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.
39 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
|
Alaska | Alaska Const. art. IV, § 1 | Judicial Power and Jurisdiction |
The judicial power of the State is vested in a supreme court, a superior court, and the courts established by the legislature. The jurisdiction of courts shall be prescribed by + See morelaw. The courts shall constitute a unified judicial system for operation and administration. Judicial districts shall be established by law.
|
All Courts | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Alaska | Alaska Stat. Ann. § 22.07.010 | Establishment | There is established the court of appeals, consisting of three judges. The court of appeals is a court of record. | Court of Appeals | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Alaska | Alaska Stat. Ann. § 22.10.010 | Establishment of Superior Court |
There shall be one superior court for the state. The court shall consist of four districts bounded as follows: First District: the area within election districts numbered one to six, + See moreboth inclusive, as those districts are described in art. XIV of the state constitution on March 19, 1959; Second District: the area within election districts numbered 21 to 23, both inclusive, and those areas of election districts 18 and 20 within the boundaries of the North Slope Borough, as those districts are described in art. XIV of the state constitution on March 19, 1959; Third District: the area within election districts numbered seven to 15, both inclusive, as those districts are described in art. XIV of the state constitution on March 19, 1959, and the portion of election district 19, as that district is described in art. XIV of the state constitution on March 19, 1959, that is in the Glennallen Venue District on March 1, 2002, described as follows: Beginning at a point on the divide between the watersheds of the Tanana River and the Copper River south of the headwaters of Totschunda Creek; thence southwesterly in a straight line first crossing the Nabesna River to Mt. Allen; thence meandering on the divide mountain peak to mountain peak to a point north of Regal Mountain on the divide separating the Nabesna Glacier from the Chisana Glacier; thence westerly and northwesterly along the divide between the watersheds of the Tanana River and Copper River as it meanders from mountain peak to mountain peak back to a point on the divide south of the headwaters of the Totschunda Creek, the place of the beginning; and Fourth District: the area within election districts numbered 16, 17, and 24, the areas of election districts numbered 18 and 20 not included in the second district, and the area of election district numbered 19 not included in the third district, as those districts are described in art. XIV of the state constitution on March 19, 1959.
|
Superior Court | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
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. |
District Court | 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
|
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
|
Hawaii | JUDICIAL POWER | HI Const. Art. 6, § 1 |
The judicial power of the State shall be vested in one supreme court, one intermediate appellate court, circuit courts, district courts and in such other courts as the legislature may from time to time establish. The several courts shall have original and appellate jurisdiction as provided by law and shall establish time limits for disposition of cases in accordance with their rules.
|
Supreme Court | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Hawaii | HI Const. Art. 6, § 1 | JUDICIAL POWER |
The judicial power of the State shall be vested in one supreme court, one intermediate appellate court, circuit courts, district courts and in such other courts as the legislature may from time to time establish. The several courts shall have original and appellate jurisdiction as provided by law and shall establish time limits for disposition of cases in accordance with their rules.
|
Intermediate Appellate Court | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Hawaii | HI Const. Art. 6, § 1 | JUDICIAL POWER |
The judicial power of the State shall be vested in one supreme court, one intermediate appellate court, circuit courts, district courts and in such other courts as the legislature may from time to time establish. The several courts shall have original and appellate jurisdiction as provided by law and shall establish time limits for disposition of cases in accordance with their rules.
|
Circuit courts | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Hawaii | HI Const. Art. 6, § 1 | JUDICIAL POWER |
The judicial power of the State shall be vested in one supreme court, one intermediate appellate court, circuit courts, district courts and in such other courts as the legislature may from time to time establish. The several courts shall have original and appellate jurisdiction as provided by law and shall establish time limits for disposition of cases in accordance with their rules.
|
District courts | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Hawaii | Haw. Rev. Stat. 602-1 | Supreme Court: How constituted |
The supreme court, pursuant to section 2 of Article VI of the Constitution, shall consist of a chief justice and four associate justices. |
Supreme Court | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Hawaii | Haw. Rev. Stat. 602-51 | Intermediate Appellate Court: How constituted |
The intermediate appellate court shall consist of a chief judge and five associate judges. The chief judge, who shall be specifically selected, shall supervise the administrative duties of the court. |
Appellate Court | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Hawaii | Haw. Rev. Stat. 603-1 | Judicial circuits |
The State is divided into four judicial circuits, as follows: (1) The first judicial circuit is the island of Oahu and all other islands belonging to the State not hereinafter mentioned; (2) The second judicial circuit includes the islands of Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, and Molokini; (3) The third judicial circuit is the island of Hawaii; (4) The fifth judicial circuit includes the islands of Kauai and Niihau.
|
Circuit courts | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Hawaii | Haw. Rev. Stat. 604-1 | Judicial circuits; district judges; sessions |
There shall be established in each of the judicial circuits of the State a district court with the powers and under the conditions herein set forth, which shall be styled as follows: (1) For the First Judicial Circuit: The District Court of the First Circuit. (2) For the Second Judicial Circuit: The District Court of the Second Circuit. (3) For the Third Judicial Circuit: The District Court of the Third Circuit. (4) For the Fifth Judicial Circuit: The District Court of the Fifth Circuit. There shall be appointed one or more district judges for each judicial circuit. The district court of the first circuit shall consist of fourteen judges, who shall be styled as first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth judge, respectively. One of the district judges shall hear landlord-tenant and small claims matters, provided that when in the discretion of the chief justice of the supreme court the urgency or volume of cases so requires, the chief justice may authorize the judge to substitute for or act in addition to or otherwise in place of any other district judge of the district court of the first circuit. The district court of the second circuit shall consist of three judges, who shall be styled as first, second, and third judge, respectively. The district court of the third circuit shall consist of three judges, who shall be styled as first, second, and third judge, respectively. The district court of the fifth circuit shall consist of two judges who shall be styled as first and second judge, respectively. The chief justice may designate a judge in each circuit as the administrative judge for the circuit. The district courts shall hold sessions at such places in their respective circuits and as often as the respective district judges deem essential to the promotion of justice.
|
District courts | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Hawaii | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 613-2 | Establishment of the center for alternative dispute resolution |
(a) There is established within the judiciary the center for alternative dispute resolution. The center shall facilitate the effective, timely, and voluntary resolution of disputes. Through these resolutions, it shall help reduce public and private costs of litigation and increase satisfaction with the justice system. The center shall accomplish its purposes by:(1) Providing, where feasible and agreed to by the parties, the consultative resources and technical assistance needed to achieve voluntary resolutions for cases that affect the public interest or the work of state and county agencies. These cases shall include but not be limited to: (A) Public disputes involving actual or threatened court actions over the allocation or management of public resources or the siting of public facilities; (B) Complex litigation cases in which a court or a regulatory or administrative agency has determined that the dispute involves multiple parties or formidable technical, procedural, or factual issues, or both; (C) Policy roundtables in which the center, at the request of an executive, legislative, or judicial decisionmaker, convenes and chairs advisory discussions on matters pertaining to standards or rules; and (D) Other cases directly referred by judges, legislators, agency heads, or appointed government officials; (2) Promoting in a systematic manner the appropriate use of alternative dispute resolution; and (3) Disseminating to government agencies and to the community at large up-to-date information on the methods and applications of alternative dispute resolution.
(b) The center shall be organized, guided, and administratively maintained by the chief justice or the chief justice's designee. The chief justice shall appoint a director of the center. The director may hire staff necessary to accomplish the purposes of this chapter, including but not limited to an assistant director and a program specialist. The director, assistant director, and program specialist shall have substantial experience, training, and education in the methodologies of alternative dispute resolution. Employees of the center shall be exempt from chapter 76, shall not be considered civil service employees, but shall be entitled to any employee benefit plan normally inuring to civil service employees. |
Center for alternative dispute resolution | Creation of the courts |