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Connecticut Conn. Gen. Stat. § 51-164s Superior Court Jurisdiction
The Superior Court shall be the sole court of original jurisdiction for all causes of action, except such actions over which the courts of probate have original jurisdiction, as provided
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by statute.
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Connecticut Conn. Const., art. V, § 1 Creation of lower courts
The judicial power of the state shall be vested in a supreme court, a superior court, and such lower courts as the general assembly shall, from time to time, ordain
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and establish. The powers and jurisdiction of these courts shall be defined by law.
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Montana Mont. Code Ann. § 3-1-101 The several courts of this state
The following are courts of justice of this state: (1) the court of impeachment, which is the senate; (2) the supreme court; (3) the district courts; (4) the municipal
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courts; (5) the justices' courts; (6) the city courts and such other courts of limited jurisdiction as the legislature may establish in any incorporated city or town.
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Montana MT Const Art. 7, § 2 Supreme court jurisdiction
The supreme court has appellate jurisdiction and may issue, hear, and determine writs appropriate thereto. It has original jurisdiction to issue, hear, and determine writs of habeas corpus and such
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other writs as may be provided by law. It has general supervisory control over all other courts. It may make rules governing appellate procedure, practice and procedure for all other courts, admission to the bar and the conduct of its members. Rules of procedure shall be subject to disapproval by the legislature in either of the two sessions following promulgation. Supreme court process shall extend to all parts of the state.
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Montana MT Const Art. 7, § 4 District court jurisdiction
The district court has original jurisdiction in all criminal cases amounting to felony and all civil matters and cases at law and in equity. It may issue all writs appropriate
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to its jurisdiction. It shall have the power of naturalization and such additional jurisdiction as may be delegated by the laws of the United States or the state of Montana. Its process shall extend to all parts of the state. The district court shall hear appeals from inferior courts as trials anew unless otherwise provided by law. The legislature may provide for direct review by the district court of decisions of administrative agencies. Other courts may have jurisdiction of criminal cases not amounting to felony and such jurisdiction concurrent with that of the district court as may be provided by law.
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Montana Mont. Code Ann. § 3-5-901 State assumption of district court expenses
(1) There is a state-funded district court program under the judicial branch. Under this program, the office of court administrator shall fund all district court costs, except as provided in
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subsection (3). These costs include but are not limited to the following: (a) salaries and benefits for: (i) district court judges; (ii) law clerks; (iii) court reporters, as provided in 3-5-601; (iv) juvenile probation officers, youth division offices staff, and assessment officers of the youth court; and (v) other employees of the district court; (b) in criminal cases: (i) fees for transcripts of proceedings, as provided in 3-5-604; (ii) witness fees and necessary expenses, as provided in 46-15-116; (iii) juror fees and necessary expenses; (iv) for a psychiatric examination under 46-14-202, the cost of the examination and other associated expenses, as provided in 46-14-202(4); and (v) for commitment under 46-14-221, the cost of transporting the defendant to the custody of the director of the department of public health and human services to be placed in an appropriate facility of the department of public health and human services and of transporting the defendant back for any proceedings, as provided in 46-14-221(5); (c) except as provided in 47-1-201(5), the district court expenses in all postconviction proceedings held pursuant to Title 46, chapter 21, and in all habeas corpus proceedings held pursuant to Title 46, chapter 22, and appeals from those proceedings; (d) except as provided in 47-1-201(5), the following expenses incurred by the state in federal habeas corpus cases that challenge the validity of a conviction or of a sentence: (i) transcript fees; (ii) witness fees; and (iii) expenses for psychiatric examinations; (e) except as provided in 47-1-201(5), the following expenses incurred by the state in a proceeding held pursuant to Title 41, chapter 3, part 4 or 6, that seeks temporary investigative authority of a youth, temporary legal custody of a youth, or termination of the