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 Missouri, criminal courts are primarily structured to handle violations of state criminal laws. The lowest level of criminal courts in Missouri are the Municipal Courts, which deal with violations of city ordinances. Above these are the Circuit Courts, which are the main trial courts that have general jurisdiction over both civil and criminal cases, including felonies, misdemeanors, and infractions. Circuit Courts are organized into circuits that correspond with the counties. For criminal appeals, Missouri has an intermediate appellate level known as the Missouri Court of Appeals, which is divided into three districts: Eastern, Western, and Southern. The Missouri Supreme Court is the state's highest court and has discretionary jurisdiction over criminal appeals. It can choose which cases to review, but it must hear all cases involving the death penalty or life imprisonment without probation or parole. Unlike Texas, Missouri does not have a separate court system exclusively for criminal appeals; its appellate courts handle both civil and criminal matters.