Courts of Special Jurisdiction in the United States

Introduction to Federal Courts of Special Jurisdiction

In addition to the district and appeals courts, Congress has established several specialized courts to hear particular types of cases. These include the U.S. Tax Court and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, which hears claims against the United States (except personal injury and other tort cases, which can be filed in the district courts). The U.S. Court of Federal Claims also has jurisdiction to hear claims involving land and related disputes among Native American tribes. Other courts include the Court of International Trade; the U.S. Court of Veteran Appeals; and the U.S. Court of Military Appeals, which hears appeals from general courts-martial (see Military Court). Judges on many of these courts are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate, but they serve for limited terms, not for a lifetime.” (1)

For a meaning of it, read Courts Of Special Jurisdiction in the Legal Dictionary here.

United States Courts of Criminal Appeals for Branches of the U.S. Armed Forces

The United States Courts of Criminal Appeals for Branches of the U.S. Armed forces (formerly the Boards of Review and then the Courts of Military Review) review courts-martial cases. Decisions of the Courts of Criminal Appeals can be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.

The Web sites for the Courts of Criminal Appeals provide information about the courts, their rules, calendars, opinions, etc. The sites are:

Air Force (http://afcca.law.af.mil/)
Army (www.jagcnet.army.mil/acca)
Coast Guard (www.uscg.mil/legal/cca/Court_of_Criminal_Appeals.asp)
Navy-Marines (www.jag.navy.mil/nmcca.htm).

Opinions: Selected opinions of the Court are published in the Military Justice Reporterback to 1951. These published opinions are searchable on Lexis (MILTRY;CCAP) and Westlaw (MJ). Published opinions from the last few year are posted free on each Court’s Web site.

Memorandum opinions from the last few years are posted on the Courts’ Web sites. These opinions are also searchable on Lexis (MILTRY;CCAUP). Alternatively, you can search both published and memorandum opinions, as well as the opinions of the U.S Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces on Lexis (MILTRY;COURTS).

Other Courts Of Special Jurisdiction

Note: Some of this information was last updated in 1982

Tribunals of original jurisdiction (in U.S. law) to administer justice in certain restricted matters. Some states have courts of special jurisdiction in some fields; other states, in other fields. The most common courts of special jurisdiction are probate courts, criminal courts, chancery courts, juvenile courts, county courts, and municipal courts in large cities.

Probate Courts

See Probate Court. Sometimes called Surrogate Courts. They have jurisdiction over the probate of wills, administration of a decedent’s estate, and guardianship of minors and insane people.

Criminal Courts

See Criminal Court. Have jurisdiction over criminal cases. Criminal trial courts may be called over & terminer (hear and determine).

Chancery Courts

See Chancery Court. Have original jurisdiction over criminal cases. See chancery court (in U.S. law).

Juvenile Courts

See Juvenile Court. Usually have exclusive original jurisdiction over all neglected, dependent, or delinquent children under eighteen.

County Courts

See County Court. Have widely diverse jurisdictions in the different states.

Municipal Courts

See Municipal Court. In large cities they are frequently courts of record and have concurrent jurisdiction with superior courts, if the amount involved does not exceed a stated sum, usually $3,000. See also inferior courts (in U.S. law); superior courts (in U.S. law); the supreme appellate courts (in U.S. law); the apellate court (in U.S. law); american court system (in U.S. law).

(2)

Resources

Notes and References

Information about Courts of Special Jurisdiction in the Encarta Online Encyclopedia
Revised by Ann De Vries, 1982

Courts of Special Jurisdiction