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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.
63 Results
| State | Statute | Description/Statute Name | Statutory language | Court/legal body | Function | |
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Iowa | Iowa Const. Art. 5 § 6 | District Court |
The district court shall be a court of law and equity, which shall be distinct and separate jurisdictions, and have jurisdiction in civil and criminal matters arising in their respective districts, in such manner as shall be prescribed by law.
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District Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Iowa | Iowa Code § 602.7101(2) | Juvenile Court |
The jurisdiction of the juvenile court may be exercised by any district judge, and by any district associate judge who is designated by the chief judge as a judge of the juvenile court.
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Juvenile Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Iowa | Iowa Const. Art. 5 § 10 | General assembly |
[* * *]* The general assembly may reorganize the judicial districts and increase or diminish the number of districts, or the number of judges of the said court, and may increase the number of judges of the supreme court; but such increase or diminution shall not be more than one district, or one judge of either court, at any one session; and no reorganization of the districts, or diminution of the number of judges, shall have the effect of removing a judge from office. Such reorganization of the districts, or any change in the boundaries thereof, or increase or diminution of the number of judges, shall take place every four years thereafter, if necessary, and at no other time.
At any regular session of the general assembly the state may be divided into the necessary judicial districts for district court purposes, or the said districts may be reorganized and the number of the districts and the judges of said courts increased or diminished; but no reorganization of the districts or diminution of the judges shall have the effect of removing a judge from office. |
Judicial districts | Creation of the courts |
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Iowa | Iowa Const. Art. 5 § 1 | Judicial Power |
The judicial power shall be vested in a supreme court, district courts, and such other courts, inferior to the supreme court, as the general assembly may, from time to time, establish.
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Courts generally | Creation of the courts |
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Maine | Me. Rev. Stat. tit 4 § 7 | General jurisdiction; control of records |
The Supreme Judicial Court may exercise its jurisdiction according to the common law not inconsistent with the Constitution or any statute, and may punish contempts against its authority by fine and imprisonment, or either, and administer oaths. It has general superintendence of all inferior courts for the prevention and correction of errors and abuses where the law does not expressly provide a remedy and has control of all records and documents in the custody of its clerks. Whenever justice or the public good requires, it may order the expunging from the records and papers on file in any case which has gone to judgment of any name or other part thereof unnecessary to the purpose and effect of said judgment. It may issue all writs and processes, not within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Superior Court, necessary for the furtherance of justice or the execution of the laws in the name of the State under the seal of said court, attested by any justice not a party or interested in the suit and signed by the clerk.
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Supreme Judicial Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Maine | Me. Rev. Stat. tit 4 § 114 | Authority of court |
The Superior Court may administer all necessary oaths, render judgment and issue execution, punish for contempt and compel attendance; and the provisions of law relative to the jurisdiction of the Supreme Judicial Court in each of said counties over parties, the arrest of persons, attachment of property, the time and mode of service of precepts, proceedings in court, the taxation of costs, the rendition of judgments, the issuing, service and return of executions and all other subjects apply to the Superior Court in all respects, except so far as they are modified by law, and the Superior Court is clothed with all the powers necessary for the performance of all its duties.
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Superior Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Maine | Me. Rev. Stat. tit 15 § 1(1) | Superior Court; criminal jurisdiction |
The Superior Court has original jurisdiction, exclusive or concurrent, of all crimes. |
Superior Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Maine | Me. Rev. Stat. tit 4 § 165(1),(3) | District court jurisdiction |
1. Crimes; Under One Year Imprisonment. The District Court has jurisdiction and, except as provided in Title 29-A, section 2602, concurrent jurisdiction with the Superior Court of all crimes, including violation of any statute or a bylaw of a town, village corporation or local health officer and breach of the peace, for which the maximum term of imprisonment to which the defendant may be sentenced upon conviction of that crime is less than one year.
3. Crimes; One Year or More Imprisonment. The District Court has, concurrent with the Superior Court, original jurisdiction to receive pleas of guilty in criminal cases, other than murder, in which: A. The maximum term of imprisonment to which the defendant may be sentenced upon conviction of that crime is one year or more; B. The defendant has in writing waived the defendant's right to indictment by grand jury and the defendant's right to a jury trial; and C. The defendant has indicated the defendant's intention to enter a plea of guilty to the charges pending against the defendant. When exercising such jurisdiction, the District Court possesses all of the powers of the Superior Court. The District Court shall exercise that jurisdiction in the manner that the Supreme Judicial Court by rule provides. Any person sentenced under this subsection is entitled to the rights provided by Title 15, chapter 306-A. |
District Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Maine | Me. Rev. Stat. tit 4 § 8 | Power to prescribe general rules |
The Supreme Judicial Court has the power to prescribe, by general rules, for the Probate, District and Superior Courts of Maine, the forms of process, writs, pleadings and motions and the practice and procedure in civil actions at law. Said rules may neither abridge, enlarge nor modify the substantive rights of any litigant. They take effect on such date not less than 6 months after their promulgation as the Supreme Judicial Court may fix. After their promulgation the Supreme Judicial Court may repeal, amend, modify or add to them from time to time with or without a waiting period. After the effective date of said rules as promulgated or amended, all laws in conflict therewith are of no further force or effect.
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Supreme Judicial Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Maine | Me. Rev. Stat. tit 4 § 421 | Establishment |
The Judicial Department may establish alcohol and drug treatment programs in the Superior Courts and District Courts and may adopt administrative orders and court rules to govern the practice, procedure and administration of these programs. Alcohol and drug treatment programs must include local judges and must be community based and operated separately from juvenile drug courts.
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Alcohol and drug treatment court | Creation of the courts |
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Maine | Me. Rev. Stat. tit 4 § 431 | Mental health treatment courts |
The Judicial Department may seek and receive grants to establish mental health treatment courts. |
Mental health treatment courts | Creation of the courts |
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Maine | Me. Rev. Stat. tit 4 § 433(2) | Veterans treatment courts |
Chief Justice may establish. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court may establish veterans treatment courts for veterans and members of the United States Armed Forces. The Supreme Judicial Court may adopt administrative orders and court rules of practice and procedure as necessary.
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Veterans treatment courts | Creation of the courts |
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Maine | M.R.S.A. Const. Art. 6, § 1 | Courts |
The judicial power of this State shall be vested in a Supreme Judicial Court, and such other courts as the Legislature shall from time to time establish. |
Courts 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 |
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Minnesota | Minn. Const. Art. 6, § 2 | Judiciary; Supreme Court |
The supreme court consists of one chief judge and not less than six nor more than eight associate judges as the legislature may establish. It shall have original jurisdiction in such remedial cases as are prescribed by law, and appellate jurisdiction in all cases, but there shall be no trial by jury in the supreme court. The legislature may establish a court of appeals and provide by law for the number of its judges, who shall not be judges of any other court, and its organization and for the review of its decisions by the supreme court. The court of appeals shall have appellate jurisdiction over all courts, except the supreme court, and other appellate jurisdiction as prescribed by law. As provided by law judges of the court of appeals or of the district court may be assigned temporarily to act as judges of the supreme court upon its request and judges of the district court may be assigned temporarily by the supreme court to act as judges of the court of appeals. The supreme court shall appoint to serve at its pleasure a clerk, a reporter, a state law librarian and other necessary employees.
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Supreme Court | Creation of the courts, Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Minnesota | Minn. Const. Art. 6, § 3 | Judiciary; Jursidiction of district court |
The district court has original jurisdiction in all civil and criminal cases and shall have appellate jurisdiction as prescribed by law. |
District Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |