Compare and contrast the main points of State Courts of Limited Jurisdiction and State Courts of General Jurisdiction.

Question

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Answer 1

Courts of limited jurisdiction hear minor criminal offenses and civil cases. Most people who come into contact with the state court system find themselves before courts of limited jurisdiction. Sixty-six percent of all state cases are tried before these courts. Various names are used for these courts including county courts, justice of the peace courts, magistrate’s courts, and municipal courts. Courts of general jurisdiction are the primary trial courts for criminal and civil cases that do not originate in courts of limited jurisdiction. Think of these courts as trial courts that handle more serious matters. A case can be brought in a court of general jurisdiction if it involves a designated monetary amount or is a felony charge or involves a state constitutional issue or is brought under a state law that provides for jurisdiction in a court of general jurisdiction.