parent-child legal relationship and permanent custody: (i) transcript fees; (ii) witness fees; (iii) expenses for medical and psychological evaluation of a youth or the youth's parent, guardian, or other person having physical or legal custody of the youth except for expenses for services that a person is eligible to receive under a public program that provides medical or psychological evaluation; (iv) expenses associated with appointment of a guardian ad litem or child advocate for the youth; and (v) expenses associated with court-ordered alternative dispute resolution; (f) except as provided in 47-1-201(5), costs of juror and witness fees and witness expenses before a grand jury; (g) costs of the court-sanctioned educational program concerning the effects of dissolution of marriage on children, as required in 40-4-226, and expenses of education when ordered for the investigation and preparation of a report concerning parenting arrangements, as provided in 40-4-215(2)(a); (h) except as provided in 47-1-201(5), all district court expenses associated with civil jury trials if similar expenses were paid out of the district court fund or the county general fund in any previous year; (i) all other costs associated with the operation and maintenance of the district court, including contract costs for court reporters who are independent contractors; and (j) costs associated with the operation and maintenance of the youth court and youth court division operations pursuant to 41-5-111 and subsection (1)(a) of this section, except for those costs paid by other entities identified in Title 41, chapter 5. (2) If a cost is not paid directly by the office of court administrator, the county shall pay the cost and the office of court administrator shall reimburse the county within 30 days of receipt of a claim. (3) For the purposes of subsection (1), district court costs paid by the office of court administrator do not include: (a) costs for clerks of district court and employees and expenses of the offices of the clerks of district court; (b) costs of providing and maintaining district court office space; or (c) charges incurred against a county by virtue of any provision of Title 7 or 46. Credits
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Montana Mont. Code Ann. § 3-6-103; Mont. Code Ann. § 3-6-105; Jurisdiction
The municipal court has jurisdiction coordinate and coextensive with the justices' courts of the county where the city is located and has exclusive original jurisdiction of all civil and criminal
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actions and proceedings provided for in 3-11-103. Municipal courts have concurrent jurisdiction with the district court in actions arising under Title 70, chapters 24 through 27. Applications for search warrants and complaints charging the commission of a felony may be filed in municipal court. The municipal court judge has the same jurisdiction and responsibility as a justice of the peace, including holding preliminary hearings. The city attorney may initiate proceedings charging a felony if the offense was committed within the city limits, but the county attorney shall take charge of the action if an information is filed in district court.
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Montana Mont. Code Ann. § 3-7-501 Jurisdiction
The jurisdiction of each judicial district concerning the determination and interpretation of cases certified to the court under 85-2-309 or of existing water rights is exercised exclusively by it through
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the water division or water divisions that contain the judicial district wholly or partly. A water judge may not preside over matters concerning the determination and interpretation of cases certified to the court under 85-2-309 or of existing water rights beyond the boundaries specified in 3-7-102 for the judge's division except as provided in 3-7-201. The water judge for each division shall exercise jurisdiction over all matters concerning cases certified to the court under 85-2-309 or concerning the determination and interpretation of existing water rights within the judge's division as specified in 3-7-102 that are considered filed in or transferred to a judicial district wholly or partly within the division. The determination and interpretation of existing water rights includes, without limitation, the adjudication of total or partial abandonment of existing water rights occurring at any time before the entry of the final decree.
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Montana Mont. Code Ann. § 3-10-103; Mont. Code Ann. § 3-10-303 Criminal Jurisdiction
(1) The justices' courts have jurisdiction of public offenses committed within the respective counties in which the courts are established as follows: (a) except as provided in subsection (2), jurisdiction
