Courts (Chapter 6)

District courts

• State-level trial courts • Original jurisdiction - Civil jurisdiction involving over $200, but varies according to jurisdiction of other courts in a particular area - All felony cases

County-Level Trial Courts

County courts at law and Statutory probate courts - 243 courts established in larger counties to take cases from overloaded constitutional courts - Jurisdiction varies by statute• All civil, criminal, and appellate actions prescribed by law for constitutional county courts and civil matters up to $200,000, with some exceptions Constitutional county court

Local Trial Courts

municipal and justice of the peace

Municipal courts

• Jurisdiction over violations of municipal ordinances and class C misdemeanors - Also perform magistrate functions (Issue warrants and conduct preliminary hearings formatters to be heard in higher courts)

Justice of the Peace Courts

• Cover small civil matters and share jurisdiction overclass C misdemeanors - Also perform marriages, serve as magistrates, and in some counties act as coroners

Constitutional county court

• Specified in the constitution - Class A and class B misdemeanors, and concurrent civil jurisdiction up to $10,000 - Guardianship, uncontested wills, determination of mental competency - Appeals from municipal and JP courts