The NC court system is hierarchical, with the NC Supreme Court at the top hearing appeals from lower courts. Below it are the NC Court of Appeals, which hears appeals from agencies and lower courts, and the Superior Court, which handles felony cases, civil cases over $10,000, and appeals from District Court. District Court handles misdemeanors, civil cases under $10,000, traffic violations, and initial felony hearings. Key people in the courts include the Clerk of Superior Court who administers court records and finances, Magistrates who handle warrants and small claims, District Public Defenders who represent indigent defendants, and the Chief Justice who oversees judicial assignments.

1. NC State Judiciary
For Use with Chapter 13.3

2. The NC Supreme Court
NC Court
of Appeals
Superior Court
District Court

3. The NC Supreme Court
NC Court
of Appeals
Superior Court
District Court

4. District Court
Original Jurisdiction
• judge makes decisions, no jury
• juvenile law, divorce, family law, mental
hospitalization commitments, traffic violations,
civil cases involving less than $10,000, initial
hearings in felonies

5. Superior Court
District Court

6. Superior Court
Original Jurisdiction
• jury trial
• felonies, civil cases involving more than $10,000,
people wanting a jury trial in a misdemeanor from a
guilty verdict in District Court

7. NC Court
of Appeals
Superior Court

8. NC Court
of Appeals
Appellate Jurisdiction
• All appeals go to the NC Supreme Court first
• appeals from many NC government agencies,
appeals from the District Courts, appeals from
Superior Courts unless they involve the death
penalty
• Appeals rejected by the NC Supreme Court

9. The NC Supreme Court
NC Court
of Appeals

10. The NC Supreme Court
Appellate Jurisdiction
• appeals from Superior Courts that involve the
death penalty, cases regarding questions of the
NC constitutional
Important: cases that bring US Constitutional issues
into question can be further appealed to the Federal
Court System, either the US Circuit Court of Appeals
or directly to the US Supreme Court.

11. People of the Courts
 Clerk of Superior Court
1. establishes the validity of wills
2. conducts the sale of properties in foreclosure (when
people cannot pay their debts)
3. administers the estates of the deceased
4. oversees the adoption of orphans and foster children
5. maintains all court records
6. responsible for the safe handling of all the fines and other
money collected by court order

12. People of the Courts
 Magistrates
1. issue search warrants and arrest warrants
2. hold pretrial hearings for those arrested and determine
bail
3. may accept some guilty pleas and try some misdemeanor
cases
4. try “small claims” cases (where less than $4,000 is in
question)

13. People of the Courts
 District Public Defender
1. full-time state employee whose represents indigent
(extremely low-income) persons who are accused of a
crime

14. People of the Courts
 Chief Justice of NC Supreme Court
1. names special superior court judges
2. temporarily reassigns superior and district court judges
3. appoints the director of the administrative office of the
courts