Website provides information about state courts.

Washington Courts offered by Washington Court Information Finder

Website provides information about Washington state courts.

Independent courts that have been established to serve the legal needs of Native American tribal members who reside on tribal reservations. The courts are as varied as the tribes themselves and adhere to laws and procedures from tradition-based systems with little or no written rules or codes to systems that mirror courts in the federal and state systems. The jurisdiction of tribal courts also varies. Some may have jurisdiction only over certain types of crimes committed in the community (e.g., misdemeanors) while the state or federal courts have jurisdiction over other cases. Other tribal courts may take jurisdiction only over crimes committed by adults and refer juvenile offenders to non-Native American courts.

Tribal Courts

State trial courts of general jurisdiction that handle civil cases which involve personal injury, property damage or liability, medical or dental malpractice, real estate actions, equity suits such as injunction proceedings, specific performance contract disputes, administration of trusts and foreclosure on mortgages; and, in jurisdictions where there are no specialized courts, adoptions, probate, family law and psychiatric cases. In some states, a distinction is made between municipal civil courts which hear cases involving monetary claims lower than an established amount and superior civil courts which hear all other civil cases. The type of cases handled by civil trial courts varies by state.

Civil State Trial Courts

Intermediate appellate courts that, in most states, hear appeals from cases decided in state trial courts. In states with this court structure, decisions by the State Courts of Appeal may be reviewed by the State Supreme Court at its discretion.

State Court of Appeals

State courts which have exclusive jurisdiction in most civil actions against the state and over claims removed from other courts to the Court of Claims. State Courts of Claims are only available in a few states.

State Court of Claims

A state trial court of original jurisdiction that tries and adjudicates controversies involving deficiencies or overpayments of taxes covered by state tax law which may include personal income tax, property tax, corporate excise tax, timber tax (where relevant), local budget law and property tax limitations. It is the responsibility of the Tax Court to provide expeditious, convenient, equitable and effective judicial review of state and local tax assessments; create a consistent, uniform body of tax law for the guidance of taxpayers and tax administrators that promotes predictability in tax law and its application; and make decisions of the court readily available to taxpayers, tax administrators and tax professionals. In some jurisdictions, the Tax Court may also hear appeals of inheritance tax determinations from the courts of probate jurisdiction.

State Tax Court

State trial courts that handle infractions punishable by a fine; misdemeanor cases such as petty theft, prostitution, intoxication and vandalism punishable by a fine with a maximum level (usually $1000) and maximum amount of time in county jail (usually a year or less); and felony cases such as murder, possession of dangerous drugs for sale, robbery and rape that are punishable by a state prison term or, in states where capital punishment is legal, by death. In some states a distinction is made between municipal criminal courts which handle infractions, misdemeanors and preliminary hearings for felony cases; and superior criminal courts which try felony cases and misdemeanor cases for which other provisions have not been made. The type of cases handled by criminal trial courts varies by state.

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Washington Courts offered by Washington Court Information Finder