Nomenclature
The following table notes the names of the courts in the states and territories of the United States. Listed are the principal courts of first instance (general jurisdiction), the principal intermediate appellate courts, and the courts of final appeal or resort.
In some cases where courts are generally assigned to counties, the number of county-based courts does not exactly match the number of actual counties in the state. This happens when a single court has jurisdiction over more than one county.
| State | Court of first instance (general jurisdiction trial courts) | Intermediate appellate court | Court of last resort (State supreme court) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Circuit Court (41 judicial districts) | Court of Civil Appeals Court of Criminal Appeals (-1969: single Court of Appeals) |
Supreme Court |
| Alaska | Superior Court (four districts) | Court of Appeals | Supreme Court |
| Arizona | Superior Court (15 counties) | Court of Appeals (two divisions) | Supreme Court |
| Arkansas | Circuit Court (23 judicial circuits) | Court of Appeals | Supreme Court |
| California | Superior Court (58 counties) | Courts of Appeal (six appellate districts) | Supreme Court |
| Colorado | District Court (22 judicial districts)Colorado is the 10th Circuit Court, there are 13 total. | Court of Appeals | Supreme Court |
| Connecticut | Superior Court (13 judicial districts) | Appellate Court | Supreme Court (previously: Supreme Court of Errors) |
| Delaware | Superior Court (previously: Superior Court and Orphans' Court) Court of Chancery |
(none) | Supreme Court (previously: Court of Errors and Appeals) |
| District of Columbia | Superior Court | (none) | Court of Appeals (previously: Municipal Court of Appeals) |
| Florida | Circuit Court (20 judicial circuits) | District Court of Appeal (5 districts) |
Supreme Court |
| Georgia | Superior Court (49 judicial circuits) | Court of Appeals | Supreme Court |
| Hawaii | Circuit Court (four circuits) | Intermediate Court of Appeals | Supreme Court |
| Idaho | District Court (7 judicial districts) | Court of Appeals | Supreme Court |
| Illinois | Circuit Court (23 judicial circuits) | Appellate Court (5 districts) |
Supreme Court |
| Indiana | Circuit Court (90 circuits) | (District) Court of Appeals (5 districts) (previously: Appellate Court) |
Supreme Court |
| Iowa | District Court (8 districts) |
Court of Appeals | Supreme Court |
| Kansas | District Court (31 districts) | Court of Appeals | Supreme Court |
| Kentucky | Circuit Court (57 circuits) | Court of Appeals | Supreme Court (-1976: Court of Appeals) |
| Louisiana | District Court (40 districts) |
(Circuit) Courts of Appeal (5 circuits) |
Supreme Court (-1813: Superior Court) |
| Maine | Superior Court | (none) | Supreme Judicial Court |
| Maryland | Circuit Court (8 judicial circuits) |
Court of Special Appeals | Court of Appeals |
| Massachusetts | Superior Court (14 divisions) |
Appeals Court | Supreme Judicial Court |
| Michigan | Circuit Court (57 circuits) | Court of Appeals | Supreme Court |
| Minnesota | District Court (10 districts) | Court of Appeals | Supreme Court |
| Mississippi | Circuit Court (22 districts)) Chancery Court (20 districts) |
Court of Appeals | Supreme Court |
| Missouri | Circuit Court (45 circuits) |
(District) Court of Appeals (3 districts) |
Supreme Court |
| Montana | District Court (22 judicial districts) |
(none) | Supreme Court |
| Nebraska | District Court (12 districts) |
Court of Appeals | Supreme Court |
| Nevada | District Court (9 districts) |
(none) | Supreme Court |
| New Hampshire | Superior Court | (none) | Supreme Court |
| New Jersey | (Vicinage) Superior Court (15 vicinages), has separate law & equity divisions |
Superior Court, Appellate Division (previously: Court of Chancery, Supreme Court, and Prerogative Court) |
Supreme Court (previously: Court of Errors and Appeals) |
| New Mexico | District Court (13 judicial districts) |
Court of Appeals | Supreme Court |
| New York | (District) Supreme Court (12 judicial districts) County Court (57 counties) |
Supreme Court, Appellate Term (3 judicial departments) Supreme Court, Appellate Division (4 departments) |
Court of Appeals (-1848: Court for the correction of Errors, Supreme Court of Judicature, and Court of Chancery) |
| North Carolina | Superior Court (46 districts) | Court of Appeals | Supreme Court |
| North Dakota | District Court (7 judicial districts) |
(none) | Supreme Court |
| Ohio | (County) Court of Common Pleas (88 counties) |
(District) Court of Appeals (12 districts) |
Supreme Court |
| Oklahoma | District Court (26 judicial districts with 77 district courts) |
Court of Civil Appeals | Supreme Court Court of Criminal Appeals (1907-1959: Criminal Court of Appeals) |
| Oregon | (District) Circuit Court (36 courts administratively divided between 27 judicial districts) |
Court of Appeals | Supreme Court |
| Pennsylvania | County Court of Common Pleas (60 judicial districts) |
Superior Court Commonwealth Court |
Supreme Court |
| Rhode Island | Superior Court | (none) | Supreme Court |
| South Carolina | Circuit Court (16 circuits) |
Court of Appeals | Supreme Court |
| South Dakota | Circuit Court (7 circuits) |
(none) | Supreme Court |
| Tennessee | (District) Circuit Court (31 judicial districts) (District) Criminal Court (31 judicial districts) (District) Chancery Court (31 judicial districts) |
(Grand Division) Court of Appeals (3 grand divisions) (Grand Division) Court of Criminal Appeals (3 grand divisions) |
Supreme Court |
| Texas | District Court (420 districts) |
(District) Court of Appeals (14 districts) |
Supreme Court (civil cases); Court of Criminal Appeals |
| Utah | District Court (8 districts) |
Court of Appeals | Supreme Court |
| Vermont | Superior Court District Court Family Court |
(none) | Supreme Court |
| Virginia | Circuit Court (120 courts divided among 31 judicial circuits) | Court of Appeals | Supreme Court (previously: Supreme Court of Appeals) |
| Washington | (County) Superior Court (39 counties) | (Division) Court of Appeals (3 divisions) |
Supreme Court |
| West Virginia | Circuit Court (31 judicial circuits) |
(none) | Supreme Court of Appeals |
| Wisconsin | (District) Circuit Court (10 judicial administrative districts) |
(District) Court of Appeals (4 districts) |
Supreme Court |
| Wyoming | District Court (nine districts) | (none) | Supreme Court |
| American Samoa | High Court, Trial Division | (none) | High Court, Appellate Division |
| Guam | Superior Court | (none) | Supreme Court |
| Northern Mariana Islands | Superior Court | (none) | Supreme Court |
| Puerto Rico | Court of First Instance Superior Division (13) Municipal Division (13) |
Circuit Court of Appeals | Supreme Court |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | Superior Court (two divisions) | Supreme Court | Third Circuit Court of Appeals (federal, temporary) |
Read more about this topic: State Court (United States)