Here is a simple breakdown of Texas courts and the types of issues they have jurisdiction over. Think about the judicial system as a pyramid, the lower-level courts provide the foundation for the pyramid, and the Supreme Court, or courts, make up the pinnacle. All the other courts fall in between.

In Texas, the base of the pyramid is made of Justice Courts and Municipal Courts. Justice courts have jurisdiction over civil actions of not more than $20,000.00, small claims, criminal misdemeanors punishable by fine only, and have a magistrate function. Similarly, the Municipal Court wields jurisdiction over criminal misdemeanor cases punishable by fine only, municipal ordinance cases, and it serves a magistrate function.

Working our way to the top of the pyramid, the next courts would be County Courts. There are constitutional county courts, statutory county courts, and statutory probate courts. In General, county courts are courts of record and can hear both civil and criminal cases. The dollar amount can differ depending on which court, but most statutory county courts can hear cases with up to $250,000.00 in controversy. County courts have jurisdiction over misdemeanor crimes with fines greater than $500.00 or jail sentence.

The next court we hit in the hierarchy is the District Court. District courts have original jurisdiction over felony criminal matters. Furthermore, they have jurisdiction over civil actions, divorce, title to land, and contested elections.

Next on our list are the Appellate Courts. Texas has 14 courts of appeals. Appellate courts have regional jurisdiction and hear cases that have been decided on the lower levels. When a party involved in an action at the lower court levels believes there are grounds to have the case overturned, they file an appeal in their respective jurisdiction.

Lastly, the final Texas appellate courts are the Supreme Court and the Court of Criminal Appeals. The Supreme Court has final jurisdiction in civil and juvenile matters. On the other hand, the Court of Criminal Appeals carries final appellate jurisdiction over criminal cases.

This summary takes us from the bottom to the top of the Texas Court System and gives a little insight into each level of the judiciary and the functions they serve.