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Below are all of the laws that govern the structure of courts that match your search criteria.
44 Results
State | Statute | Description/Statute Name | Statutory language | Court/legal body | Function | |
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Louisiana | LA RS §13:101. | Supreme court jurisdiction | The state shall be divided into seven supreme court districts. The supreme court shall be composed of one justice elected from each of the seven districts as set forth below: | Supreme Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Louisiana | LA RS §13:312. | Court of appeals circuits | There shall be five court of appeal circuits, which shall be subdivided into districts as follows: | Courts of Appeal | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Louisiana | LA RS §13:477 | District Court | There shall be forty-one judicial districts in the state and each district shall be composed as follows: | District Courts | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Louisiana | LA RS §13:1335 | Parish of Orleans District court | There shall be one criminal district court for the parish of Orleans, which shall be composed of twelve judges. | Criminal District Court for Orleans Parish | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Louisiana | LA RS §13:1445 | Parish court - juvenile jurisdiction |
The parish court shall be a juvenile court for the parish and shall exercise jurisdiction, concurrent with that of the district court, over juvenile matters, except where a separate juvenile + See moreor family court with exclusive jurisdiction is established by law.
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Juvenile Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Louisiana | LA RS §13:446 | Parish court - criminal jurisdiction |
A. The parish court shall have criminal jurisdiction over all violations of state law and parish or municipal ordinances committed within its territorial jurisdiction which are punishable by a fine + See morenot exceeding one thousand dollars or by imprisonment not exceeding six months, or both. This jurisdiction shall be concurrent with any jurisdiction conferred by law upon the district court.
B. As to all other violations of state law or of a parish or municipal ordinance, the parish court shall have the power to issue warrants of arrest, to examine, commit, admit to bail and discharge, and to hold preliminary examinations in all cases not capital.
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Parish District Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Louisiana | LA RS § 15:1097 | Youth court - territorial jurisdiction |
A. The Ware Youth Center Authority is hereby established as a political subdivision of the state, with a territorial jurisdiction throughout the parishes of Claiborne, DeSoto, Natchitoches, Red River, Sabine, + See moreand Webster. If the governing authority of Claiborne Parish or the governing authority of Webster Parish elects to withdraw its respective parish from the district, the territorial jurisdiction of the district shall not include such parish or parishes.
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Ware Youth Center (juvenile court) | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Louisiana | La. Const. Art. 3 Sec. 1 | Judicial power | The judicial power is vested in a supreme court, courts of appeal, district courts, and other courts authorized by this Article. | Supreme Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Louisiana | La. Const. Art. 3 Sec. 8 | Court of appeals circuits - panels |
Section 8.(A) Circuits; Panels. The state shall be divided into at least four circuits, with one court of appeal in each. Each court shall sit in panels of at least + See morethree judges selected according to rules adopted by the court.
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Courts of Appeal (5) | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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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.
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District Courts | Creation of the courts |
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Louisiana | La. RS §15:1566. | Orleans juvenile court |
A. There shall be in the parish of Orleans a separate juvenile court, which shall be a court of record and shall be known as the Orleans Parish Juvenile Court. + See moreEach judge of said court shall receive the annual salary provided for in R.S. 13:691(A).
B. There is hereby established a continuing judicial fund which shall, pursuant to R.S. 13:1585, consist of fees charged for adoption cases and costs collected in the handling of support matters and traffic matters. The judicial fund shall be administered by the judges of the Orleans Parish Juvenile Court. The judges of the Orleans Parish Juvenile Court may expend it for the improvements and necessities of the court.
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Orleans Parish juvenile court; | |
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Louisiana | La RS 13:1401 | Family court |
A. There is hereby established the family court for the parish of East Baton Rouge, which shall be a court of record with exclusive jurisdiction in the following proceedings:
(1) + See more All actions for divorce, annulment of marriages, claims for contributions made by one spouse to the education or training of the other spouse, establishment or disavowal of the paternity of children, spousal and child support and nonsupport, and custody and visitation of children, as well as of all matters incidental to any of the foregoing proceedings, including but not restricted to the issuance of conservatory writs for the protection of community property, the awarding of attorney fees in judgments of divorce, the accumulation of and rendering executory of spousal and child support, the issuance of writs of fieri facias and garnishment under judgments of the court for spousal and child support and attorney fees, jurisdiction of which was vested in the Nineteenth Judicial District Court for the parish of East Baton Rouge prior to the establishment of the family court for the parish of East Baton Rouge.
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Family Court for East Baton Rouge | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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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 |
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Massachusetts | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 211, § 3 | Superintendence of Inferior Courts. |
The supreme judicial court shall have general superintendence of all courts of inferior jurisdiction to correct and prevent errors and abuses therein if no other remedy is expressly provided; and it may issue all writs and processes to such courts and to corporations and individuals which may be necessary to the furtherance of justice and to the regular execution of the laws.
