Criminal Justice Policy Program at Harvard Law School
50-State Criminal Justice Debt Reform Builder Bringing transparency to areas of significant legal complexity.
50-State Criminal Justice Debt Reform Builder Bringing transparency to areas of significant legal complexity.
Structure of Courts
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
Function
Below are all of the laws that govern the structure of courts that match your search criteria.
20 Results
| State | Statute | Description/Statute Name | Statutory language | Court/legal body | Function | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Add to Dashboard
|
South Dakota | S.D. Const. art. V, § 2 | Supreme Court |
The Supreme Court is the highest court of the state. It consists of a chief justice and four associate justices. Upon request by the Supreme Court the Legislature may increase the number of justices to seven. All justices shall be selected from compact districts established by the Legislature, and each district shall have one justice.
|
Supreme Court | Creation of the courts |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
South Dakota | S.D. Const. art. V, § 3 | Circuit courts |
The circuit courts consist of such number of circuits and judges as the Supreme Court determines by rule. |
Circuit Courts | Creation of the courts |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
South Dakota | S.D. Const. art. V, § 4 | Courts of limited jurisdiction |
Courts of limited jurisdiction consist of all courts created by the Legislature having limited original jurisdiction. |
Courts of limited jurisdiction | Creation of the courts, Jurisdiction of the courts |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
South Dakota | S.D. Const. art. V, § 5 | Jurisdiction of the courts |
The circuit courts have original jurisdiction in all cases except as to any limited original jurisdiction granted to other courts by the Legislature. The circuit courts and judges thereof have the power to issue, hear and determine all original and remedial writs. The circuit courts have such appellate jurisdiction as may be provided by law.
|
Circuit Courts | Jurisdiction of the courts |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
South Dakota | S.D. Const. art. V, § 5 | Jurisdiction of the courts |
The Supreme Court shall have such appellate jurisdiction as may be provided by the Legislature, and the Supreme Court or any justice thereof may issue any original or remedial writ which shall then be heard and determined by that court. The Governor has authority to require opinions of the Supreme Court upon important questions of law involved in the exercise of his executive power and upon solemn occasions.
|
Supreme Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
South Dakota | S.D. Codified Laws § 16-12A-2.2 | Pursuant to the provisions of S.D. Const., Art. V, § 4, there is hereby established within each judicial circuit a magistrate court |
Pursuant to the provisions of S.D. Const., Art. V, § 4, there is hereby established within each judicial circuit a magistrate court. |
Magistrat Courts | Creation of the courts |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
South Dakota | S.D. Codified Laws § 216-6-12 | Original criminal jurisdiction of circuit court |
The circuit court has exclusive original jurisdiction to try and determine all cases of felony, and original jurisdiction concurrent with courts of limited jurisdiction as provided by law to try and determine all cases of misdemeanor and actions or proceedings for violation of any ordinance, bylaw, or other police regulation of political subdivisions.
|
Circuit Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
South Dakota | S.D. Codified Laws § 216-12B-11 | Jurisdiction--Trial of minor criminal cases |
A magistrate court with a magistrate judge presiding has concurrent jurisdiction with the circuit courts to try and determine all cases of misdemeanor and actions or proceedings for violation of any ordinance, bylaw, or other police regulation of a political subdivision.
|
Magistrate Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Wisconsin | Wis. Stat. § Const. Art. 7, § 3 | Supreme court jurisdiction |
(1) The supreme court shall have superintending and administrative authority over all courts. (2) The supreme court has appellate jurisdiction over all courts and may hear original actions and proceedings. + See moreThe supreme court may issue all writs necessary in aid of its jurisdiction. (3) The supreme court may review judgments and orders of the court of appeals, may remove cases from the court of appeals and may accept cases on certification by the court of appeals.
|
Supreme Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Wisconsin | Wis. Stat. § Const. Art. 7, § 5 | Court of appeals jurisdiction |
(1) The legislature shall by law combine the judicial circuits of the state into one or more districts for the court of appeals and shall designate in each district the + See morelocations where the appeals court shall sit for the convenience of litigants. (2) For each district of the appeals court there shall be chosen by the qualified electors of the district one or more appeals judges as prescribed by law, who shall sit as prescribed by law. Appeals judges shall be elected for 6-year terms and shall reside in the district from which elected. No alteration of district or circuit boundaries shall have the effect of removing an appeals judge from office during the judge's term. In case of an increase in the number of appeals judges, the first judge or judges shall be elected for full terms unless the legislature prescribes a shorter initial term for staggering of terms. (3) The appeals court shall have such appellate jurisdiction in the district, including jurisdiction to review administrative proceedings, as the legislature may provide by law, but shall have no original jurisdiction other than by prerogative writ. The appeals court may issue all writs necessary in aid of its jurisdiction and shall have supervisory authority over all actions and proceedings in the courts in the district.
|
Courts of Appeals | Jurisdiction of the courts |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Wisconsin | Wis. Stat. § Const. Art. 7, § 8 | Circuit court jurisdiction |
Except as otherwise provided by law, the circuit court shall have original jurisdiction in all matters civil and criminal within this state and such appellate jurisdiction in the circuit as + See morethe legislature may prescribe by law. The circuit court may issue all writs necessary in aid of its jurisdiction. (emphasis added).
|
Circuit Courts | Jurisdiction of the courts |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Wisconsin | Wis. Stat. § Const. Art. 7, § 14 | Municipal court |
The legislature by law may authorize each city, village and town to establish a municipal court. All municipal courts shall have uniform jurisdiction limited to actions and proceedings arising under + See moreordinances of the municipality in which established. Judges of municipal courts may receive such compensation as provided by the municipality in which established, but may not receive fees of office.
