State Court Directory and Information
State courts have been granted the power to hear cases which involve disputes and issues within its own boundaries by the Constitution. These cases are typically heard in a courthouse within the local county seat, or administrative center for the county’s affairs. States may preside over both civil and criminal matters, unless a certain threshold such as dollar amount or federal issues are met.
Levels of State Courts
Each state court system differs somewhat from the next, but every state employs general tiers of courts. Trial courts are the lowest level of courts within a state, and may include town or city courts, or even county courts. Above these courts but still considered at the trial level are the superior courts, circuit courts and special courts such as small claims or probate courts. These trial courts may also be referred to as “limited jurisdiction” or “general jurisdiction” courts.
The next tier of state courts are the intermediate appellate courts which hear appeals from the trial courts. These courts may include the state’s court of appeals, but the “court of last resort,” or high appellate court is the state’s supreme court and can also hear cases appealed from the court of appeals.
Limited Jurisdiction Courts
State limited jurisdiction courts are generally presided over by a judge, and hears small civil cases, criminal arraignments and petty offenses. If city or county courts exist in the system, these will typically hear traffic infractions, violations of ordinances, family and divorce cases, small claims and tax cases.
General Jurisdiction Courts
Unlike limited jurisdiction courts but still classified as trial courts, general jurisdiction courts may hear any case which is not required to first be heard in a limited jurisdiction court. These cases typically include more serious criminal matters such as rape or murder, or even civil cases which claim high dollar damages.
State vs. Federal Courts
A common misperception is that federal courts outrank or preside over state courts. In reality, state court systems and federal court systems operate as parallel powers. Some cases or offenses may have overlapping jurisdiction from both the state and federal courts and can be heard in either one. However, federal law does override state law, and these courts can hear appeals from the state level.
Following is a list of several state courts:
Alabama Court
Alaska Court
Arizona Court
Arkansas Court
California Court
Colorado Court
Connecticut Court
Delaware Court
Florida Court
Georgia Court
Hawaii Court
Idaho Court
Illinois Court
Indiana Court
Iowa Court
Kentucky Court
Kansas Court
Louisiana Court
Maine Court
Maryland Court
Massachusetts Court
Michigan Court
Minnesota Court
Mississippi Court
Missouri Court
Montana Court
Nebraska Court
Nevada Court
New Hampshire Court
New Jersey Court
New Mexico Court
New York Court
North Carolina Court
North Dakota Court
Ohio Court
Oklahoma Court
Oregon Court
Pennsylvania Court
Rhode Island Court
South Carolina Court
South Dakota Court
Tennessee Court
Texas Court
Utah Court
Vermont Court
Virginia Court
Washington Court
West Virginia Court
Wisconsin Court
Wyoming Court
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