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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.
42 Results
| State | Statute | Description/Statute Name | Statutory language | Court/legal body | Function | |
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Arkansas | Ark. Const. Art. 8, § 5 | Mandamus to Compel Board of Apportionment to Act |
Original jurisdiction (to be exercised on application of any citizens and taxpayers) is hereby vested in the Supreme Court of the State (a) to compel (by mandamus or otherwise) the board to perform its duties as here directed and (b) to revise any arbitrary action of or abuse of discretion by the board in making such apportionment; provided any such application for revision shall be filed with said Court within 30 days after the filing of the report of apportionment by said board with the Secretary of State; if revised by the court, a certified copy of its judgment shall be by the clerk thereof forthwith transmitted to the Secretary of State, and thereupon be and become a substitute for the apportionment made by the board.
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Supreme Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Arkansas | Ark. Code Ann. § 16-12-104 | Authority of Court |
The Court of Appeals shall have authority to issue any writs, directives, orders, and mandates that are appropriate, and only those that are appropriate, for the determination of cases within its jurisdiction.
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Court of Appeals | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Arkansas | Ark. Code Ann. § 16-17-102(a);(c) | Exchange of Jurisdiction by District Court Judges |
(a) District judges may temporarily exchange districts by joint order entered of record in their respective courts. They may hold court for each other for such length of time as may seem practicable and for the best interest of their respective courts. (b) District judges exchanging jurisdictional authority or districts shall have the same power or authority, holding courts for each other, as the district judge for the district in which the court or courts shall be held.
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District court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Arkansas | Ark. Code Ann. § 16-19-401 | Jurisdiction in Townships Having a Municipal Court |
a) Justices of the peace in the townships subject to this act shall have original jurisdiction coextensive with the county.(b) The jurisdiction of justices of the peace shall be:(1) Concurrent with the municipal courts and exclusive of the circuit court in all matters of contract where the amount in controversy does not exceed the sum of one hundred dollars ($100), excluding interest;(2) Concurrent with the municipal courts and with the circuit court in matters of contract where the amount in controversy does not exceed the sum of three hundred dollars ($300), exclusive of interest;(3) Concurrent with the municipal courts and with the circuit court in suits for the recovery of personal property where the value of the property does not exceed the sum of three hundred dollars ($300);(4) Concurrent with the municipal courts and with the circuit court in all matters of damage to personal property where the amount in controversy does not exceed the sum of one hundred dollars ($100).(c) Justices of the peace in townships subject to this act shall also have jurisdiction to sit as examining courts and commit, discharge, or recognize offenders to the court having jurisdiction for further trial, and to bind persons to keep the peace or for good behavior, and for purposes set out in this section they shall have power to issue all necessary process.
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Justice of the Peace Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Arkansas | Ark. Code Ann. § 16-98-303(a)(1)-(3) | Drug Courts Program Authorized |
(a)(1) Each judicial district of this state is authorized to establish a drug court program under this subchapter.(2) A drug court established under this subchapter shall be approved under § 16-10-139.(3)(A) A drug court program may be preadjudication or postadjudication for an adult offender or a juvenile offender.
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Drug Courts | Creation of the courts |
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Arkansas | A.C.A. § 3-2-301 | Circuit Judges -- Appointment of Temporary Officers and Special Prosecutors |
(a) The circuit judges of this state are declared to be primarily responsible for the enforcement of laws against the unlawful manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors. (b) (1) Circuit judges are given authority to appoint an officer of the court in lieu of the sheriff to act temporarily and in cases specially designated in the enforcing of any of the laws when the circuit judge becomes convinced that the sheriff is for any cause neglecting his or her duties under the law imposed upon him or her. (2) The compensation and expenses of such temporary officer shall be fixed by the judge making the appointment and shall be ordered paid by the judge out of an appropriation hereafter made. A certified copy of the judgment of the court fixing the compensation and expenses shall be sufficient authority for the Auditor of State to draw a voucher in payment of the compensation and expenses and of the Treasurer of State to pay a warrant when presented. The voucher shall be preaudited as other claims against the state. (c) (1) Whenever the circuit judge becomes convinced that any prosecuting attorney is not performing his or her full duty with respect to the enforcement of the laws against the unlawful manufacture or sale of intoxicating liquors, he or she shall have authority to appoint a special prosecutor who shall be an attorney learned in the law and with at least ten (10) years' experience in the actual practice of law. (2) The special prosecutor shall proceed to investigate and prosecute such cases as may be called to his or her attention by the circuit judge. (3) The compensation and expenses of the special prosecutor shall be fixed by the circuit court and paid out of the fund hereafter appropriated. The order of the circuit judge fixing the compensation and expenses of the special prosecutor shall be sufficient authority upon which the Auditor of State may issue a voucher in payment thereof and of the Treasurer of State to pay a warrant when presented. The voucher shall be preaudited as other claims against the state. (d) The temporary appointees in place of the sheriffs and the special prosecutors shall have all of the powers and authorities designated by law in the persons whom they are appointed to succeed.
