The North Carolina system houses two trial court divisions: district court and superior court. In general, civil matters with an amount in controversy of less than $25,000 are tried in NC district court. Civil disputes in excess of $25,000 are generally tried in superior court.
Supreme CourtThe Supreme Court
Plea and Verdict Abbreviations
| GL | GUILTY TO LESSER |
|---|
| NC | NO CONTEST |
| NG | NOT GUILTY |
| NR | NOT RESPONSIBLE |
| OT | OTHER (Older cases only) |
District courts hear cases involving civil, criminal, juvenile, and magistrate matters. District courts are divided into 41 districts across the state and sit in the county seat of each county. They may also preside in certain other cities and towns specifically authorized by the General Assembly.
Trial courts are also called "superior courts." In the trial or superior court, a judge, and sometimes a jury, hears testimony and evidence and decides a case by applying the law to the facts of the case. Superior courts handle: Appeals of civil cases involving $25,000 or less; and.
It is the largest superior court of general jurisdiction in Australia. The Supreme Court hears serious civil cases involving amounts of money over $750 000 and hears serious criminal cases involving murder, treason and piracy.
District courtsThese courts are divided amongst 41 judicial districts.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit is one of twelve regional appellate courts within the federal judicial system. The court hears appeals from the nine federal district courts in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina and from federal administrative agencies.
The Supreme Court has no jury and makes no determinations of fact, but considers whether error occurred at trial or in judicial interpretation of the law. The Court hears appeals of the decisions from the other divisions of the General Court of Justice, as well as appeals of the decisions of some other state agencies.
The mission of the North Carolina Judicial Branch is to protect and preserve the rights and liberties of all the people, as guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States and North Carolina, by providing a fair, independent, and accessible forum for the just, timely, and economical resolution of their
The Superior Court is the trial court of general jurisdiction in North Carolina. It hears all felony cases and certain misdemeanor cases. In civil matters, superior courts have original jurisdiction over civil disputes with an amount in controversy exceeding $25,000.
Currently, there are nine Justices on the Court. Before taking office, each Justice must be appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Justices hold office during good behavior, typically, for life.
Federal judges can only be removed through impeachment by the House of Representatives and conviction in the Senate. Judges and justices serve no fixed term — they serve until their death, retirement, or conviction by the Senate.
Article III judges can be removed from office only through impeachment by the House of Representatives and conviction by the Senate. Article III judges can be removed from office only through impeachment by the House of Representatives and conviction by the Senate.
As per the National Judicial Data Grid, more than 29.7 million civil and criminal cases are pending in the lower courts across the country.
The primary distinction is that state and local courts are authorized to hear cases involving the laws and citizens of their state or city, while federal courts decide lawsuits between citizens of different states, cases against the United States, and cases involving specific federal laws.
The role of the judge is to keep order or to tell you the sentence of the person. In cases with a jury, the judge is responsible for insuring that the law is followed, and the jury determines the facts. In cases without a jury, the judge also is the finder of fact.
The proportion of criminal cases brought in state court rather than federal court is higher than 91% because misdemeanor and petty offense prosecutions are disproportionately brought in state courts and most criminal prosecutions involve misdemeanors and petty offenses.
Types of Jurisdictions
- Original Jurisdiction– the court that gets to hear the case first.
- Appellate Jurisdiction– the power for a higher court to review a lower courts decision.
- Exclusive Jurisdiction– only that court can hear a specific case.
District Attorney by Prosecutorial District - North Carolina is separated into 43 separate prosecutorial districts.
To find out when you are to appear in court, call the Guilford County Clerk of Court's office at 336-412-7300. Or, you can search for your court date online.
