Trial court
Cases in state courts begin in a trial court where lawsuits and criminal cases are filed and See more

The foregoing summary is only a very rough generalization. There are a great many "oddities" and "extra wrinkles" from one state court … See more

In most, but not all states (California and New York are significant exceptions), the state supreme court or a related administrative body … See more

The following table notes the names of the courts in the states and territories of the United States. Listed are the principal trial courts of general … See more

Unlike federal courts, where judges are presidential appointees confirmed by the U.S. Senate serving life terms of office, the vast majority of … See more

Civil cases
The vast majority of non-criminal cases in the United States are handled in state courts, rather than federal courts. For example, in … See more

Although the United States Constitution and federal laws override state laws where there is a conflict between federal and state law, state … See more