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.
185 Results
State | Statute | Description/Statute Name | Statutory language | Court/legal body | Function | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Add to Dashboard
|
Colorado | Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-6-501(4)-(7) | County Court Magistrates - Qualifications - Duties |
(4) Subject to the provision that no magistrate may preside in any trial by jury, county court magistrates shall have power to hear the following matters:(a) Class 2 misdemeanor traffic offenses and class A and class B traffic infractions, as defined in section 42-4-1701, C.R.S.; (b) Such other matters as determined by rule of the supreme court. (4.5) County court magistrates shall have the power to solemnize marriages pursuant to the procedures in section 14-2-109, C.R.S. (4.7) County court magistrates shall have the power to preside over matters specified in section 13-17.5-105. (5) Except in class A and class B traffic infraction matters, before a county court magistrate may hear any matter, all parties thereto shall have waived, on the record, their right to proceed before a county judge. If any party fails to waive such right, or objects to the magistrate, that party's case shall be referred to a county judge. (6) Magistrates, when handling county court matters and class A and class B traffic infraction matters and where the parties to such proceedings, other than traffic infraction matters, shall have waived their right to proceed before a county judge, shall have all the jurisdiction and power of a county judge, and their orders and judgments shall be those of the county court. (7) Procedure in matters heard by a county court magistrate shall be determined by statute and by rules promulgated by the supreme court and by local rules.
|
County Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Colorado | Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-4-102(1) | Jurisdiction |
Any provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, the court of appeals shall have initial jurisdiction over appeals from final judgments of, and interlocutory appeals of certified questions of law in civil cases pursuant to section 13-4-102.1 from, the district courts, the probate court of the city and county of Denver, and the juvenile court of the city and county of Denver
|
Court of Appeals | Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Colorado | Coloc. Const. Art. VI, § 2 | Appeallate Jurisdiction |
(1) The supreme court, except as otherwise provided in this constitution, shall have appellate jurisdiction only, which shall be coextensive with the state, and shall have a general superintending control over all inferior courts, under such regulations and limitations as may be prescribed by law. (2) Appellate review by the supreme court of every final judgment of the district courts, the probate court of the city and county of Denver, and the juvenile court of the city and county of Denver shall be allowed, and the supreme court shall have such other appellate review as may be provided by law. There shall be no appellate review by the district court of any final judgment of the probate court of the city and county of Denver or of the juvenile court of the city and county of Denver.
|
Supreme Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Colorado | Colo. Const. Art. 6, §9 | District Courts - Jurisdiction |
(1) The district courts shall be trial courts of record with general jurisdiction, and shall have original jurisdiction in all civil, probate, and criminal cases, except as otherwise provided herein, and shall have such appellate jurisdiction as may be prescribed by law. (2) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2002, p. 3094, effective upon proclamation of the Governor, L. 2003, p. 3611, December 20, 2002.) (3) In the city and county of Denver, exclusive original jurisdiction in all matters of probate, settlements of estates of deceased persons, appointment of guardians, conservators and administrators, and settlement of their accounts, the adjudication of the mentally ill, and such other jurisdiction as may be provided by law shall be vested in a probate court, created by section 1 of this article.
|
District Courts | Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Colorado | Colo. Const. Art. 6, §17 | County Courts - Jurisdiction |
County courts shall have such civil, criminal, and appellate jurisdiction as may be provided by law, provided such courts shall not have jurisdiction of felonies or in civil cases where the boundaries or title to real property shall be in question. Appellate review by the supreme court or the district courts of every final judgment of the county courts shall be as provided by law.
|
County Courts | Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Colorado | Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-10-104 | Municipal Court Created - Jurisdiction |
The municipal governing body of each city or town shall create a municipal court to hear and try all alleged violations of ordinance provisions of such city or town. |
Municipal Courts | Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Colorado | Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-8-103 | Jurisdiction |
The jurisdiction of the juvenile court of the city and county of Denver is as set forth in sections 19-1-104, 19-2-104, and 19-4-109, C.R.S., for juvenile courts, as defined in section 19-1-103(70), C.R.S.
|
Juvenile Courts | Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Colorado | C.R.S. 13-6-101 | Establishment |
Pursuant to the provisions of section 1 of article VI of the Colorado constitution, there is hereby established in each county of the state of Colorado a county court. |
County Courts | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Colorado | C.R.S. 13-6-106 | Original Criminal Jurisdiction |
(1) The county court shall have concurrent original jurisdiction with the district court in the following criminal matters: (a) Criminal actions for the violation of state laws which constitute misdemeanors or petty offenses, except those actions involving children over which the juvenile court of the city and county of Denver or the district courts of the state, other than in Denver, have exclusive jurisdiction; (b) The issuance of warrants, the conduct of preliminary examinations, the conduct of dispositional hearings pursuant to section 16-5-301 (1), C.R.S., and section 18-1-404 (1), C.R.S., the issuance of bind over orders, and the admission to bail in felonies and misdemeanors; (2) The provisions of subsection (1)(b) of this section shall not apply to any child under the age of eighteen years alleged to have committed a felony, except a crime of violence punishable by death or life imprisonment where the accused is sixteen years of age or older.
|
County Courts | Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Colorado | C.R.S. 13-8-101 | Establishment |
Pursuant to the provisions of section 1 of article VI of the Colorado constitution, there is hereby established the juvenile court of the city and county of Denver. |
Juvenile Court | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Colorado | C.R.S. 13-9-101 | Establishment |
Pursuant to the provisions of section 1 of article VI of the Colorado constitution, there is hereby established the probate court of the city and county of Denver. |
Probate Court | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Colorado | C.R.S. 13-9-103 | Jurisdiction |
(1) The probate court of the city and county of Denver has original and exclusive jurisdiction in said city and county of: (a) The administration, settlement, and distribution of estates of decedents, wards, and absentees; (b) Property vested in any person under a legal disability but paid to or held by another for such person's use or benefit as authorized by court order or as authorized by a power contained in a will or trust instrument; (c) Property vested in any minor pursuant to the "Colorado Uniform Transfers to Minors Act", or any predecessor act thereto, or any act having a substantially similar legal effect; (d) The probate of wills; (e) The granting of letters testamentary, of administration, of guardianship, and of conservatorship; (f) The administration of guardianships of minors and of persons declared mentally incompetent and of conservatorships of persons with mental health disorders or persons with an intellectual and developmental disability and of absentees; (g) Proceedings under article 23 of title 17 and articles 10 to 15 of title 27, C.R.S.; (h) The determination of heirship in probate proceedings and the devolution of title to property in probate proceedings; (i) Actions on the official bonds of fiduciaries appointed by it; (j) The construction of wills; (k) The administration of testamentary trusts, except as provided in subsection (2) of this section; and (l) All other probate matters. (2) If a testamentary trust is established by the will of the decedent and if it appears that it was not the intention of the testator that the court should continue the administration of the estate after the payment in full of all debts and legacies except the trust property, the court shall proceed to final settlement of such estate as in other cases, order the trust fund or property to be turned over to the trustee as such, and shall not require the filing of inventories and accounts, or supervise the administration of the trust; except that any party in interest of such trust, including the trustee thereof, may invoke the jurisdiction of the probate court with respect to any matters pertaining to the administration or distribution of such trust or to construe the will under which it was established. (3) The court has jurisdiction to determine every legal and equitable question arising in connection with decedents', wards', and absentees' estates, so far as the question concerns any person who is before the court by reason of any asserted right in any of the property of the estate or by reason of any asserted obligation to the estate, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the jurisdiction: (a) To give full and complete legal and equitable relief in any case in which it is alleged that the decedent breached an agreement to make or not to make a will; (b) In any case in which a district court could grant such relief in a separate action brought therein, to impose or raise a trust with respect to any of the property of the decedent or any property in the name of the decedent, individually or in any other capacity, in any case in which the demand for such relief arises in connection with the administration of the estate of a decedent; (c) To partition any of the real or personal property of any estate in connection with the settlement thereof. (4) Nothing in this article shall prevent any district court sitting in law or equity from construing a will which is not before the probate court or from determining questions arising in connection with trusts which are not under the jurisdiction of the probate court. (5) The court has jurisdiction to determine every legal and equitable question arising out of or in connection with express trusts. (6) The provisions of articles 10 to 20 of title 15, article 23 of title 17, and articles 10 to 15 of title 27, C.R.S., shall govern the issuance and service and proof of service of any process, notice, citation, writ, or order of court and shall govern all other proceedings had pursuant to the powers of the court recited in subsections (1) and (2) of this section. The Colorado rules of civil procedure shall govern such matters when the proceedings are had pursuant to the powers granted to the court under any of the other provisions of this section. (7) With respect to any trust established by or for an individual with his or her assets, income, or property of any kind, notwithstanding any statutory provision to the contrary, the court shall not authorize, direct, or ratify any trust that either has the effect of qualifying or purports to qualify the trust beneficiary for federal supplemental security income, or public or medical assistance pursuant to title 26, C.R.S., unless the trust meets the criteria set forth in sections 15-14-412.6 to 15-14-412.9, C.R.S., and any rule adopted by the medical services board pursuant to section 25.5-6-103, C.R.S.
