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 Michigan, the criminal court system is structured with various levels of courts that handle criminal prosecutions. At the base level, District Courts have jurisdiction over misdemeanors, preliminary examinations in felony cases, and some traffic violations. Circuit Courts, on the other hand, have jurisdiction over all felony cases and more serious misdemeanors that go beyond the scope of District Courts. Circuit Courts also handle appeals from District Courts and administrative agencies. Michigan does not have intermediate appellate courts with exclusive jurisdiction over criminal cases. Instead, the Michigan Court of Appeals hears appeals in both civil and criminal cases. The Michigan Supreme Court is the highest court in the state and has discretionary jurisdiction to hear appeals from the Court of Appeals, including those in criminal matters. Unlike Texas, which has a separate Court of Criminal Appeals as the court of last resort for criminal cases, Michigan's highest court deals with both civil and criminal appeals.