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.
22 Results
State | Statute | Description/Statute Name | Statutory language | Court/legal body | Function | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Add to Dashboard
|
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.
|
Supreme Judicial Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
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.
|
Superior Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
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 |
Add to Dashboard
|
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 |
Add to Dashboard
|
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.
|
Supreme Judicial Court | Jurisdiction 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
|
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 |
Add to Dashboard
|
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.
|
Superior Court, Court of Appeals | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
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.
|
DC Circuit | Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
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).
|
Court of Appeals | Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
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).
|
Court of Appeals | Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
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).
|
Superior Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
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.
|
Superior Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Washington DC | DC ST § 11-924 | Jurisdiction with respect to violations of the Rules and Regulations of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority |
The Superior Court has jurisdiction with respect to any violation, committed in the District of Columbia, of the rules and regulations adopted by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority under + See moresection 76(e) of title III of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Regulation Compact.
|
Superior Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Washington DC | DC ST § 11-1101 | Jurisdiction of the Family Court |
(a) In general. -- The Family Court of the District of Columbia shall be assigned and have original jurisdiction over --(1) actions for divorce from the bond of marriage and + See morelegal separation from bed and board, including proceedings incidental thereto for alimony, pendente lite and permanent, and for support and custody of minor children;
(2) applications for revocation of divorce from bed and board;
(3) actions to enforce support of any person as required by law;
(4) actions seeking custody of minor children, including petitions for writs of habeas corpus;
(5) actions to declare marriages void;
(6) actions to declare marriages valid;
(7) actions for annulments of marriage;
(8) determinations and adjudications of property rights, both real and personal, in any action referred to in this section, irrespective of any jurisdictional limitation imposed on the Superior Court;
(9) proceedings in adoption;
(10) proceedings under the Act of July 10, 1957 (D.C. Code, secs. 30-301 to 30-324 [D.C. Official Code, §§ 46-701 to 46-724]);
(11) proceedings to determine paternity of any child born out of wedlock;
(12) civil proceedings for protection involving intrafamily offenses, instituted pursuant to chapter 10 of title 16;
(13) proceedings in which a child, as defined in section 16-2301, is alleged to be delinquent, neglected, or in need of supervision;
(14) proceedings under chapter 5 of title 21 relating to the commitment of the mentally ill;
(15) proceedings under chapter 13 of title 7 relating to the commitment of the at least moderately mentally retarded; and
(16) proceedings under Interstate Compact on Juveniles (described in title IV of the District of Columbia Court Reform and Criminal Procedure Act of 1970).
...
|
Family Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Washington DC | DC ST § 11-1201 | Exclusive jurisdiction (Tax Division) |
The Tax Division of the Superior Court shall be assigned exclusive jurisdiction of --(1) all appeals from and petitions for review of assessments of tax (and civil penalties thereon) made + See moreby the District of Columbia; and
(2) all proceedings brought by the District of Columbia for this imposition of criminal penalties pursuant to the provisions of the statutes relating to taxes levied by or in behalf of the District of Columbia.
|
Tax Division of the Superior Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Washington DC | DC ST § 11-1321 | Exclusive jurisdiction of small claims |
The Small Claims and Conciliation Branch has exclusive jurisdiction of any action within the jurisdiction of the Superior Court which is only for the recovery of money, if the amount + See morein controversy does not exceed $10,000, exclusive of interest, attorney fees, protest fees, and costs. An action which affects an interest in real property may not be brought in the Branch. If a counterclaim, cross claim, or any other claim or any defense, affecting an interest in real property, is made in an action brought in the Branch, the action shall be certified to the Civil Division.
|
Small Claims and Conciliation Branch of the Superior Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Washington DC | D.C. Code Ann. § article IV, sec. 1 | The Judicial Branch |
The judicial power of the State shall be vested in a unified judicial system, consisting of a Supreme Court, a Superior Court, and such inferior and appellate courts as may + See morebe established by law. All such courts shall be courts of record.
|
Courts generally | Jurisdiction of the courts |