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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 Montana, criminal courts are primarily structured with the District Courts serving as the trial courts of general jurisdiction, which includes the authority to hear and decide on criminal matters within their respective counties. These courts handle felony cases, as well as misdemeanor cases not exclusively assigned to Justice or City courts. Montana does not have intermediate appellate courts with exclusive jurisdiction over criminal appeals. Instead, the Montana Supreme Court serves as the court of last resort for both civil and criminal matters. It hears direct appeals from the District Courts, including criminal appeals, and has the authority to review decisions in criminal cases. There is no separate criminal appellate court in Montana, unlike Texas, which has a bifurcated appellate system with the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals serving as the highest court for criminal cases.

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Courts

criminal courts

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Courts

criminal courts

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