Courts in Indiana
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The Courts in Indiana consist of the state court system and four federal courts.
Appellate Courts
The Supreme Court is the court of last resort in the state. [1] According to the Constitution of Indiana, "The Supreme Court shall exercise appellate jurisdiction under such terms and conditions as specified by rules except that appeals from a judgment imposing a sentence of death shall be taken directly to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court shall have, in all appeals of criminal cases, the power to review all questions of law and to review and revise the sentence imposed."
The Court of Appeals is the intermediate appellate court. [2] It hears appeals from the Indiana trial courts. It also handles appeals from some state government agencies, such as the Worker's Compensation Board, Department of Workforce Development, and Utility Regulatory Commission.
Trial Courts
The Circuit Courts are the trial courts of general jurisdiction in the state. There is a Circuit Court in each county.
The Superior Courts are trial courts within the state that handle all trial cases and can establish small claims cases and minor offense divisions. Nearly all counties in Indiana have a Superior Court in addition to their Circuit Courts. [3]
Courts of limited jurisdiction
- The Indiana Municipal Courts are created by local law and have jurisdiction over violations of city ordinances, misdemeanors, infractions and traffic matters.
- There is one Small Claims Court in Marion County. This is only one of its kind in the state.
- There is one Probate Court in St. Joseph County. It is the only one of its kind in the state. [4]
- There are four County Courts across the state, in Floyd, Madison and Montgomery counties.[5]
- The Tax Court mostly functions as an appellate court, but can also function as a trial court, depending on the case. [6] The court hears appeals of decisions made by the Indiana government agencies that decide how much tax taxpayers pay.
Federal courts
There are four federal courts in Indiana:
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
- United States bankruptcy court, Northern District of Indiana
- United States bankruptcy court, Southern District of Indiana
Appeals go to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.[7]
External links
References
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