In addition to the foregoing, the justices of the supreme judicial court shall also have general superintendence of the administration of all courts of inferior jurisdiction, including, without limitation, the prompt hearing and disposition of matters pending therein, and the functions set forth in section 3C; and it may issue such writs, summonses and other processes and such orders, directions and rules as may be necessary or desirable for the furtherance of justice, the regular execution of the laws, the improvement of the administration of such courts, and the securing of their proper and efficient administration; provided, however, that general superintendence shall not include the authority to supersede any general or special law unless the supreme judicial court, acting under its original or appellate jurisdiction finds such law to be unconstitutional in any case or controversy. Nothing herein contained shall affect existing law governing the selection of officers of the courts, or limit the existing authority of the officers thereof to appoint administrative personnel. |
Supreme Judicial Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Massachusetts | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 211A § 11 | Further Appellate Review. |
There shall be no further appellate review by the supreme judicial court of any matter within the jurisdiction of the appeals court which has been decided by that court, except:—(a) where a majority of the justices of the appeals court deciding the case, or of the appeals court as a whole, certifies that the public interest or the interests of justice make desirable a further appellate review, or (b) where leave to obtain further appellate review or late review is specifically authorized by three justices of the supreme judicial court for substantial reasons affecting the public interest or the interests of justice. Upon the written order of a majority of the justices of the appeals court, the decision of a panel of the appeals court may be reviewed and revised by a majority of the justices of the appeals court. Such a review shall not be a condition precedent to obtaining further appellate review by the supreme judicial court.
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Supreme Judicial Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Massachusetts | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 211A, §§ 5, 10 | Power to Execute Judgments, Orders, etc.; Concurrent Appellate Jurisdiction — Review in First Instance by Appeals Court. |
Section 5. The appeals court shall be vested with all powers and authority necessary to carry into execution its judgments, decrees, determinations and orders in matters within its jurisdiction according to the rules and principles of common law and the Constitution and laws of the commonwealth, and subject to the appellate jurisdiction, supervision and superintendence of the supreme judicial court. The appeals court shall have original jurisdiction over the enforcement or review of final orders of the labor relations commission issued pursuant to section six or section six A of chapter one hundred and fifty A or section eleven of chapter one hundred and fifty E.
Section 10. Subject to such further appellate review by the supreme judicial court as may be permitted pursuant to section eleven or otherwise, the appeals court shall have concurrent appellate jurisdiction with the supreme judicial court, to the extent review is otherwise allowable, with respect to a determination made in the appellate tax board and in the superior court department, the housing court department, the land court department, the probate and family court department, the Boston municipal court department in criminal session, the Boston municipal court department appellate division, the juvenile court department, the district court department in criminal session, and the district court department appellate divisions, except in review of convictions for first degree murder. A report from any such department of the trial court of any case, in whole or in part, or any question of law arising therein shall be deemed to be within the concurrent appellate jurisdiction of the supreme judicial court and the appeals court. Without regard to whether review is by appeal, report or otherwise, appellate review of decisions made in the appellate tax board and in the superior court department, the housing court department, the land court department, the probate and family court department, the Boston municipal court department and the appellate division thereof, the juvenile court department, and the district court department, and the appellate divisions thereof, if within the jurisdiction of the appeals court, shall be in the first instance by the appeals court except in the following cases in which appellate review shall be directly by the supreme judicial court without the necessity of any prior hearing or decision by the appeals court on the merits of the issues sought to be reviewed: (A) Whenever two justices of the supreme judicial court issue an order direct review by the supreme judicial court in any case on appeal, either at the request of one of the parties or at the court's own initiative, upon finding that the questions to be decided are: (1) questions of first impression or novel questions of law which should be submitted for final determination to the supreme judicial court; (2) questions of law concerning the Constitution of the commonwealth or questions concerning the Constitution of the United States which have been raised in a court of the commonwealth; (3) questions of such public interest that justice requires a final determination by the supreme judicial court. (B) Whenever the appeals court as a body or a majority of the justices of the appeals court considering a particular case certifies that direct review by the supreme judicial court is in the public interest. |
Massachusetts Appeals Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Massachusetts | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 218, § 26 | Equity Jurisdiction; Promulgation of Rules and Forms.; |
The district courts and divisions of the Boston municipal court department shall have original jurisdiction, concurrent with the superior court, of the following offenses, complaint of which shall be brought in the court of the district court department, or in the Boston municipal court department, as the case may be, within which judicial district the offense was allegedly committed or is otherwise made punishable:— all violations of by–laws, orders, ordinances, rules and regulations, made by cities, towns and public officers, all misdemeanors, except libels, all felonies punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than five–years, the crimes listed in paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of section eight of chapter ninety B, subparagraph (1) of paragraph (a) of subdivision (1) of section twenty–four, paragraph (a) of section twenty–four G and paragraph (1) of section twenty–four L of chapter ninety, paragraph (a) of section thirty–two and paragraph (a) of section thirty–two A of chapter ninety–four C, and section thirty–two J of chapter ninety–four C, section 38B of chapter 127, section one hundred and thirty–one E of chapter one hundred and forty, sections thirteen K, 15A, 15D, 21A and 26 of chapter two hundred and sixty–five and sections sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty–eight, thirty, forty–nine and one hundred and twenty–seven of chapter two hundred and sixty–six, and sections one, fifteen and fifteen A of chapter two hundred and seventy–three, and the crimes of malicious destruction of personal property under section one hundred and twenty–seven of chapter two hundred and sixty–six, indecent assault and battery on a child under fourteen years of age, offenses under section 13B of chapter 268, conspiracy under section 7 of chapter 274, solicitation to commit a felony under section 8 of said chapter 274, escape or attempt to escape from any penal institution, forgery of a promissory note, or of an order for money or other property, and of uttering as true such a forged note or order, knowing the same to be forged. They shall have jurisdiction of proceedings referred to them under the provisions of section four A of chapter two hundred and eleven.
