Texas Courts

Running Head: STRUCTURE OF THE TEXAS COURTS

Structure of the Texas Courts

Name

Institution

Abstract

The structure of the court system in any system is an important aspect. This paper will involve study of the structure of the Texas courts. It will highlight the layers in the court system, the jurisdiction in each as well as the form of appellate that is followed.

Keywords: Texas courts

Structure of the Texas Courts

Article 5 of the Texas constitution lays out the state of Texas judicial system. The article further defines the Texas government codes which deals with matters that deal with probate matters found on the Texas probate code. The structure involves five layers of courts that feature several instances of overlapping jurisdiction. It also features some unusual bifurcated appellate system that is one of the highest among all the states.

The constitutional structure of the Texas courts establish that the judicial powers of the state are vested on the five court systems from the Supreme Court to the courts of justices of the peace. It also provides for other provisions that allow the formation of other courts that are established by the legislature. The legislature shall establish such courts that are deemed as necessary and will also prescribe the jurisdiction and organisation of such courts. It can also conforms the jurisdiction of the minor courts like the district courts and the decisions carried out in them.

The municipal courts and justice courts form the lowest court level in Texas. The municipal courts are found in over nine hundred and twenty seven cities with over one thousand five hundred judges. It deals with criminal misdemeanours that are only punishable by fines and has exclusive original jurisdiction over criminal cases with municipal ordinances. On the other hand justice courts have over eight hundred courts with eight hundred judges. It also handles cases with small criminal misdemeanours. Both...