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 Arkansas, criminal courts are primarily structured with trial courts at the base level, which include Circuit Courts that have the authority to hear criminal cases. These courts exercise jurisdiction over criminal prosecutions within their respective counties. Circuit Courts in Arkansas handle both felony and misdemeanor cases, as well as juvenile matters. Above the trial courts, Arkansas has an appellate system for reviewing decisions made in criminal cases. The Arkansas Court of Appeals is the intermediate appellate court that reviews decisions from the lower courts, including criminal cases. However, the Arkansas Supreme Court is the highest court in the state and has the power to review decisions made by the Court of Appeals. Unlike Texas, which has a separate Court of Criminal Appeals as the court of last resort for criminal matters, Arkansas does not have a separate appellate court exclusively for criminal appeals; both civil and criminal matters are handled by the same appellate courts.