Below are all of the laws that govern the structure of courts that match your search criteria.

26 Results

Export results to Excel

State Statute Description/Statute Name Statutory language Court/legal body Function
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

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

+ See more
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.

Jurisdiction of the courts
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

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

+ See more
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.

Jurisdiction of the courts
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

Maine Me. Rev. Stat. tit 15 § 1(1) Superior Court; criminal jurisdiction

The Superior Court has original jurisdiction, exclusive or concurrent, of all crimes.

Jurisdiction of the courts
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

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

+ See more
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.

Jurisdiction of the courts
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

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

+ See more
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.

Jurisdiction of the courts
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

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

+ See more
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.

Creation of the courts
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

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.

Creation of the courts
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

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

+ See more
Court may adopt administrative orders and court rules of practice and procedure as necessary.

Creation of the courts
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

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.

Jurisdiction of the courts
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

Oklahoma Okla. Stat. tit. 20, § 40 Appellate Jurisdiction
The Court of Criminal Appeals shall have exclusive appellate jurisdiction, coextensive with the limits of the state, in all criminal cases appealed from the district, superior and county courts, and
+ See more
such other courts of record as may be established by law.
Jurisdiction of the courts
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

Oklahoma Okla. Stat. tit. 20, § 91.1 District courts as successors to jurisdiction of various other courts
The district courts of the State of Oklahoma are the successors to the jurisdiction of all other courts, including the Superior Courts, the County Courts, the Courts of Common Pleas,
+ See more
Special Sessions Courts, Courts of Special Sessions, City Courts, Juvenile Courts, Children's Courts, Justice of the Peace Courts, and municipal courts in civil matters and proceedings for the violation of state statutes. Wherever reference is made in the Oklahoma Statutes to any of the above courts or to the judge thereof, it shall be deemed to refer to the district court or a judge thereof; provided, however, that any statute that refers to the salary of the judge of any Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, County Court, Juvenile Court, or Children's Court, insofar as that portion of the statute dealing with salary is concerned, shall not be deemed to refer to any district judge, associate district judge or special judge, and any salary mentioned in such statute shall not be paid to the judge who succeeded to the jurisdiction of the judge who is named in the statute.
Jurisdiction of the courts
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

Oklahoma Okla. Stat. tit. 22, § 471.1 Authorization of Drug Court Programs
Each district court of this state is authorized to establish a drug court program pursuant to the provisions of this act, subject to availability of funds. Juvenile drug courts may
+ See more
be established based upon the provisions of this act; provided, however, juveniles shall not be held, processed, or treated in any manner which violates any provision of Title 10A of the Oklahoma Statutes.
Creation of the courts
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

Oklahoma Okla. Stat. tit. 22, § 472 Anna McBride Act--Mental health courts Any district or municipal court of this state may establish a mental health court program pursuant to the provisions of this section, subject to the availability of funds. Creation of the courts
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

Oklahoma Okla. Stat. tit. 11, § 28-102 Jurisdiction of criminal court of record--Jury trial--Maximum punishment--Double jeopardy
he municipal criminal courts of record shall have original jurisdiction to hear and determine all prosecutions when a violation of any of the ordinances of the city where the court
+ See more
is established is charged, as provided by Article VII, Section 1 of the Oklahoma Constitution.
Jurisdiction of the courts
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

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

+ See more
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.

Creation of the courts
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

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

+ See more
as shall be hereafter established by the legislature, and in the justices, judges and magistrates of such courts.

Creation of the courts
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

West Virginia W. Va. Const. art. VIII, § 3 Supreme court of appeals; Jurisdiction and powers; officers and employees; terms.

The supreme court of appeals shall have original jurisdiction of proceedings in habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition and certiorari.

The court shall have appellate jurisdiction in civil cases at law where the

+ See more
matter in controversy, exclusive of interest and costs, is of greater value or amount than three hundred dollars unless such value or amount is increased by the legislature; in civil cases in equity; in controversies concerning the title or boundaries of land; in proceedings in quo warranto, habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition and certiorari; and in cases involving personal freedom or the constitutionality of a law. It shall have appellate jurisdiction in criminal cases, where there has been a conviction for a felony or misdemeanor in a circuit court, and such appellate jurisdiction as may be conferred upon it by law where there has been such a conviction in any other court. In criminal proceedings relating to the public revenue, the right of appeal shall belong to the State as well as to the defendant. It shall have such other appellate jurisdiction, in both civil and criminal cases, as may be prescribed by law.

The court shall have power to promulgate rules for all cases and proceedings, civil and criminal, for all of the courts of the State relating to writs, warrants, process, practice and procedure, which shall have the force and effect of law.

The court shall have general supervisory control over all intermediate appellate courts, circuit courts and magistrate courts. The chief justice shall be the administrative head of all the courts. He may assign a judge from one intermediate appellate court to another, from one circuit court to another, or from one magistrate court to another, for temporary service. The court shall appoint an administrative director to serve at its pleasure at a salary to be fixed by the court. The administrative director shall, under the direction of the chief justice, prepare and submit a budget for the court.

Jurisdiction of the courts
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

West Virginia W. Va. Const. art. VIII, § 5 Circuit courts

The judge or judges of each circuit court shall be elected by the voters of the circuit for a term of eight years, unless sooner removed or retired as authorized

+ See more
in this article. The legislature may prescribe by law whether the election of such judges is to be on a partisan or nonpartisan basis. Upon the effective date of this article, each statutory court of record of limited jurisdiction existing in the State immediately prior to such effective date shall become part of the circuit court for the circuit in which it presently exists, and each such judge of such statutory court of record of limited jurisdiction shall thereupon become a judge of such circuit court. During his continuance in office, a judge of a circuit court shall reside in the circuit of which he is a judge.

The legislature may increase, or other than during term of office decrease, the number of circuit judges within any circuit. The judicial circuits in existence on the effective date of this article shall remain as so constituted until changed by law, and the legislature, at any session thereof held in the odd-numbered year next preceding the time for the full term election of the judges thereof, may rearrange the circuits and may increase or diminish the number of circuits. A judge of a circuit court in office at the time of any such change shall continue as a judge of the circuit in which he shall continue to reside after such change until his term shall expire, unless sooner removed or retired as authorized in this article.

There shall be at least one judge for each circuit court and as many more as may be necessary to transact the business of such court. If there be two or more judges of a circuit court, provision shall be made by rules of such circuit court for the selection of one of such judges to serve as chief judge thereof. If the chief judge is temporarily disqualified or unable to serve, one of the judges of the circuit court designated in accordance with the rules of such court shall serve temporarily in his stead.

The supreme court of appeals shall provide for dividing the business of those circuits in which there shall be more than one judge between the judges thereof so as to promote and secure the convenient and expeditious transaction of such business.

In every county in the State the circuit court for such county shall sit at least three times in each year. The supreme court of appeals shall designate the times at which each circuit court shall sit, but until this action is taken by the supreme court of appeals, each circuit court shall sit at the times prescribed by law. If there be two or more judges of a circuit court, such judges may hold court in the same county or in different counties within the circuit at the same time or at different times.

Creation of the courts
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

West Virginia W. Va. Const. art. VIII, § 6 Circuit Court; Jurisdiction, Authority and Power

Circuit courts shall have control of all proceedings before magistrate courts by mandamus, prohibition and certiorari.

Circuit courts shall have original and general jurisdiction of all civil cases at law where

+ See more
the value or amount in controversy, exclusive of interest and costs, exceeds one hundred dollars unless such value or amount is increased by the legislature; of all civil cases in equity; of proceedings in habeas corpus, mandamus, quo warranto, prohibition and certiorari; and of all crimes and misdemeanors. On and after January one, one thousand nine hundred seventy-six, the legislature may provide that all matters of probate, the appointment and qualification of personal representatives, guardians, committees and curators, and the settlements of their accounts, shall be vested exclusively in circuit courts or their officers, but until such time as the legislature provides otherwise, jurisdiction in such matters shall remain in the county commissions or tribunals existing in lieu thereof or the officers of such county commissions or tribunals.

Circuit courts shall have appellate jurisdiction in all cases, civil and criminal, where an appeal, writ of error or supersedeas is allowed by law to the judgment or proceedings of any magistrate court, unless such jurisdiction is conferred by law exclusively upon an intermediate appellate court or the supreme court of appeals.

Circuit courts shall also have such other jurisdiction, authority or power, original or appellate or concurrent, as may be prescribed by law.

Subject to the approval of the supreme court of appeals, each circuit court shall have the authority and power to establish local rules to govern the court.

Subject to the supervisory control of the supreme court of appeals, each circuit court shall have general supervisory control over all magistrate courts in the circuit. Under the direction of the chief justice of the supreme court of appeals, the judge of the circuit court, or the chief judge thereof if there be more than one judge of the circuit court, shall be the administrative head of the circuit court and all magistrate courts in the circuit.

Jurisdiction of the courts
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

West Virginia W. Va. Const. art. VIII, § 11 Municipal courts

The legislature may provide for the establishment in incorporated cities, towns or villages of municipal, police or mayors’ courts, and may also provide the manner of selection of the judges

+ See more
of such courts. Such courts shall have jurisdiction to enforce municipal ordinances, with the right of appeal as prescribed by law. Until otherwise provided by law, all such courts heretofore established shall remain and continue as now constituted, and with the same right of appeal, insofar as their jurisdiction to enforce municipal ordinances is concerned; but on and after January one, one thousand nine hundred seventy-seven, any other jurisdiction now exercised by such courts shall cease. No judge of a municipal, police or mayor’s court or any officer thereof shall be compensated for his services on a fee basis or receive to his own use for his services any pecuniary compensation, reward or benefit other than the salary prescribed therefor.

Creation of the courts, Jurisdiction of the courts