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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.
87 Results
| State | Statute | Description/Statute Name | Statutory language | Court/legal body | Function | |
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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 |
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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 |
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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.
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Circuit Courts | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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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.
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Supreme Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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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 |
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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.
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Circuit Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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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.
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Magistrate Court | 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 |
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Vermont | Vt. Const. ch. 2 § 4 | Judiciary powers |
The judicial power of the State shall be vested in a unified judicial system which shall be composed of a Supreme Court, a Superior Court, and such other subordinate courts as the General Assembly may from time to time ordain and establish.
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State courts | Creation of the courts |
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Vermont | Vt. Const. ch. 2 § 30 | Supreme court jurisdiction |
The Supreme Court shall exercise appellate jurisdiction in all cases, criminal and civil, under such terms and conditions as it shall specify in rules not inconsistent with law. The Supreme Court shall have original jurisdiction only as provided by law, but it shall have the power to issue all writs necessary or appropriate in aid of its appellate jurisdiction. The Supreme Court shall have administrative control of all the courts of the state, and disciplinary authority concerning all judicial officers and attorneys at law in the State.
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Supreme Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Vermont | Vt. Const. ch. 2 § 31 | Lower courts jurisdiction |
All other courts of this State shall have original and appellate jurisdiction as provided by law. All courts except the Supreme Court may be divided into geographical and functional divisions as provided by law or by judicial rules adopted by the Supreme Court not inconsistent with law. The jurisdiction of geographical and functional divisions shall be as provided by law or by judicial rules not inconsistent with law. The courts of this state may exercise equity jurisdiction as well as law jurisdiction in civil proceedings as may be provided by law or by judicial rules not inconsistent with law.
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Lower courts | Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Vermont | Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 4 § 1 | Unified court system established |
The Judiciary shall be a unified court system under the administrative control of the Supreme Court. It shall consist of an appellate division, which shall be the Supreme Court, and a trial division, which shall consist of a trial court of general jurisdiction to be known as the Superior Court, and a Judicial Bureau.
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State courts | Creation of the courts |
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Vermont | Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 4 § 30 | Superior Court |
(a)(1) A Superior Court having statewide jurisdiction is created. The Superior Court shall have the following divisions: jurisdiction over the matters described in section 32 of this title. The Vermont Rules of Criminal Procedure shall apply to criminal matters in the Criminal Division, and the Vermont Rules of Civil Procedure shall apply to civil matters in the Criminal Division.
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Superior Court | Creation of the courts, Jurisdiction of the courts |
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Vermont | Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 4 § 2 | Supreme Court established; jurisdiction |
(a) The Supreme Court shall have exclusive jurisdiction of appeals from judgments, rulings, and orders of the Superior Court, administrative agencies, boards, commissions, and officers unless otherwise provided by law. |
Supreme Court | Creation of the courts, Jurisdiction of the courts |