1. American Government Chapter 24
Section 5
The Courts and Their Judges

2. What is heard in each type of court?
State and Local Courts
What is heard in each type of court?
Justice of the Peace
- usually hear only misdemeanor cases
Magistrate’s Court
- mainly misdemeanor cases and minor civil complaints
Municipal Court
- usually hear misdemeanor and civil cases and are organized into: civil, criminal, small claims, traffic, and probate divisions

3. State and Local Courts cont.
Juvenile Court
- cases involving young people under 18 years old
General Trial Court
- they hear most of the more important civil and criminal cases; exercise original jurisdiction
Intermediate Appellate Court
- review cases decided in lower courts
State Supreme Court
- the State’s highest appellate court

4. Terms Warrant - a court order authorizing an official action
Preliminary hearing
- the first step in a major criminal prosecution
Appellate jurisdiction
- they review cases that have already been heard in another court