state court
Non-federal judicial body
A state court is a court established by a state government, as distinguished from federal courts.
State courts handle the vast majority of legal cases in the United States—criminal trials, divorces, contract disputes, traffic violations, and most civil matters.
Each state has its own court system with trial courts, appellate courts, and a supreme court: The case was filed in state court rather than federal court.
- judgeOne who decides
- criminal lawStatutes defining punishable offenses
- small claimsLow-value legal actions
- jurisdictionLegal authority's scope
- statutory lawLegislature-made legal rules
civil law · appeal · traffic violations · sentencing guidelines · plaintiff · jury selection · tribunal · bail hearing · defendant · legal aid · clerk · witness stand · judicial review · trial · gavel · ruling · verdict · bench
- courtsdistrict courts, federal courts, circuit courts, municipal courts, trial courts
- legal bodiesmilitary tribunal, war crimes tribunal
- state courtssmall claims
- criminal justicearrest, jail, prison, crime, guilty
- criminal trialarraignment, defense attorney, criminal trial, prosecutor, charges
- lawlaw, lawyer, lawyers, attorney, attorneys
state courtfederal court
Tribunal for national matters
federal judiciary · bankruptcy court · tribal court · military tribunal · court-martial
state courtarbitration
Non-court binding dispute resolution
mediation · arbitration panel · binding arbitration · out-of-court settlement
state, court, estate, courtesy, interstate, courtship, courthouse, courtly, courtroom