Purpose: The purpose of this assignment is for you to review the court structure of Texas. Remember, state courts are separate from US courts.
This assignment is worth 20 points.
Please follow this format:
Copy the question in bold font and then type the answer below it in regular font. Do this for each individual question.
Put a blank line in between your answers.
Do not highlight any portion of your assignment.
Do not give your assignment file a long name.
Do not include spaces when naming your assignment file.
Instructions:
Read the following instructions carefully.
Step #1:
a) Read pages 291 to 296 of the textbook under the heading “Court Structure”.
b) Use this chart of the Texas Court Structure to complete the assignment.
Step #2:
Which court or courts can hear each of the cases below?
Each question is worth 2 points.
NOTE: If there is more than one court, then you must list all of them and also not have any incorrect ones in order to get the 2 points.
You can use the same court more than once.
Please number your responses and follow the assignment format below.
This is the list of your choices for possible answers:
a) Municipal Courts
b) Justice Courts
c) Constitutional County Courts
d) Statutory Probate Courts
e) District Courts
f) Courts of Appeals
g) Texas Supreme Court
h) Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
NOTE: Statutory County Courts is not a possible answer for this assignment because in real life, the type of cases these courts can hear varies depending on their locations.
Example:
original jurisdiction over criminal misdemeanors punishable by fine only, no confinement
Court(s) – Municipal Courts, Justice Courts
Looking at the Texas Court Structure chart, you can see that there is more than one court that has original jurisdiction (i.e. have the power to hear and decide a case for the first time) over the same case. When this happens, if it’s a civil case, the plaintiff (the party filing the lawsuit) gets to choose which court to file the case. If it’s a criminal case, then the location of the crime or which law enforcement responded to the case will determine which court the case will be tried.
Note: You do not need to explain your answer for this assignment.
1. file eviction suits
Court(s) –
2. original jurisdiction over divorce cases
Court(s) –
3. original jurisdiction over probate matters (e.g. settling the estate of a deceased person)
Court(s) –
4. original jurisdiction over juvenile matters
Court(s) –
5. original jurisdiction over mental health and guardianship matters
Court(s) –
6. original jurisdiction over felony criminal matters
Court(s) –
7. final appeals over juvenile cases
Court(s) –
8. original jurisdiction over a contested election case
Court(s) –
9. magistrate functions (e.g. issue search warrants, perform marriages)
Court(s) –
10. final appeals of death penalty sentences
Court(s) –
Reflection Question (Please respond.):
What did you learn or take away from this assignment? Please respond in 1 to 2 sentences.
Bonus Question (2 points):
This portion of the assignment is optional. You will not be penalized if you get it wrong. Partial credit is possible. Each question is worth 1 point.
1. Which courts are not courts of record?
2. Which courts have original jurisdiction over civil actions over $10,
