State Court in United States

Plain-English Law

State Court as defined by Nolo’s Encyclopedia of Everyday Law (p. 437-455):
A court that decides cases involving state law or the state constitution. State courts have jurisdiction to consider disputes involving individual defendants who reside in that state or have minimum contacts with the state, such as using its highways, owning real property in the state, or doing business in the state.

Legal Research: State Court Websites

The judicial branch of state government interprets and applies existing law to cases brought before its courts. Many states, such as Massachusetts and Utah, now have unified court systems that include a Supreme Court, courts of appeals, juvenile or family courts, and district or trial courts located throughout a state.

The main state judicial site may feature court calendars and procedures, news, biographies of judges, directories, forms, court records, such as opinions and case reports, and information on how to file claims or start a proceeding for a divorce or to settle a financial dispute. There may also be probate courts, small claims courts, information for or about juries, and lists of lawyers. The state’s law library may be included in the main judicial site, or may have a site of its own.

Often county and municipal courts that are not operated by the state are accessible via a state’s judicial website. The following links lists only the main state judicial site and law library. See county and city government websites for links to local courts.

State Court Background