Since most people appearing before a court in this state initially appear in District Court, this court has been divided into five divisions to provide easy geographic access to the court system.
District Court jurisdiction includes small claims, violations of municipal ordinances and regulations, and misdemeanors when the right to a jury trial in the first instance has been waived. If a defendant invokes the right to a jury trial, the case is transferred to the Superior Court. Appeals from District Court decisions go to the Superior Court for trial de novo.
Violations and hearings on involuntary hospitalization under the mental-health, drug-abuse, and alcoholism laws also fall under District Court jurisdiction. District Court hears appeals from and orders compliance with the subpoenas and rulings of the state tax administrator and several regulatory agencies and boards. District Court also hears violations of state and local housing codes except when a Municipal Court has been established to handle these matters. Decisions in all these areas are subject to review by the Supreme Court only.
