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 California, criminal courts are primarily structured with Superior Courts at the trial level, which have the authority to hear and decide on criminal matters within their respective counties. These courts handle all types of criminal cases, including misdemeanors, felonies, and traffic offenses. When a party seeks to appeal a decision made by a Superior Court in a criminal case, the appeal is typically directed to the California Courts of Appeal. The California Courts of Appeal serve as the intermediate appellate courts and review the decisions of the Superior Courts. For cases that require further review after the Courts of Appeal, the California Supreme Court is the highest court in the state and has the discretion to review criminal cases. Unlike Texas, which has a separate Court of Criminal Appeals as the highest court for criminal matters, California's Supreme Court handles both civil and criminal appeals as the court of last resort.