Criminal courts are usually trial courts with the authority to hear only matters relating to criminal prosecutions—and are said to have exclusive jurisdiction of criminal matters within the county, for example. And in some states there are appellate courts with exclusive jurisdiction over criminal appeals. For example, in Texas, the intermediate courts of appeals hear both civil and criminal cases, but the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals is the court of last resort for criminal matters, and hears appeals of criminal matters from the intermediate courts of appeal.

In Alabama, criminal courts are primarily structured with trial courts at the base level, which include District Courts and Circuit Courts. District Courts handle misdemeanor criminal cases, preliminary hearings, and some juvenile matters. Circuit Courts have the authority to hear felony criminal cases and more serious offenses. Alabama also has specialized courts like Drug Courts and Veterans Courts that focus on rehabilitation for specific types of offenders. For appeals, Alabama has an intermediate appellate court known as the Court of Criminal Appeals, which reviews decisions from the trial courts in criminal cases. The Alabama Supreme Court is the court of last resort, but it typically only hears select cases that involve significant legal or constitutional questions. Unlike Texas, where there is a separate Court of Criminal Appeals as the highest court for criminal matters, in Alabama, the Supreme Court serves as the highest court for both civil and criminal cases.