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.
56 Results
State | Statute | Description/Statute Name | Statutory language | Court/legal body | Function | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Add to Dashboard
|
Louisiana | La. Const. Art. 3 Sec. 9 | District courts - elected judges |
Section 9. Each circuit shall be divided into at least three districts, and at least one judge shall be elected from each. The circuits and districts and the number of + See morejudges as elected in each circuit on the effective date of this constitution are retained, subject to change by law enacted by two-thirds of the elected members of each house of the legislature.
|
District Courts | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Louisiana | La. Const. Ann. art. V, § 20 | Justice of the Peace/Mayor's Court - subject to change by law | Mayors' courts and justice of the peace courts existing on the effective date of this constitution are continued, subject to change by law. | Justice of the Peace Courts/Mayor's Courts | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
New York | Const. Art. 6, § 30 | Legislative power over jurisdiction and proceedings; delegation of power to regulate practice and procedure. |
The legislature shall have the same power to alter and regulate the jurisdiction and proceedings in law and in equity that it has heretofore exercised. The legislature may, on such + See moreterms as it shall provide and subject to subsequent modification, delegate, in whole or in part, to a court, including the appellate division of the supreme court, or to the chief administrator of the courts, any power possessed by the legislature to regulate practice and procedure in the courts. The chief administrator of the courts shall exercise any such power delegated to him or her with the advice and consent of the administrative board of the courts. Nothing herein contained shall prevent the adoption of regulations by individual courts consistent with the general practice and procedure as provided by statute or general rules.
|
Legislature | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
New York | Const. Art. 6, § 33 | Custodians of children to be of same religious persuasion |
Existing provisions of law not inconsistent with this article shall continue in force until repealed, amended, modified or superseded in accordance with the provisions of this article. The legislature shall + See moreenact appropriate laws to carry into effect the purposes and provisions of this article, and may, for the purpose of implementing, supplementing or clarifying any of its provisions, enact any laws, not inconsistent with the provisions of this article, necessary or desirable in promoting the objectives of this article.
|
Legislature | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Arkansas | Ark. Const. Amend. 80, § 5 | Court of Appeals |
There shall be a Court of Appeals which may have divisions thereof as established by Supreme Court rule. The Court of Appeals shall have such appellate jurisdiction as the Supreme Court shall by rule determine and shall be subject to the general superintending control of the Supreme Court. Judges of the Court of Appeals shall have the same qualifications as Justices of the Supreme Court.
|
Court of Appeals | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Arkansas | Ark. Const. Amend. 80, § 6 | Circuit Courts |
(A) Circuit Courts are established as the trial courts of original jurisdiction of all justiciable matters not otherwise assigned pursuant to this Constitution.(B) Subject to the superintending control of the Supreme Court, the Judges of a Circuit Court may divide that Circuit Court into subject matter divisions, and any Circuit Judge within the Circuit may sit in any division. (C) Circuit Judges may temporarily exchange circuits by joint order. Any Circuit Judge who consents may be assigned to another circuit for temporary service under rules adopted by the Supreme Court. (D) The Circuit Courts shall hold their sessions in each county at such times and places as are, or may be, prescribed by law.
|
Circuit Court | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Arkansas | Ark. Code Ann. § 16-98-303(a)(1)-(3) | Drug Courts Program Authorized |
(a)(1) Each judicial district of this state is authorized to establish a drug court program under this subchapter.(2) A drug court established under this subchapter shall be approved under § 16-10-139.(3)(A) A drug court program may be preadjudication or postadjudication for an adult offender or a juvenile offender.
|
Drug Courts | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
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.
|
Supreme Court | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
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.
|
Court of Appeals | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
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.
|
Superior Court | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
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 + See moreand establish. The powers and jurisdiction of these courts shall be defined by law.
|
Lower courts | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Georgia | Ga. Const. Art. VI, § I, Para. I | Judicial Power of the State |
The judicial power of the state shall be vested exclusively in the following classes of courts: magistrate courts, probate courts, juvenile courts, state courts, superior courts, state-wide business court, Court of Appeals, and Supreme Court. Nothing in this paragraph shall preclude a superior court from creating a business court division for its circuit in a manner provided by law. Magistrate courts, probate courts, juvenile courts, and state courts shall be courts of limited jurisdiction. In addition, the General Assembly may establish or authorize the establishment of municipal courts and may authorize administrative agencies to exercise quasi-judicial powers. Municipal courts shall have jurisdiction over ordinance violations and such other jurisdiction as provided by law. Except as provided in this paragraph and in Section X, municipal courts, county recorder's courts and civil courts in existence on June 30, 1983, and administrative agencies shall not be subject to the provisions of this article. The General Assembly shall have the authority to confer "by law" jurisdiction upon municipal courts to try state offenses.
|
Courts generally | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Georgia | Ga. Code Ann. § 15-5A-1 | Establishment |
There shall be a state-wide business court as provided for in Article VI of the Constitution of this state to be known as the Georgia State-wide Business Court. Nothing in this chapter shall preclude a superior court from creating or continuing an existing business court division for its circuit on or after May 7, 2019, or preclude a state court from creating or continuing an existing business court division on or after the May 7, 2019, in the manner provided by law.
|
Other | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Georgia | Ga. Code Ann. § 15-7-2 | Creation of State Courts |
The General Assembly may by local law create a state court in any county or counties of this state in which there is no state court, and such court shall be the "State Court of (whatever county or counties in which the court is located)."
|
State Court | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Georgia | Ga. Code Ann. § 15-8-1 | City Courts as Courts of Record |
City courts created by special Act of the General Assembly shall be courts of record. |
City Courts | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Georgia | Ga. Code Ann. § 15-10-1 | Creation of Magistrate Courts |
There shall be one magistrate court in each county of the state which shall be known as the Magistrate Court of ___ County. |
Magistrate Court | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Georgia | Ga. Code Ann. § 15-11-50(a) | Creation of Juvenile Courts; Appointment of Judges |
There is created a juvenile court in every county in the state. |
Juvenile Courts | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Illinois | 730 Ill. Comp. Stat. 167/5 | Veterans and Servicemembers Court Treatment Act: Purposes |
It is the intent of the General Assembly to create specialized veteran and service member courts or programs with the necessary flexibility to meet the specialized problems faced by these veteran and service member defendants.
|
Veterans Courts | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Illinois | 730 Ill. Comp. Stat. 168/5 | Mental Health Court Treatment Act: Purposes |
It is the intent of the General Assembly to create specialized mental health courts with the necessary flexibility to meet the problems of criminal defendants with mental illnesses and co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse problems in the State of Illinois.
|
Mental Health Courts | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Illinois | 730 Ill. Comp. Stat. 166/5 | Drug Court Treatment Act: Purposes |
The Chief Judge of each judicial circuit must establish a drug court program including the format under which it operates under this Act. |
Drug Court | Creation of the courts |