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Circuit Courts | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Arkansas | A.C.A. § 16-13-710 | Automated Collection Procedures |
The Administrative Office of the Courts shall have the responsibility to assist circuit courts and district courts in the assessment and collection of fines and the management and reporting of fine revenue.
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State courts | |
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Rhode Island | R.I. Gen. Laws. Ann. § 8-2-15 | Superior court |
The superior court shall have original jurisdiction of all crimes, offenses, and misdemeanors, except as otherwise provided by law, and shall sentence all persons found guilty before it to the punishment prescribed by law. All indictments found by grand juries shall be returned into the court.
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Superior Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Rhode Island | R.I. Gen. Laws. Ann. § 8-8-3 | District court: Jurisdiction |
(a) The district court shall have exclusive original jurisdiction of: (1) All civil actions at law, but not causes in equity or those following the course of equity except as provided in § 8-8-3.1 and chapter 8.1 of this title, wherein the amount in controversy does not exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000); (2) All actions between landlords and tenants pursuant to chapter 18 of title 34 and all other actions for possession of premises and estates notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (c) of this section; (3) All actions of replevin where the goods and chattels to be replevied are of the value of five thousand dollars ($5,000) or less; (4) All violations of minimum housing standards whether established by chapter 24.3 of title 45 or by any municipal ordinance, rule, or regulation passed pursuant to the authority granted either by chapter 24.2 of title 45 or by special act of the general assembly governing minimum housing standards; except that in the event the city of Providence or town of North Providence shall by ordinance create a court for the purpose of exercising jurisdiction over violations of minimum housing standards, Providence Municipal Zoning Code and the Rhode Island State Building Code, chapter 27.3 of title 23, concerning properties which are not owned by the state, upon enactment of the ordinance, that court shall have exclusive original jurisdiction of violations of the above listed codes and standards as defined herein occurring within the city of Providence or the town of North Providence, and the district court shall be without jurisdiction over those actions; (5) All suits and complaints for offenses against the bylaws, ordinances, and regulations of cities and towns whether passed by the cities or towns or under the law by the properly constituted authorities thereof; (6) All other actions, proceedings, and matters of whatever nature which are or shall be declared to be within the jurisdiction of the court by the laws of the state.
(b) The district court shall also have any special jurisdiction which is or may be conferred by charter or law upon justices of the peace if no special court exists or is created by charter or law for that purpose. (c) The district court shall have concurrent original jurisdiction with the superior court of all civil actions at law wherein the amount in controversy exceeds the sum of five thousand dollars ($5,000) and does not exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000); Provided, however, that in any such action, any one or more defendants may in the answer to the complaint demand removal of the action to the superior court, in which event the action shall proceed as if it had been filed originally in the superior court. (d) The district court shall have special jurisdiction to grant relief as set forth under § 15-15-4(b)(1). |
District Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Rhode Island | R.I. Gen. Laws. Ann. § 8-8.2-2 | Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal |
(a) Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of law, all probationary license hearings as provided in § 31-10-26, all violations of the department of transportation, department of environmental management or board of governors for higher education regulations regarding parking, standing, or stopping in areas under the jurisdiction of said agencies, all violations of state statutes relating to motor vehicles, littering and traffic offenses, except those traffic offenses committed in places within the exclusive jurisdiction of the United States, and except driving so as to endanger resulting in death, driving so as to endanger resulting in personal injury, driving while under the influence of liquor or drugs, driving while under the influence of liquor or drugs resulting in death, driving while under the influence of liquor or drugs resulting in serious bodily injury, reckless driving and other offenses against public safety as provided in § 31-27-4, eluding a law enforcement officer with a motor vehicle in a high speed pursuit, driving after denial, suspension or revocation of license, and leaving the scene of an accident in violation of § 31-26-1 and § 31-26-2, and driving without the consent of the owner and possession of a stolen motor vehicle in violation of § 31-9-1 and § 31-9-2, shall be heard and determined by the traffic tribunal pursuant to the regulations promulgated by the chief magistrate of the traffic tribunal; provided, however, the traffic tribunal shall not hear any parking, standing or stopping violations which occur in any city or town which has established its own municipal court and has jurisdiction over such violations. Nothing contained herein shall abrogate the powers of the Rhode Island family court under the provisions of chapter 1 of title 14.
(b) Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of law, the traffic tribunal shall have concurrent jurisdiction to hear and determine, pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated by the chief magistrate of the traffic tribunal, all violations of any ordinances, rules and regulations governing the public waters and the speed, management and control of all vessels and the size, type and location and use of all anchorages and moorings within the jurisdiction of the towns of North Kingstown, South Kingstown, Portsmouth, Middletown, Narragansett and Tiverton enforced and supervised by the harbormaster and referred to the traffic tribunal, and the terms traffic violations and traffic infraction when used in this chapter shall include the aforesaid violations and such violations shall be adjudicated in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. Nothing contained herein shall abrogate the powers of the Rhode Island coastal management council under the provisions of chapter 23 of title 46. (c) Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of law, the traffic tribunal shall have jurisdiction to hear and determine, pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated by the chief magistrate of the Rhode Island traffic tribunal, all civil violations for §§ 20-1-12, 20-11-20, 20-16-17, 23-22.5-9, 32-2-4, subparagraphs 21-28-4.01(c)(2)(iii) and 21-28-4.01(c)(2)(iv) and subsection 46-22-19(1) as set forth in § 42-17.10-1. (d) A party aggrieved by a final order of the traffic tribunal appeals panel shall be entitled to a review of the order by a judge of the district court. Unless otherwise provided in the rules of procedure of the district court, such review shall be on the record and appellate in nature. The district court shall by rules of procedure establish procedures for review of an order entered by the appeals panel of the traffic tribunal. (e) Violations of any statute, rule, ordinance or regulation referenced in this section are subject to fines enumerated in § 31-41.1-4, except for violations of subparagraphs 21-28-4.01(c)(2)(iii) and 21-28-4.01(c)(2)(iv). |
Traffic Tribunal | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Rhode Island | R.I. Gen. Laws. Ann. § 12-21-4 | Jurisdiction of district and superior courts |
All fines, penalties, and forfeitures, whether of money or property, of five hundred dollars ($500) and under or of the value of five hundred dollars ($500) and under, shall be prosecuted before a district court; if upwards of five hundred dollars ($500) in amount or value, before the superior court, unless otherwise specially provided.
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District Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Rhode Island | R.I. Gen. Laws. Ann. § 12-21-4 | Jurisdiction of district and superior courts |
All fines, penalties, and forfeitures, whether of money or property, of five hundred dollars ($500) and under or of the value of five hundred dollars ($500) and under, shall be prosecuted before a district court; if upwards of five hundred dollars ($500) in amount or value, before the superior court, unless otherwise specially provided.
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Superior Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Rhode Island | R.I. Gen. Laws. Ann. § 8-1-2 | Supreme court jurisdiction |
The supreme court shall have general supervision of all courts of inferior jurisdiction to correct and prevent errors and abuses therein when no other remedy is expressly provided; it may issue writs of habeas corpus, of error, certiorari, mandamus, prohibition, quo warranto and all other extraordinary and prerogative writs and processes necessary for the furtherance of justice and the due administration of the law; it may entertain informations in the nature of quo warranto and petitions in equity to determine title to any office; it shall have jurisdiction of petitions for trials and new trials, as provided by law, of bills of exceptions, appeals and certifications to the supreme court, and special cases in which parties having adversary interests concur in stating questions for the opinion of the court as provided by law; and it shall by general or special rules regulate the admission of attorneys to practice in all the courts of the state.
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Supreme Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Wyoming | Wyo. Const. Art. V, Sec. 2 | Supreme court generally; appellate jurisdiction |
The supreme court shall have general appellate jurisdiction, co-extensive with the state, in both civil and criminal causes, and shall have a general superintending control over all inferior courts, under such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by law.