|
Probate Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Colorado | Colo. Const. Art. VI, Section 9 | District Courts - Jurisdiction |
In the city and county of Denver, exclusive original jurisdiction in all matters of probate, settlements of estates of deceased persons, appointment of guardians, conservators and administrators, and settlement of their accounts, the adjudication of the mentally ill, and such other jurisdiction as may be provided by law shall be vested in a probate court, created by section 1 of this article.
|
Probate Courts | Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
California | Cal. Con. art. VI, § 2 | Supreme Court; justices; time for convening; concurrence required for judgment; acting Chief Justice |
The Supreme Court consists of the Chief Justice ofCalifornia and 6 associate justices. The Chief Justice may convene
the court at any time. Concurrence of 4 judges present at + See morethe
argument is necessary for a judgment.
An acting Chief Justice shall perform all functions of the Chief
Justice when the Chief Justice is absent or unable to act. The Chief
Justice or, if the Chief Justice fails to do so, the court shall
select an associate justice as acting Chief Justice.
|
Supreme Court | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
California | Cal. Con. art. VI, § 3 | Courts of appeal; districts; divisions; power; concurrence required for judgment; acting presiding justice |
The Legislature shall divide the State into districts eachcontaining a court of appeal with one or more divisions. Each
division consists of a presiding justice and 2 or more associate
justices. + See more It has the power of a court of appeal and shall conduct
itself as a 3-judge court. Concurrence of 2 judges present at the
argument is necessary for a judgment.
An acting presiding justice shall perform all functions of the
presiding justice when the presiding justice is absent or unable to
act. The presiding justice or, if the presiding justice fails to do
so, the Chief Justice shall select an associate justice of that
division as acting presiding justice.
|
Court of Appeals | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
California | Cal. Con. Art. VI, Sec. 4 | Superior courts; officers and employees; appellate divisions |
In each county there is a superior court of one or morejudges. The Legislature shall prescribe the number of judges and
provide for the officers and employees of each superior + See morecourt. If
the governing body of each affected county concurs, the Legislature
may provide that one or more judges serve more than one superior
court.
In each superior court there is an appellate division. The Chief
Justice shall assign judges to the appellate division for specified
terms pursuant to rules, not inconsistent with statute, adopted by
the Judicial Council to promote the independence of the appellate
division.
|
Superior Court | Creation of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
California | Cal. Con. art. VI, § 12 | Supreme Court; review | The Supreme Court may review the decision of a court of appeal in any cause. | Supreme Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
California | Cal. Const. art. VI, § 1 | Judicial power | The judicial power of this State is vested in the Supreme Court, courts of appeal, and superior courts, all of which are courts of record. | Judicial power generally | Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Georgia | Ga. Const. Art. VI, § III, Para. I | Jurisdiction of Classes of Courts of Limited Jurisdiction |
The magistrate, juvenile, and state courts shall have uniform jurisdiction as provided by law. Probate courts shall have such jurisdiction as now or hereafter provided by law, without regard to uniformity.
|
Magistrate | Jurisdiction of the courts |
Add to Dashboard
|
Georgia | Ga. Const. Art. VI, § IV, Para. I | Jurisdiction of Superior Courts |
The superior courts shall have jurisdiction in all cases, except as otherwise provided in this Constitution. They shall have exclusive jurisdiction over trials in felony cases, except in the case of juvenile offenders as provided by law; in cases respecting title to land; and in divorce cases. They shall have concurrent jurisdiction with the state-wide business court in equity cases. A superior court by agreement of the parties may order removal of a case to the state-wide business court as provided by law. The superior courts shall have such appellate jurisdiction, either alone or by circuit or district, as may be provided by law.
|
Superior Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |