Author:
Kris Seago
Subject:
Political Science
Material Type:
Module
Level:
Community College / Lower Division
Tags:
  • Jurisdiction
  • Texas
  • Types of Law
  • License:
    Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike
    Language:
    English

    Types of Law and Jurisdiction

    Types of Law and Jurisdiction

    Overview

    Types of Law and Jurisdiction

      Learning Objectives

      By the end of this section, students will be able to:

      • Discuss the different types of law
      • Discuss the different types of jurisdiction

      By the end of this section, you will be able to:

      • Discuss the different types of law
      • Discuss the different types of jurisdiction

      Types of Law

      Types of Law

      There are two basic types of law in any legal system- Civil and Criminal. Below is a table differentiating the two:

      image
      Figure 1. Types of Law

      Types Of Jurisdiction

      Types Of Jurisdiction

      Every court system has jurisdiction over certain cases, from enforcing traffic laws to hearing capital murder charges. There are three types of jurisdictions:

      1. Original Jurisdiction– the court that gets to hear the case first. For example, Municipal courts typically have original jurisdiction over traffic offenses the occur within city limits.
      2. Appellate Jurisdiction– the power for a higher court to review a lower courts decision. For example, the Texas Court of Appeals has appellate jurisdiction over the District Courts (See the hierarchy of Texas Court Structure in this Unit).
      3. Exclusive Jurisdiction– only that court can hear a specific case. For example, only the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Court can hear appeals for death penalty sentences.

      CC LICENSED CONTENT, ORIGINAL

      • Jurisdiction, Types of Law, and the Selection of Judges. Authored by: Daniel M. Regalado. LicenseCC BY: Attribution