| Pennsylvania is composed of District Justice Courts,
County Courts of Common Pleas, Superior and Commonwealth Appeals Courts,
the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Courts of Appeals and United States
District Courts.
District
Justice Court. Local
District Justices preside over various criminal and civil matters. Civil
matters generally under $8,000.00 in value. Summary traffic offenses to
determinations regarding whether a prima facia case exists against a
person accused of a crime.
Courts
of Common Pleas. A
judge will preside over jury and non-jury civil and criminal cases in
these courts. Many cases may be placed in an arbitration pool where
three lawyers preside over the matter if the value of the case is less
than $50,000.00.
Superior
and Commonwealth Courts. These
courts handle appeals from verdicts and decisions rendered in the Common
Pleas courts. The appeals court judges review the transcripts of
testimony and exhibits received during the trial and determine whether
an error of law was committed. These courts can affirm the verdict of
the trial court or remand the case to the trial court and require a new
trial.
Pennsylvania
District and Appellate Courts. These
federal courts preside over cases involving citizens of different states
and crimes that violate federal laws and constitutional rights.
Pennsylvania
Supreme Court. This
court accepts cases of first impression involving novel legal issues
that may require clarification.
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