|
Municipal Courts | Jurisdiction of the courts |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Wisconsin | Wis. Stat. § 938.02(2m) | Juvenile court |
[For purposes of Wis. Stat. § 938, which governs the criminal juvenile system] Court, when used without further qualification, means the court assigned to exercise jurisdiction under this chapter and + See morech. 48 or, when used with reference to a juvenile who is subject to s. 938.183, a court of criminal jurisdiction or, when used with reference to a juvenile who is subject to s. 938.17(2), a municipal court.
|
Juvenile Courts | Jurisdiction of the courts |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Wisconsin | Wis. Stat. § Const. Art. 7, § 4 | Supreme court: elections, chief justice, court system administration |
(1) The supreme court shall have 7 members who shall be known as justices of the supreme court. Justices shall be elected for 10-year terms of office commencing with the + See moreAugust 1 next succeeding the election. Only one justice may be elected in any year. Any 4 justices shall constitute a quorum for the conduct of the court's business. (2) The chief justice of the supreme court shall be elected for a term of 2 years by a majority of the justices then serving on the court. The justice so designated as chief justice may, irrevocably, decline to serve as chief justice or resign as chief justice but continue to serve as a justice of the supreme court. (3) The chief justice of the supreme court shall be the administrative head of the judicial system and shall exercise this administrative authority pursuant to procedures adopted by the supreme court. The chief justice may assign any judge of a court of record to aid in the proper disposition of judicial business in any court of record except the supreme court.
|
Supreme Court | Creation of the courts |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Wisconsin | Outgamie Cty.Ct.R. Sec. 5 | Family court rules |
1. Family Court Matters: Family Court matters will consist of all actions affecting the family as enumerated in Section 767.02 of the Wisconsin Statutes. 2. Assignment of Judge to Family + See moreCourt: All Family Court matters except as indicated below will be heard by the Circuit Court assigned in accordance with the Circuit Court workload distribution rules. 3. Caption on Family Court Matters: All matters filed in Family Court shall be captioned: State of Wisconsin--Family Court--Outagamie County.
|
Family Courts | Creation of the courts |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Minnesota | Minn. Const. Art. 6, § 2 | Judiciary; Supreme Court |
The supreme court consists of one chief judge and not less than six nor more than eight associate judges as the legislature may establish. It shall have original jurisdiction in such remedial cases as are prescribed by law, and appellate jurisdiction in all cases, but there shall be no trial by jury in the supreme court. The legislature may establish a court of appeals and provide by law for the number of its judges, who shall not be judges of any other court, and its organization and for the review of its decisions by the supreme court. The court of appeals shall have appellate jurisdiction over all courts, except the supreme court, and other appellate jurisdiction as prescribed by law. As provided by law judges of the court of appeals or of the district court may be assigned temporarily to act as judges of the supreme court upon its request and judges of the district court may be assigned temporarily by the supreme court to act as judges of the court of appeals. The supreme court shall appoint to serve at its pleasure a clerk, a reporter, a state law librarian and other necessary employees.
|
Supreme Court | Creation of the courts, Jurisdiction of the courts |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Minnesota | Minn. Const. Art. 6, § 3 | Judiciary; Jursidiction of district court |
The district court has original jurisdiction in all civil and criminal cases and shall have appellate jurisdiction as prescribed by law. |
District Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Minnesota | Minn. Const. Art. 6, § 1 | Judiciary; Judicial power |
The judicial power of the state is vested in a supreme court, a court of appeals, if established by the legislature, a district court and such other courts, judicial officers and commissioners with jurisdiction inferior to the district court as the legislature may establish.
|
Judiciary | Creation of the courts |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Minnesota | M.S.A. Const. Art. 6, § 2 | Judiciary; Supreme Court |
The supreme court consists of one chief judge and not less than six nor more than eight associate judges as the legislature may establish. It shall have original jurisdiction in such remedial cases as are prescribed by law, and appellate jurisdiction in all cases, but there shall be no trial by jury in the supreme court. The legislature may establish a court of appeals and provide by law for the number of its judges, who shall not be judges of any other court, and its organization and for the review of its decisions by the supreme court. The court of appeals shall have appellate jurisdiction over all courts, except the supreme court, and other appellate jurisdiction as prescribed by law.As provided by law judges of the court of appeals or of the district court may be assigned temporarily to act as judges of the supreme court upon its request and judges of the district court may be assigned temporarily by the supreme court to act as judges of the court of appeals. The supreme court shall appoint to serve at its pleasure a clerk, a reporter, a state law librarian and other necessary employees.
|
Courts of Appeals | Jurisdiction of the courts |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Minnesota | Minn. Stat. Ann. § 260B.225(4) | Juvenile traffic offender; Procedures; Dispositions; Original jursidiction; juvenile court |
Original jurisdiction; juvenile court. The juvenile court has original jurisdiction over: (1) all juveniles age 15 and under alleged to have committed any traffic offense; and (2) 16- and 17-year-olds alleged to have committed any major traffic offense, except that the adult court has original jurisdiction over: (i) petty traffic misdemeanors not a part of the same behavioral incident of a misdemeanor being handled in juvenile court; and (ii) violations of section 169A.20 (driving while impaired), and any other misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor level traffic violations committed as part of the same behavioral incident as a violation of section 169A.20.
|
Juvenile Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |