50-State Criminal Justice Debt Reform Builder Bringing transparency to areas of significant legal complexity.
Structure of Courts
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
Function
Below are all of the laws that govern the structure of courts that match your search criteria.
26 Results
| State | Statute | Description/Statute Name | Statutory language | Court/legal body | Function | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Illinois | 730 Ill. Comp. Stat. 110/13 | Duties of director of court services department or chief probation officer; facilities and personnel |
It shall be the duty of the director of the court services department or the chief probation officer, appointed as provided in this act, to supervise and control the work of all subordinate court services or probation officers under his or her jurisdiction subject to the general administrative and supervisory authority of the Chief Circuit Judge or another judge designated by the Chief Circuit Judge, and to control and supervise, as herein provided, the conduct of probationers to such extent as the court may direct. The Chief Circuit Judge, or another judge designated by the Chief Circuit Judge to have general administrative and supervisory authority over the director of the court services department or the chief probation officer, may authorize the director or chief probation officer to appoint all subordinate court services department officers or probation officers, who shall serve at the pleasure of the director or chief probation officer.
|
Circuit Courts | Jurisdiction of the courts |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Illinois | IL Const., Art. VI, § 9 | Circuit Courts — Jurisdiction |
Circuit Courts shall have original jurisdiction of all justiciable matters except when the Supreme Court has justiciable matters except when the Supreme Court has original and exclusive jurisdiction relating to redistricting of the General Assembly and to the ability of the Governor to serve or resume office. Circuit Courts shall have such power to review administrative action as provided by law.
|
Circuit Courts | Jurisdiction of the courts |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Illinois | 730 Ill. Comp. Stat. 167/5 | Veterans and Servicemembers Court Treatment Act: Purposes |
It is the intent of the General Assembly to create specialized veteran and service member courts or programs with the necessary flexibility to meet the specialized problems faced by these veteran and service member defendants.
|
Veterans Courts | Creation of the courts |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Illinois | 730 Ill. Comp. Stat. 168/5 | Mental Health Court Treatment Act: Purposes |
It is the intent of the General Assembly to create specialized mental health courts with the necessary flexibility to meet the problems of criminal defendants with mental illnesses and co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse problems in the State of Illinois.
|
Mental Health Courts | Creation of the courts |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Illinois | 730 Ill. Comp. Stat. 166/5 | Drug Court Treatment Act: Purposes |
The Chief Judge of each judicial circuit must establish a drug court program including the format under which it operates under this Act. |
Drug Court | Creation of the courts |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Illinois | 730 Ill. Comp. Stat. 166/5 | Drug Court Treatment Act: Purposes |
It is the intent of the General Assembly to create specialized drug courts with the necessary flexibility to meet the drug problems in the State of Illinois. |
Drug Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Illinois | IL Const., Art. VI, § 4 | Supreme Court — Jurisdiction |
SECTION 4. SUPREME COURT - JURISDICTION (a) The Supreme Court may exercise original jurisdiction in cases relating to revenue, mandamus, prohibition or habeas corpus and as may be necessary to the complete determination of any case on review. (b) Appeals from judgments of Circuit Courts imposing a sentence of death shall be directly to the Supreme Court as a matter of right. The Supreme Court shall provide by rule for direct appeal in other cases. (c) Appeals from the Appellate Court to the Supreme Court are a matter of right if a question under the Constitution of the United States or of this State arises for the first time in and as a result of the action of the Appellate Court, or if a division of the Appellate Court certifies that a case decided by it involves a question of such importance that the case should be decided by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court may provide by rule for appeals from the Appellate Court in other cases.
|
Supreme Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Illinois | IL Const., Art. VI, § 6 | Appellate Court — Jurisdiction |
SECTION 6. APPELLATE COURT - JURISDICTION Appeals from final judgments of a Circuit Court are a matter of right to the Appellate Court in the Judicial District in which the Circuit Court is located except in cases appealable directly to the Supreme Court and except that after a trial on the merits in a criminal case, there shall be no appeal from a judgment of acquittal. The Supreme Court may provide by rule for appeals to the Appellate Court from other than final judgments of Circuit Courts. The Appellate Court may exercise original jurisdiction when necessary to the complete determination of any case on review. The Appellate Court shall have such powers of direct review of administrative action as provided by law.
|
Appellate Courts in 5 judicial districts | Jurisdiction of the courts |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Illinois | IL Const., Art. VI, § 7 | Judicial Circuits |
SECTION 7. JUDICIAL CIRCUITS (a) The State shall be divided into Judicial Circuits consisting of one or more counties. The First Judicial District shall constitute a Judicial Circuit. The Judicial Circuits within the other Judicial Districts shall be as provided by law. Circuits composed of more than one county shall be compact and of contiguous counties. The General Assembly by law may provide for the division of a circuit for the purpose of selection of Circuit Judges and for the selection of Circuit Judges from the circuit at large.
(b) Each Judicial Circuit shall have one Circuit Court with such number of Circuit Judges as provided by law. Unless otherwise provided by law, there shall be at least one Circuit Judge from each county. In the First Judicial District, unless otherwise provided by law, Cook County, Chicago, and the area outside Chicago shall be separate units for the selection of Circuit Judges, with at least twelve chosen at large from the area outside Chicago and at least thirty-six chosen at large from Chicago. (c) Circuit Judges in each circuit shall select by secret ballot a Chief Judge from their number to serve at their pleasure. Subject to the authority of the Supreme Court, the Chief Judge shall have general administrative authority over his court, including authority to provide for divisions, general or specialized, and for appropriate times and places of holding court. |
Circuit Courts | Jurisdiction of the courts |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Illinois | IL Const. Art. VI, § 1 | Courts |
The judicial power is vested in a Supreme Court, an Appellate Court and Circuit Courts. |
All state courts | Creation of the courts |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
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 |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
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.
|
Justice of the Peace Courts | Jurisdiction of the courts |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
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 |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
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 |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
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 |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
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 |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
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 |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Washington | Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 2.04.010 | Jurisdiction |
The supreme court shall have original jurisdiction in habeas corpus and quo warrantor and mandamus as to all state officers, and appellate jurisdiction in all actions and proceedings excepting that its appellate jurisdiction shall not extend to civil actions at law for the recovery of money or personal property when the original amount in controversy or the value of the property does not exceed the sum of two hundred dollars, unless the action involves the legality of a tax, impost, assessment, toll, municipal fine, or the validity of a statute. The supreme court shall also have power to issue writs of mandamus, review, prohibition, habeas corpus, certiorari, and all other writs necessary and proper to the complete exercise of its appellate and revisory jurisdiction. Each of the judges shall have power to issue writs of habeas corpus to any part of the state, upon petition by or on behalf of any person held in actual custody, and may make such writs returnable before himself or herself, or before the supreme court, or before any superior court of the state, or any judge thereof.
|
Supreme Court | Jurisdiction of the courts |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Washington | Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 2.06.030 | General powers and authority--Transfers of cases--Appellate jurisdiction, exceptions--Appeals |
Subject to the provisions of this section, the court shall have exclusive appellate jurisdiction in all cases except:(a) cases of quo warrantor, prohibition, injunction or mandamus directed to state officials; (b) criminal cases where the death penalty has been decreed; (c) cases where the validity of all or any portion of a statute, ordinance, tax, impost, assessment or toll is drawn into question on the grounds of repugnancy to the Constitution of the United States or of the state of Washington, or to a statute or treaty of the United States, and the superior court has held against its validity; (d) cases involving fundamental and urgent issues of broad public import requiring prompt and ultimate determination; and (e) cases involving substantive issues on which there is a direct conflict among prevailing decisions of panels of the court or between decisions of the supreme court;
|
Court of Appeals | Jurisdiction of the courts |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Washington | Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 2.08.010 | Original jurisdiction |
The superior court shall have original jurisdiction in all cases in equity, and in all cases at law which involve the title or possession of real property, or the legality of any tax, impost, assessment, toll or municipal fine, and in all other cases in which the demand or the value of the property in controversy amounts to three hundred dollars, and in all criminal cases amounting to felony, and in all cases of misdemeanor not otherwise provided for by law; of actions of forcible entry and detainer; of proceedings in insolvency; of actions to prevent or abate a nuisance; of all matters of probate, of divorce and for annulment of marriage, and for such special cases and proceedings as are not otherwise provided for; and 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 shall have the power of naturalization and to issue papers therefor. Said courts and their judges shall have power to issue writs of mandamus, quo warrantor, review, certiorari, prohibition and writs of habeas corpus on petition by or on behalf of any person in actual custody in their respective counties. Injunctions and writs of prohibition and of habeas corpus may be issued on legal holidays and nonjudicial days.
|
Superior Courts | Jurisdiction of the courts |