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of all misdemeanors punishable by a fine not exceeding $500 or imprisonment not exceeding 6 months, or both; (b) jurisdiction of all misdemeanor violations of fish and game statutes punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000 or imprisonment for not more than 6 months, or both; (c) concurrent jurisdiction with district courts of all misdemeanors punishable by a fine exceeding $500 or imprisonment exceeding 6 months, or both; (d) concurrent jurisdiction with district courts of all misdemeanor violations of fish and game statutes punishable by a fine exceeding $1,000 or imprisonment exceeding 6 months, or both; (e) jurisdiction to act as examining and committing courts and for that purpose to conduct preliminary hearings; (f) jurisdiction of all violations of Title 61, chapter 10; and (g) all misdemeanor violations of Title 81, chapter 8, part 2. (2) In any county that has established a drug treatment court or a mental health treatment court, the district court, with the consent of all judges of the courts of limited jurisdiction in the county, has concurrent jurisdiction of all misdemeanors punishable by a fine not exceeding $500 or imprisonment not exceeding 6 months, or both.
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Montana Mont. Code Ann. § 3-11-102 Concurrent Jurisdiction
(1) The city court has concurrent jurisdiction with the justice's court of all misdemeanors and proceedings mentioned and provided for under chapter 10, part 3, of this title. (2) Applications for
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search warrants and complaints charging the commission of a felony may be filed in the city court. When they are filed, the city judge has the same jurisdiction and responsibility as a justice of the peace, including the holding of a preliminary hearing. The city attorney may file an application for a search warrant or a complaint charging the commission of a felony when the offense was committed within the city limits. The county attorney, however, must handle any action after a defendant is bound over to district court.
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Montana Mont. Code Ann. § 3-11-103 Exclusive Jurisdiction
Except as provided in 3-11-104, the city court has exclusive jurisdiction of: (1) proceedings for the violation of an ordinance of the city or town, both civil and criminal; (2) when the
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amount of the taxes or assessments sought does not exceed $9,500, actions for the collection of taxes or assessments levied for any of the following purposes, except that no lien on the property taxed or assessed for the nonpayment of the taxes or assessments may be foreclosed in any such action: (a) city or town purposes; (b) the erection or improvement of public buildings; (c) the laying out, opening, or improving of a public street, sidewalk, alley, or bridge; (d) the acquisition or improvement of any public grounds; and (e) public improvements made or ordered by the city or town within its limits; (3) actions for the collection of money due to the city or town or from the city or town to any person when the amount sought, exclusive of interest and costs, does not exceed $9,500; (4) when the amount claimed, exclusive of costs, does not exceed $9,500, actions for: (a) the breach of an official bond given by a city or town officer; (b) the breach of any contract when the city or town is a party or is in any way interested; (c) damages when the city or town is a party or is in any way interested; (d) the enforcement of forfeited recognizances given to, for the benefit of, or on behalf of the city or town; and (e) collection on bonds given upon an appeal taken from the judgment of the court in any action mentioned in subsections (4)(a) through (4)(d); (5) actions for the recovery of personal property belonging to the city or town when the value of the property, exclusive of the damages for the taking or detention, does not exceed $9,500; and (6) actions for the collection of a license fee required by an ordinance of the city or town.
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Montana Mont. Code Ann. § 3-11-101 City court established--city court of record
A city court is established in each city or town. A city judge shall establish regular sessions of the court. On judicial days, the court must be open for all
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business, civil and criminal. On nonjudicial days, as defined in 3-1-302, the court may transact criminal business only.
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Montana Mont. Code Ann. § 3-12-103 Creation of court
A small claims court may be created by a resolution passed by the board of county commissioners after consultation with the district court judges of the judicial district in which
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the county is located or by county initiative as provided in Title 7, chapter 5, part 1. Upon passage of the resolution or initiative, the judge of the appropriate judicial district shall, by court order, establish a small claims court under the provisions of this chapter. When the order is filed with the clerk of the district court of the appropriate county, the clerk of the district court becomes the clerk of the small claims court.
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Alaska Alaska Stat. Ann. § 22.15.010 Establishment of the District Court of the State of Alaska

There is established a district court of the State of Alaska for each of the four judicial districts of the superior court of this state.

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Alaska Alaska Const. art. IV, § 2 Supreme Court

(a) The supreme court shall be the highest court of the State, with final appellate jurisdiction. It shall consist of three justices, one of whom is chief justice. The number

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of justices may be increased by law upon the request of the supreme court.

(b) The chief justice shall be selected from among the justices of the supreme court by a majority vote of the justices. His term of office as chief justice is three years. A justice may serve more than one term as chief justice but he may not serve consecutive terms in that office.

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Alaska Alaska Stat. Ann. § 22.07.020 Jurisdiction

(a) The court of appeals has appellate jurisdiction in actions and proceedings commenced in the superior court involving (1) criminal prosecution; (2) post-conviction relief; (3) matters under AS 47.12, including

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waiver of jurisdiction over a minor under AS 47.12.100; (4) extradition; (5) habeas corpus; (6) probation and parole; and (7) bail.

(b) Except as limited in AS 12.55.120, the court of appeals has jurisdiction to hear appeals of unsuspended sentences of imprisonment exceeding two years for a felony offense or 120 days for a misdemeanor offense imposed by the superior court on the grounds that the sentence is excessive, or a sentence of any length on the grounds that it is too lenient. The court of appeals, in the exercise of this jurisdiction, may modify the sentence as provided by law and the Constitution of the State of Alaska.

(c) The court of appeals has jurisdiction to review (1) a final decision of the district court in an action or proceeding involving criminal prosecution, post-conviction relief, extradition, probation and parole, habeas corpus, or bail; and (2) the final decision of the district court on a sentence imposed by it if the sentence exceeds 120 days of unsuspended incarceration for a misdemeanor offense. In this subsection, “final decision” means a decision or order, other than dismissal by consent of all parties, that closes a matter in the district court.

(d) An appeal to the court of appeals is a matter of right in all actions and proceedings within its jurisdiction except that (1) the right of appeal to the court of appeals is waived if an appellant chooses to appeal the final decision of the district court to the superior court; and (2) the state's right of appeal in criminal cases is limited by the prohibitions against double jeopardy contained in the United States Constitution and the Alaska Constitution.

(e) The court of appeals may in its discretion (1) review a final decision of the superior court on an appeal from a district court in an action or proceeding involving criminal prosecution, post-conviction relief, extradition, probation and parole, habeas corpus or bail; (2) review the final decision of the superior court on appeal of a sentence imposed by the district court. In this subsection, “final decision” means a decision or order, other than a dismissal by consent of all parties, that closes a matter in the superior court.

(f) The court of appeals may issue injunctions, writs, and all other process necessary for the complete exercise of its jurisdiction.

(g) A final decision of the court of appeals is binding on the superior court and on the district court unless superseded by a decision of the supreme court.

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Alaska Alaska Stat. Ann. § 22.05.015 Transfer of Appellate Cases

(a) The supreme court may transfer to the court of appeals for decision a case pending before the supreme court if the case is within the jurisdiction of the court

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of appeals.

(b) The supreme court may take jurisdiction of a case pending before the court of appeals if the court of appeals certifies to the supreme court that the case involves a significant question of law under the Constitution of the United States or under the constitution of the state or involves an issue of substantial public interest that should be determined by the supreme court.

(c) A case filed in the supreme court or in the court of appeals may not be dismissed by one court on the ground that it is within the jurisdiction of the other court. The case shall be transferred to the proper court.

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Alaska Alaska Stat. Ann. § 22.05.010 Jurisdiction

(a) The supreme court has final appellate jurisdiction in all actions and proceedings. However, a party has only one appeal as a matter of right from an action or proceeding

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commenced in either the district court or the superior court.

(b) Appeal to the supreme court is a matter of right only in those actions and proceedings from which there is no right of appeal to the court of appeals under AS 22.07.020 or to the superior court under AS 22.10.020 or AS 22.15.240.

(c) A decision of the superior court on an appeal from an administrative agency decision may be appealed to the supreme court as a matter of right.

(d) The supreme court may in its discretion review a final decision of the court of appeals on application of a party under AS 22.07.030. The supreme court may in its discretion review a final decision of the superior court on an appeal of a civil case commenced in the district court. In this subsection, “final decision” means a decision or order, other than a dismissal by consent of all parties, that closes a matter in the court of appeals or the superior court, as applicable.

(e) The supreme court may issue injunctions, writs, and all other process necessary to the complete exercise of its jurisdiction.

(f) The supreme court may, in its discretion, review a final decision of the Military Appeals Commission under AS 26.05.645 for which a sentence of confinement is imposed, the right to appeal to the Military Appeals Commission under AS 26.05.615 or 26.05.640 has been exhausted, and a petition for review is filed under AS 26.05.645.

