have original jurisdiction only as provided by law, but it shall have the power to issue all writs necessary or appropriate in aid of its appellate jurisdiction. The Supreme Court shall have administrative control of all the courts of the state, and disciplinary authority concerning all judicial officers and attorneys at law in the State.
|
Supreme Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Vermont | Vt. Const. ch. 2 § 31 | Lower courts jurisdiction |
All other courts of this State shall have original and appellate jurisdiction as provided by law. All courts except the Supreme Court may be divided into geographical and functional divisions as provided by law or by judicial rules adopted by the Supreme Court not inconsistent with law. The jurisdiction of geographical and functional divisions shall be as provided by law or by judicial rules not inconsistent with law. The courts of this state may exercise equity jurisdiction as well as law jurisdiction in civil proceedings as may be provided by law or by judicial rules not inconsistent with law.
|
Lower courts | Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Vermont | Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 4 § 1 | Unified court system established |
The Judiciary shall be a unified court system under the administrative control of the Supreme Court. It shall consist of an appellate division, which shall be the Supreme Court, and a trial division, which shall consist of a trial court of general jurisdiction to be known as the Superior Court, and a Judicial Bureau.
|
State courts | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Vermont | Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 4 § 30 | Superior Court |
(a)(1) A Superior Court having statewide jurisdiction is created. The Superior Court shall have the following divisions: jurisdiction over the matters described in section 32 of this title. The Vermont Rules of Criminal Procedure shall apply to criminal matters in the Criminal Division, and the Vermont Rules of Civil Procedure shall apply to civil matters in the Criminal Division.
|
Superior Court | Creation of the courts, Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Vermont | Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 4 § 2 | Supreme Court established; jurisdiction |
(a) The Supreme Court shall have exclusive jurisdiction of appeals from judgments, rulings, and orders of the Superior Court, administrative agencies, boards, commissions, and officers unless otherwise provided by law. |
Supreme Court | Creation of the courts, Jurisdiction of the courts |