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Below are all of the laws that govern the structure of courts that match your search criteria.
34 Results
State | Statute | Description/Statute Name | Statutory language | Court/legal body | Function | |
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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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Texas | Tex. Const. Art. 5 Sec. 1 | Judicial power; courts in which vested |
The judicial power of this State shall be vested in one Supreme Court, in one Court of Criminal Appeals, in Courts of Appeals, in District Courts, in County Courts, in Commissioners Courts, in Courts of Justices of the Peace, and in such other courts as may be provided by law.
The Legislature may establish such other courts as it may deem necessary and prescribe the jurisdiction and organization thereof, and may conform the jurisdiction of the district and other inferior courts thereto. |
State courts | Creation of the courts |
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Texas | Tex. Con. Art. 5 Sec. 19 | Justices of the peace; jurisdiction; appeals; ex officio notaries public; times and places of holding court |
Justice of the peace courts shall have original jurisdiction in criminal matters of misdemeanor cases punishable by fine only, exclusive jurisdiction in civil matters where the amount in controversy is two hundred dollars or less, and such other jurisdiction as may be provided by law. Justices of the peace shall be ex officio notaries public.
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Justice of the Peace Courts | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Texas | Tex. Loc. Gov't Code §26.045 | Original Criminal Jurisdiction |
(a) Except as provided by Subsection (c), a county court has exclusive original jurisdiction of misdemeanors other than misdemeanors involving official misconduct and cases in which the highest fine that may be imposed is $500 or less.
(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), a county court has jurisdiction in the forfeiture and final judgment of bonds and recognizances taken in criminal cases within the court's jurisdiction. (c) Except as provided by Subsections (d) and (f), a county court that is in a county with a criminal district court does not have any criminal jurisdiction. (d) A county court in a county with a population of 1.75 million or more has original jurisdiction over cases alleging a violation of Section 25.093, Education Code, or alleging truant conduct under Section 65.003(a), Family Code. (e) Subsections (c) and (d) do not affect the jurisdiction of a statutory county court. (f) A county court has concurrent jurisdiction with a municipal court in cases that arise in the municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction and that arise under an ordinance of the municipality applicable to the extraterritorial jurisdiction under Section 216.902, Local Government Code. |
Constitutional county courts | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Texas | Tex. Gov't. Code § 22.001. | Jurisdiction |
(a) The supreme court has appellate jurisdiction, except in criminal law matters, of an appealable order or judgment of the trial courts if the court determines that the appeal presents a question of law that is important to the jurisprudence of the state. The supreme court's jurisdiction does not include cases in which the jurisdiction of the court of appeals is made final by statute.
(b) A case over which the court has jurisdiction under Subsection (a) may be carried to the supreme court by petition for review. |
Supreme Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Texas | Jurisdiction of District Court | Tex. Const. Art. 5 Sec. 8 |
District Court jurisdiction consists of exclusive, appellate, and original jurisdiction of all actions, proceedings, and remedies, except in cases where exclusive, appellate, or original jurisdiction may be conferred by this Constitution or other law on some other court, tribunal, or administrative body. District Court judges shall have the power to issue writs necessary to enforce their jurisdiction.
The District Court shall have appellate jurisdiction and general supervisory control over the County Commissioners Court, with such exceptions and under such regulations as may be prescribed by law. |
Distict Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Texas | Tex. Gov't. Code § 29.003 | Jurisdiction |
(a) A municipal court, including a municipal court of record, shall have exclusive original jurisdiction within the municipality's territorial limits and property owned by the municipality located in the municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction in all criminal cases that:
(1) arise under: (A) the ordinances of the municipality; or (B) a resolution, rule, or order of a joint board operating an airport under Section 22.074, Transportation Code; and (2) are punishable by a fine not to exceed: (A) $2,000 in all cases arising under municipal ordinances or resolutions, rules, or orders of a joint board that govern fire safety, zoning, or public health and sanitation, other than the dumping of refuse; (B) $4,000 in cases arising under municipal ordinances that govern the dumping of refuse; or (C) $500 in all other cases arising under a municipal ordinance or a resolution, rule, or order of a joint board. (b) The municipal court has concurrent jurisdiction with the justice court of a precinct in which the municipality is located in all criminal cases arising under state law that arise within the municipality's territorial limits or property owned by the municipality located in the municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction and that: (1) are punishable only by a fine, as defined in Subsection (c); or (2) arise under Chapter 106, Alcoholic Beverage Code, and do not include confinement as an authorized sanction. |
Municipal Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Texas | Tex. Code Crim. Proc. Art. 4.01 | What Courts Have Criminal Jurisdiction |
The following courts have jurisdiction in criminal actions: appointed by the judges of the district courts of Bexar County, Dallas County, Tarrant County, or Travis County that give preference to criminal cases and the magistrates appointed by the judges of the criminal district courts of Dallas County or Tarrant County;
6. The county courts; 7. All county courts at law with criminal jurisdiction; 8. County criminal courts; 9. Justice courts; 10. Municipal courts; 11. The magistrates appointed by the judges of the district courts of Lubbock County; and 12. The magistrates appointed by the El Paso Council of Judges. |
Courts generally | Jurisdiction of the courts |