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Trial (Circuit and County) courts | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Massachusetts | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 212, § 6 | Jurisdiction — Criminal Jurisdiction. |
Section 6. The court shall have original jurisdiction of all crimes. Crimes committed in that part of Scituate described in chapter three hundred and ninety-four of the acts of nineteen hundred and twelve shall be within the territorial jurisdiction of the court both in Norfolk county and in Plymouth county, and arrests and service of process in such cases may be made by an officer qualified to serve criminal process in Cohasset. Crimes committed in any part of Cambridge, Watertown or Newton lying in the Charles river basin shall be within the territorial jurisdiction of the court both in Middlesex county and in Suffolk county.
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Superior Court Department | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Massachusetts | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 218, §§ 4, 19C | District court jurisdiction; equity and powers and rules |
Section 4. District courts shall be courts of record. They shall be courts of superior and general jurisdiction with reference to all cases and matters in which they have jurisdiction, and no order, decree, judgment, sentence, warrant, writ or process made, issued or pronounced by them need set out any adjudication or circumstances with greater particularity than would be required in other courts of superior and general jurisdiction, and the like presumption shall be made in favor of proceedings of such courts as would be made in favor of proceedings of other courts of superior and general jurisdiction. Each district court shall have a seal, which shall be in the custody of its clerk, and shall be affixed to all processes issued by such court requiring a seal.
Section 19C. The district court and Boston municipal court departments of the trial court shall have the same equitable powers and jurisdiction as is provided for the superior court pursuant to chapter 214 and the same authority with regard to declaratory judgments as is provided for the superior court pursuant to chapter 231A for the purpose of the hearing and disposition of summary process actions and of civil actions for money damages under section 19 of this chapter. The district courts shall have original jurisdiction in rem and personam of all actions arising under sections one hundred and twenty-seven A to one hundred and twenty-seven K, inclusive, of chapter one hundred and eleven. The district courts shall have equity powers only to the extent necessary to enforce the aforementioned sections, including the power to appoint receivers, grant injunctions and issue restraining orders as justice and equity may require and for punishing civil contempt of orders, rulings and decrees made or pronounced in the exercise of this jurisdiction. Subject to the approval of the supreme judicial court, the chief justice for the district court department may from time to time promulgate rules and prescribe forms for the efficient operation of such equity sessions in the courts of the district court department; and in the Boston municipal court department the chief justice for said department may promulgate such rules and prescribe such forms. Section 19C. The district court and Boston municipal court departments of the trial court shall have the same equitable powers and jurisdiction as is provided for the superior court pursuant to chapter 214 and the same authority with regard to declaratory judgments as is provided for the superior court pursuant to chapter 231A for the purpose of the hearing and disposition of summary process actions and of civil actions for money damages under section 19 of this chapter. The district courts shall have original jurisdiction in rem and personam of all actions arising under sections one hundred and twenty-seven A to one hundred and twenty-seven K, inclusive, of chapter one hundred and eleven. The district courts shall have equity powers only to the extent necessary to enforce the aforementioned sections, including the power to appoint receivers, grant injunctions and issue restraining orders as justice and equity may require and for punishing civil contempt of orders, rulings and decrees made or pronounced in the exercise of this jurisdiction. Subject to the approval of the supreme judicial court, the chief justice for the district court department may from time to time promulgate rules and prescribe forms for the efficient operation of such equity sessions in the courts of the district court department; and in the Boston municipal court department the chief justice for said department may promulgate such rules and prescribe such forms. |
Trial (Circuit and County) courts | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Massachusetts | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 218, § 59 | Juvenile Ct — Powers, Duties and Procedure. |
Except as otherwise provided by law, the divisions of the juvenile court department shall have and exercise, within their respective jurisdictions, the same powers, duties, and procedure as the divisions of the district court department; and all laws relating to district courts or municipal courts in their respective counties or officials thereof or proceedings therein, shall, so far as applicable, apply to said divisions of the juvenile court department.
The divisions of the juvenile court department shall also have jurisdiction in equity concurrent with the supreme judicial court and with the superior court department in all cases and matters arising under the provisions of chapters 119 and 210. |
Juvenile Court Department | Jurisdiction of the courts |