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Structure of Courts
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Function
Below are all of the laws that govern the structure of courts that match your search criteria.
27 Results
| State | Statute | Description/Statute Name | Statutory language | Court/legal body | Function | |
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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 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.
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Supreme Judicial Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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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 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.
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Superior Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Maine | Me. Rev. Stat. tit 15 § 1(1) | Superior Court; criminal jurisdiction |
The Superior Court has original jurisdiction, exclusive or concurrent, of all crimes. |
Superior Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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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 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. |
District Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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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 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.
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Supreme Judicial Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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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.
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Alcohol and drug treatment court | Creation of the courts |
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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 |
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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.
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Veterans treatment courts | Creation of the courts |
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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. |
Courts generally | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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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 moresuch other courts of record as may be established by law.
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Court of Criminal Appeals | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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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 moreSpecial 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.
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District Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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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 morebe 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.
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District Court | Creation of the courts |
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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. | District Court or Municipal Court | Creation of the courts |
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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 moreis established is charged, as provided by Article VII, Section 1 of the Oklahoma Constitution.
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Municipal Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Washington DC | DC ST § 11-101 | Judicial power |
The judicial power in the District of Columbia is vested in the following courts:(1) The following Federal Courts established pursuant to article III of the Constitution:
(A) The Supreme Court of + See morethe United States.
(B) The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
(C) The United States District Court for the District of Columbia.
(2) The following District of Columbia courts established pursuant to article I of the Constitution:
(A) The District of Columbia Court of Appeals.
(B) The Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
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Superior Court, Court of Appeals | Creation of the courts |
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Washington DC | DC ST § 11-301 | Jurisdiction of appeals from the District of Columbia Court of Appeals |
In addition to its jurisdiction as a United States court of appeals and any other jurisdiction conferred on it by law, the United States Court of Appeals for the District + See moreof Columbia Circuit has jurisdiction of appeals from judgments of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals --(1) with respect to violations of criminal laws of the United States which are not applicable exclusively to the District of Columbia if a petition for the allowance of an appeal from that judgment is filed within ten days after its entry; or
(2) entered before the effective date of the District of Columbia Court Reorganization Act of 1970 in any other case if a petition for the allowance of an appeal from that judgment is filed within ten days after its entry.
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DC Circuit | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Washington DC | DC ST § 11-721 | Orders and judgments of the Superior Court (Jurisdiction) |
(a) The District of Columbia Court of Appeals has jurisdiction of appeals from --(1) all final orders and judgments of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia;
(2) interlocutory orders + See moreof the Superior Court of the District of Columbia --
(A) granting, continuing, modifying, refusing, or dissolving or refusing to dissolve or modify injunctions;
(B) appointing receivers, guardians, or conservators or refusing to wind up receiverships, guardianships, or the administration of conservators or to take steps to accomplish the purpose thereof; or
(C) changing or affecting the possession of property; and
(3) orders or rulings of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia appealed by the United States or the District of Columbia pursuant to section 23-104 or 23-111(d)(2).
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Court of Appeals | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Washington DC | DC ST § 11-722 | Administrative orders and decisions |
The District of Columbia Court of Appeals has jurisdiction (1) except as provided in clause (2), to review orders and decisions of the Commissioner [Mayor] of the District of Columbia, + See morethe District of Columbia Council, any agency of the District of Columbia (including the Board of Zoning Adjustment of the District of Columbia and the Zoning Commission of the District of Columbia), and the District of Columbia Redevelopment Land Agency, in accordance with the District of Columbia Administrative Procedure Act (D.C. Official Code, secs. 2-501--2-510); and (2) to review orders and decisions of the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia in accordance with section 8 of the Act of March 4, 1913 (D.C. Official Chapters 1 through 11, Title 34).
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Court of Appeals | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Washington DC | DC ST § 11-921 | Civil jurisdiction |
(a) Except as provided in subsection (b), the Superior Court has jurisdiction of any civil action or other matter (at law or in equity) brought in the District of Columbia. + See more...
(b) The Superior Court does not have jurisdiction over any civil action or other matter (1) over which exclusive jurisdiction is vested in a Federal court in the District of Columbia, or (2) over which jurisdiction is vested in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia under section 11-501 (relating to civil actions or other matters begun in such court before the expiration of the thirty-month period beginning on the effective date of the District of Columbia Court Reorganization Act of 1970).
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Superior Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Washington DC | DC ST § 11-923 | Criminal jurisdiction; commitment |
(b)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Superior Court has jurisdiction of any criminal case under any law applicable exclusively to the District of Columbia.(2) The Superior Court shall + See morenot have jurisdiction of any criminal case under any law applicable exclusively to the District of Columbia begun in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia under section 11-502(2) by the return of an indictment or the filing of an information during the eighteen-month period beginning on such effective date.
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Superior Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |