{"id":369026,"date":"2016-04-04T10:47:07","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:47:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/litigation\/legal-system\/court-directories.html"},"modified":"2024-04-15T13:10:10","modified_gmt":"2024-04-15T18:10:10","slug":"court-directories","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/legal-system\/court-directories.html","title":{"rendered":"Court Directories"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Court Directories<\/h1>\n
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\n By Samuel Strom, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Melissa Bender, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

Before you file a lawsuit, you must make a few preliminary determinations about your case. First, you must determine whether your case involves an issue appropriate for a state or federal court. Then, you need to determine whether you have a civil or criminal case.<\/p>\r\n

Finally, you need to determine where to file your lawsuit. Filing a lawsuit in an appropriate court is crucial for your case. If the court doesn’t have jurisdiction<\/a> over the defendant, the court generally can’t hear your case.<\/p>\r\n

The court must also have jurisdiction over the dispute itself. Filing your case in the wrong court may lead to extra time and expense, as you will have to refile it in a proper venue<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

For example, family law courts have jurisdiction over various family law disputes<\/a>, like child support matters. If you spend time and resources trying to file a family law dispute with your local bankruptcy<\/a> court, you will have wasted your time.<\/p>\r\n

This article begins with a brief explanation of the United States court systems and the differences between criminal and civil cases. Then, it provides an in-depth explanation of how a plaintiff may decide where to file their civil case. Finally, it provides a directory of each state’s federal and state courts.<\/p>\r\n

The U.S. Court System Explained<\/h2>\r\n

At first glance, the United States court system looks like a pyramid. The U.S. Supreme Court sits at the top of the pyramid. Below the U.S. Supreme Court sits the federal circuit courts and each state’s supreme court (although some states name their highest court something other than "supreme court").<\/p>\r\n

Most states have an intermediate-level court of appeals. In the pyramid structure, these sit below each state’s highest court. The pyramid’s base consists of federal district courts and each state’s trial court (sometimes called district courts or something similar), although some states have lower courts.<\/p>\r\n

Court cases generally begin at the bottom of the pyramid, in either a federal district court or a state trial court. Once the lower court issues a decision, the non-prevailing party may generally appeal the case to a superior court. Most parties may appeal a case if they lose, except for the government, when a jury acquits<\/a> a criminal defendant.<\/p>\r\n

Read FindLaw’s Introduction to the U.S. Legal System<\/a> for more information about the U.S. court system.<\/p>\r\n

State and Federal Courts<\/h2>\r\n

Generally, state courts have jurisdiction over disputes involving state laws. For example, if you got into a car accident<\/a> in Utah, you would likely file a lawsuit arising out of the accident in Utah’s state courts.<\/p>\r\n

Federal courts generally have jurisdiction over disputes that involve federal laws or constitutional issues. For example, if you alleged that a local government official in Utah violated one of your civil rights<\/a>, you would likely file your case in one of Utah’s federal district courts.<\/p>\r\n

Most states also have administrative courts<\/a>. Administrative courts handle niche legal disputes involving public laws. For example, Minnesotans with workers’ compensation disputes<\/a> will first litigate their dispute at the state’s Office of Administrative Hearings.<\/p>\r\n

For more information, read FindLaw’s articles on state<\/a> and federal courts<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

Civil and Criminal Cases<\/h2>\r\n

Civil cases usually involve disputes between private parties. For example, a dispute between neighbors involving a property line is a civil case. Other civil cases include child support disputes<\/a> and probate issues<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

The government can also file civil cases. For example, a state could sue a business that allegedly violated a provision of the Americans with Disability Act (ADA)<\/a> in federal court.<\/p>\r\n

Both federal and state governments bring criminal charges<\/a> (e.g., misdemeanors<\/a> and felonies<\/a>) against people and entities violating federal and state laws, respectively. Criminal cases<\/a> involve offenses against society. Whether the state or federal government prosecutes a case depends on where the offenses occurred, the nature of the offense, and which laws the person or entity broke.<\/p>\r\n

Sometimes, civil and criminal cases overlap. For more information about civil and criminal cases and when they overlap, read FindLaw’s article explaining them in more detail<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

Where to File a Lawsuit<\/h2>\r\n

Determining the proper venue for your lawsuit involves several considerations. A court must have jurisdiction over the parties to a lawsuit (i.e., the plaintiffs and defendants in a civil case or the defendant in a criminal case), as well as the subject matter of the dispute.<\/p>\r\n

Jurisdiction<\/a> refers to the court’s ability to interpret laws, apply them, and render a decision in a particular case. A court without both personal and subject-matter jurisdiction over a case can’t adjudicate it.<\/p>\r\n

A court must have personal jurisdiction over the parties to a lawsuit. In most civil cases, this means the plaintiff must file their case in the county where the defendant lives or works. But the constitutional test for personal jurisdiction depends on whether the party had "minimum contacts" with the state or county where the plaintiff files their case.<\/p>\r\n

The court must also have subject matter jurisdiction over the case’s cause of action<\/a> or issue. For example, juvenile courts generally only have jurisdiction over minors. Bankruptcy courts only have jurisdiction over issues related to bankruptcy. Federal district courts generally only have jurisdiction over issues arising under federal law.<\/p>\r\n

Because the government prosecutes criminal cases, a private citizen doesn’t need to worry about where to file a criminal case. Instead, the U.S. attorney or state district attorneys will decide where to file the case.<\/p>\r\n

The following sections describe several different types of courts with limited jurisdiction, along with links providing more in-depth information. The links also provide directories for each state’s respective court system, if any.<\/p>\r\n

Bankruptcy Courts<\/h3>\r\n

Bankruptcy courts are federal courts that hear personal, business, and other bankruptcy cases. You can’t file a bankruptcy case in your local state court. Declaring bankruptcy allows the person or entity filing to erase their debts or create a repayment plan.<\/p>\r\n

This link provides more information about bankruptcy courts near you<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

Family Courts<\/h3>\r\n

State family courts hear all family law disputes. For example, state family courts have jurisdiction over the following types of disputes:<\/p>\r\n