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Supreme Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Wyoming | Wyo. Const. Art. V, Sec. 10 | District courts generally; jurisdiction |
The district court shall have original jurisdiction of all causes both at law and in equity and in all criminal cases, of all matters of probate and insolvency and of such special cases and proceedings as are not otherwise provided for. The district court shall also have original jurisdiction in all cases and of all proceedings in which jurisdiction shall not have been by law vested exclusively in some other court; and said court shall have the power of naturalization and to issue papers therefor. They shall have such appellate jurisdiction in cases arising in justices' and other inferior courts in their respective counties as may be prescribed by law. Said courts and their judges shall have power to issue writs of mandamus, quo warranto, review, certiorari, prohibition, injunction and writs of habeas corpus, on petition by or on behalf of any person in actual custody in their respective districts.
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District Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Wyoming | Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 5-3-101 | Judicial districts enumerated; terms of court |
(a) The state of Wyoming is divided into judicial districts as follows: (i) The county of Laramie is the first judicial district; (ii) The counties of Albany and Carbon are the second judicial district; (iii) The counties of Sweetwater, Lincoln and Uinta are the third judicial district;
(iv) The counties of Johnson and Sheridan are the fourth judicial district; (v) The counties of Big Horn, Hot Springs, Park and Washakie are the fifth judicial district; (vi) The counties of Campbell, Crook and Weston are the sixth judicial district; (vii) Natrona county is the seventh judicial district; (viii) The counties of Converse, Platte, Goshen and Niobrara are the eighth judicial district; (ix) The counties of Fremont, Teton and Sublette are the ninth judicial district. (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, there shall be one (1) continuous term of court for the district courts of the state. The continuous term of court shall in no way affect the power of a court to take action in any cause or matter. |
District Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Wyoming | Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 5-6-101 | Created and established |
There is hereby created and established in each of the incorporated cities or towns in the state of Wyoming, whether incorporated or existing under a special charter or a general act, and whether now in existence or hereafter incorporated under the laws of the state, a municipal court for the trial of all offenses arising under ordinances of said incorporated city or town, as the case may be.
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Municipal court | Creation of the courts |
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Wyoming | Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 5-8-102 | Jurisdiction |
(a) The juvenile court has general jurisdiction in all matters and proceedings commenced therein or transferred to it by order of the district court concerning: (i) Any minor alleged to be delinquent as defined in W.S. 14 6 201; (ii) Any minor alleged to have committed a delinquent act before attaining the age of majority; (iii) Any minor alleged to be neglected as defined in W.S. 14-3-402; (iv) Any minor alleged to be in need of supervision as defined in W.S. 14 6 402; (v) The parents, guardian or custodian of any minor alleged to be delinquent, in need of supervision or neglected, and all persons living in the household with the minor; and (vi) Procedures governing abortions performed upon minors as provided under W.S. 35 6 118. For proceedings under this paragraph, "minor" shall mean as defined in W.S. 35 6 101(a)(x).
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Juvenile Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Wyoming | Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 5-9-102 | Circuit court established; funding |
(a) Pursuant to the provisions of section 10 of article 5 of the Wyoming Constitution, a circuit court is hereby established for each judicial district of the state of Wyoming enumerated in W.S. 5 3 101, and the boundaries of each circuit court shall be the same as those of each judicial district enumerated therein. Except as otherwise provided in this act, each county within the circuit shall receive the services of the circuit court. (b) The judicial salaries, salaries of the clerical staff, supplies, operating costs, jury expenses and other expenses of the circuit court shall be paid by the state.
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Circuit Court | Creation of the courts |
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Wyoming | Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 7-13-1102 | Authority to establish programs; rulemaking authority |
(a) The department is authorized to adopt reasonable rules and regulations to establish an intensive supervision program for probationers and parolees. (b) An intensive supervision program established under this article may require: (i) Electronic monitoring, regimented daily schedules or itineraries, house arrest, telephone contact, drug testing, curfew checks or other supervision methods which facilitate contact with supervisory personnel; (ii) Community service work, family, educational or vocational counseling, treatment for substance abuse, mental health treatment and monitoring of restitution orders and fines previously imposed on the participant; and (iii) Imposition of supervision fees to be paid by participants.
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Department of Corrections | Jurisdiction of the courts |