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.
26 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
|
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
|
Delaware | Del. Const. Art. IV, § 1 | Creation of Courts |
The judicial power of this State shall be vested in a Supreme Court, a Superior Court, a Court of Chancery, a Family Court, a Court of Common Pleas, a Register's Court, Justices of the Peace, and such other courts as the General Assembly, with the concurrence of two-thirds of all the Members elected to each House, shall have by law established prior to the time this amended Article IV of this Constitution becomes effective or shall from time to time by law establish after such time.
|
All courts | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
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.
|
Alcohol and drug treatment court | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
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 |
Add to Dashboard
|
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.
|
Veterans treatment courts | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Nevada | NV Const. Article 6, Sec. 1 | Judicial power vested in court system |
Judicial power vested in court system. The judicial power of this State is vested in a court system, comprising a Supreme Court, a court of appeals, district courts and justices of + See morethe peace. The Legislature may also establish, as part of the system, courts for municipal purposes only in incorporated cities and towns.
|
All courts | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Nevada | NV Const. Article 6, Sec. 6 | District Courts: Jurisdiction; referees; family court |
2. The legislature may provide by law for: . . . .
(b) The establishment of a family court as a division of any district + See morecourt and may prescribe its jurisdiction.
|
Family Court | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
New Hampshire | N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 490-G:2 | Implementation of Drug Courts |
I. (a) Each superior or circuit court may establish one or more drug courts under which drug offenders may be processed to address appropriately an identified substance abuse problem. “Drug court” means a judicial intervention process that incorporates and substantially complies with the Ten Key Components listed in subparagraph (b) and may include:(1) “Pre-adjudication” where a drug offender is ordered to participate in drug court before charges are filed or before conviction;(2) “Post-adjudication” where a drug offender is ordered to participate in drug court after entering a plea of guilty or nolo contendre or having been found guilty;(3) “Reentry” where a drug offender is ordered to participate in drug court upon release from a sentence of incarceration; or(4) “Combination program” which may include pre-adjudication, post-adjudication, and/or reentry.
|
Drug court | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
New Hampshire | N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 490-H:2 | Implementation of Mental Health Courts |
Any superior or circuit court may establish one or more mental health courts under which the courts monitor offenders with mental illnesses for compliance with individual services to change behavior which would otherwise result in criminal conduct.
|
Mental health court | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
New Hampshire | N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 592-B:9 | Drug Courts or Alternative Drug Offender Programs |
I. (a) In any county that has implemented or which will implement the felonies first project established in this chapter within one year of commencing operation of a drug court or alternative drug offender program, the judicial branch shall fund and operate an approved drug court or alternative drug offender program separate from the statewide drug offender grant program established in RSA 490-G, and at no cost to the county.
|
Drug Court | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
New Hampshire | N.H. Const. Pt. 2, art. 72a | Supreme and Superior Courts |
The judicial power of the state shall be vested in the supreme court, a trial court of general jurisdiction known as the superior court, and such lower courts as the legislature may establish under Article 4th of Part 2.
|
Supreme Court | Creation 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
|
Texas | Tex. Const. Art. 5 Sec. 1 | Judicial power; courts in which vested |
The judicial power of this State shall be vested in one Supreme Court, in one Court of Criminal Appeals, in Courts of Appeals, in District Courts, in County Courts, in Commissioners Courts, in Courts of Justices of the Peace, and in such other courts as may be provided by law.
The Legislature may establish such other courts as it may deem necessary and prescribe the jurisdiction and organization thereof, and may conform the jurisdiction of the district and other inferior courts thereto. |
State courts | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
West Virginia | W. Va. Const. art. VIII, § 2 | Supreme court of appeals |
The supreme court of appeals shall consist of five justices. A majority of the justices of the court shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The justices shall be elected by the voters of the State for a term of twelve years, unless sooner removed or retired as authorized in this article. The legislature may prescribe by law whether the election of such justices is to be on a partisan or nonpartisan basis.
Provision shall be made by rules of the supreme court of appeals for the selection of a member of the court to serve as chief justice thereof. If the chief justice is temporarily disqualified or unable to serve, one of the justices of the court designated in accordance with the rules of the court shall serve temporarily in his stead. When any justice is temporarily disqualified or unable to serve, the chief justice may assign a judge of a circuit court or of an intermediate appellate court to serve from time to time in his stead. |
Supreme court of appeals | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
West Virginia | W. Va. Const. art. VIII, § 1 | Judicial power |
The judicial power of the State shall be vested solely in a supreme court of appeals and in the circuit courts, and in such intermediate appellate courts and magistrate courts as shall be hereafter established by the legislature, and in the justices, judges and magistrates of such courts.
|
State Court | Creation of the courts |