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Alaska Alaska Stat. Ann. § 22.10.020 Jurisdiction of the Superior Court

(a) The superior court is the trial court of general jurisdiction, with original jurisdiction in all civil and criminal matters, including probate and guardianship of minors and incompetents. Except for

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a petition for a protective order under AS 18.66.100-18.66.180, an action that falls within the concurrent jurisdiction of the superior court and the district court may not be filed in the superior court, except as provided by rules of the supreme court.

(b) The jurisdiction of the superior court extends over the whole of the state.

(c) The superior court and its judges may issue injunctions, writs of review, mandamus, prohibition, habeas corpus, and all other writs necessary or proper to the complete exercise of its jurisdiction. A writ of habeas corpus may be made returnable before any judge of the superior court.

(d) The superior court has jurisdiction in all matters appealed to it from a subordinate court, or administrative agency when appeal is provided by law, and has jurisdiction over petitions for relief in administrative matters under AS 44.62.305. The hearings on appeal from a final order or judgment of a subordinate court or administrative agency, except an appeal under AS 43.05.242, shall be on the record unless the superior court, in its discretion, grants a trial de novo, in whole or in part. The hearings on appeal from a final order or judgment under AS 43.05.242 shall be on the record.

(e) An appeal to the superior court is a matter of right, but an appeal from a subordinate court may not be taken by the defendant in a criminal case after a plea of guilty, except on the ground that the sentence was excessive. The state's right of appeal in criminal cases is limited by the prohibitions against double jeopardy contained in the United States Constitution and the Alaska Constitution.

(f) An appeal to the superior court may be taken on the ground that an unsuspended sentence of imprisonment exceeding 120 days was excessive and the superior court in the exercise of this jurisdiction has the power to reduce the sentence. The state may appeal a sentence on the ground that it is too lenient. When a sentence is appealed on the ground that it is too lenient, the court may not increase the sentence but may express its approval or disapproval of the sentence and its reasons in a written opinion.

(g) In case of an actual controversy in the state, the superior court, upon the filing of an appropriate pleading, may declare the rights and legal relations of an interested party seeking the declaration, whether or not further relief is or could be sought. The declaration has the force and effect of a final judgment or decree and is reviewable as such. Further necessary or proper relief based on a declaratory judgment or decree may be granted, after reasonable notice and hearing, against an adverse party whose rights have been determined by the judgment.

(h) Renumbered as § 22.10.025(a) by the revisor in 2004.

(i) The superior court is the court of original jurisdiction over all causes of action arising under the provisions of AS 18.80. A person who is injured or aggrieved by an act, practice, or policy which is prohibited under AS 18.80 may apply to the superior court for relief. The person aggrieved or injured may maintain an action on behalf of that person or on behalf of a class consisting of all persons who are aggrieved or injured by the act, practice, or policy giving rise to the action. In an action brought under this subsection, the court may grant relief as to any act, practice, or policy of the defendant which is prohibited by AS 18.80, regardless of whether each act, practice, or policy, with respect to which relief is granted, directly affects the plaintiff, so long as a class or members of a class of which the plaintiff is a member are or may be aggrieved or injured by the act, practice, or policy. The court may enjoin any act, practice, or policy which is illegal under AS 18.80 and may order any other relief, including the payment of money, that is appropriate.

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Alaska Alaska Stat. Ann. § 22.15.040 Small Claims

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, when a claim for relief does not exceed $10,000, exclusive of costs, interest, and attorney fees, and request is so made, the

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district judge or magistrate shall hear the action as a small claim unless important or unusual points of law are involved or the state is a defendant. The Department of Labor and Workforce Development may bring an action as a small claim under this subsection for the payment of wages under AS 23.05.220 in an amount not to exceed $20,000, exclusive of costs, interest, and attorney fees. The supreme court shall prescribe the procedural rules and standard forms to assure simplicity and the expeditious handling of small claims.

(b) All potential small claim litigants shall be informed if mediation, conciliation, and arbitration services are available as an alternative to litigation.

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