Types of Law and Jurisdiction
Overview
Types of Law and Jurisdiction
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, students will be able to:
- Discuss the different types of law
- Discuss the different types of jurisdiction
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
- Discuss the different types of law
- Discuss the different types of jurisdiction
Types of Law
Types of Law
There are two basic types of law in any legal system- Civil and Criminal. Below is a table differentiating the two:
Types Of Jurisdiction
Types Of Jurisdiction
Every court system has jurisdiction over certain cases, from enforcing traffic laws to hearing capital murder charges. There are three types of jurisdictions:
- Original Jurisdiction– the court that gets to hear the case first. For example, Municipal courts typically have original jurisdiction over traffic offenses the occur within city limits.
- Appellate Jurisdiction– the power for a higher court to review a lower courts decision. For example, the Texas Court of Appeals has appellate jurisdiction over the District Courts (See the hierarchy of Texas Court Structure in this Unit).
- Exclusive Jurisdiction– only that court can hear a specific case. For example, only the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Court can hear appeals for death penalty sentences.
CC LICENSED CONTENT, ORIGINAL
- Jurisdiction, Types of Law, and the Selection of Judges. Authored by: Daniel M. Regalado. License: CC BY: Attribution