State Court Systems in the U.S.

The US has both federal and state court systems.
Each state and territory has its own state court system.
The structures of state court systems are fairly similar across states and mirror the federal court system in many ways.

Court of First Instance/Trial Court:
- Hears cases initially.
- State courts often divide the business of these courts in a more specific way than federal courts.
  - Examples:
    - Family Courts: Divorce and child support.
    - Probate Courts: Inheritance.
    - Juvenile Courts: Criminal cases involving minors.
Intermediate Appellate Court:
- Some states have two such courts stacked in hierarchy.
- Many states have just one, similar to the federal system.
State Supreme Court:
- Located at the top of the judicial hierarchy.
- Names can be confusing (e.g., Supreme Judicial Court in Massachusetts, New York Court of Appeals in New York).

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC):
- The final arbiter of all matters relating to Massachusetts law.
- Lawyers often refer to it as the SJC.
Appellate Court:
- Sits in three-judge panels, like the Federal Circuit Courts.
Massachusetts Trial Court (Trial Court of the Commonwealth):
- Subdivided based on case type.
- Consists of seven departments:
  - District Court Department of the Trial Court.
  - Boston Municipal Court Department of the Trial Court.
  - Superior Court Department of the Trial Court.
  - Probate and Family Court Department of the Trial Court.
  - Housing Court Department of the Trial Court.
  - Land Court Department of the Trial Court.
  - Juvenile Court Department of the Trial Court.

Specific state courts may have unique jurisdictions or approaches (e.g., Boston Municipal Court jurisdiction).
As a legal career becomes more specialized, the specific state and court matter greatly.
Lawyers may focus on federal courts or specialize in a particular state's laws.
Collaboration with local counsel is common in unfamiliar jurisdictions.

Trial courts are the main finders of fact.
Intermediate appellate courts and state Supreme Courts defer heavily on factual findings.
Hierarchy matters:
- Intermediate appellate courts are bound by the state Supreme Court.
- Trial courts are bound by the intermediate appellate courts.
Understanding these hierarchies is vital for understanding state law.

The U.S. is an outlier in judicial elections.
90% of state judges face popular elections.
Forms vary:
- Partisan judicial elections (primary and general elections).
- Merit selection (judicial nominating committee).
- Retention elections (combined with merit selection).