Court of Last Resort |
| General Court (1638-1784) Constitutional Court [FOR: colony/state as a whole. the General Court was also the colonial legislature and continued to function, after Independence in 1776, as CONNECTICUT's State legislature until 1818 when its colonial Charter was replaced by a new State Constitution.] |
| Supreme Court of Errors (1784-1965) Constitutional Court [FOR: state as a whole. Until 1818 the Senate, the upper house of the otherwise legislative General Court, functioned also as the State's highest court under this name: under CONNECTICUT's 1st State Constitution, the judges of what was- to this point- a statewide Superior Court were elevated to become justices of this court which, in turn, was completely separated from the legislative branch] |
| Supreme Court (1966--) Constitutional Court [FOR: state as a whole] |
Intermediate Appellate Court |
| Appellate Court (1983--) Constitutional Court [FOR: state as a whole] |
|
General Trial Jurisdiction |
| Particular Court (1638-1666) [FOR: colony as a whole] |
| Court of Assistants (1666-1715) [FOR: colony as a whole. often also called the "Superior Court" after 1687, the 'Assistants' also functioned as the upper legislative house of the General Court (until replaced by the State Senate in 1784) as well as the "Governor's Council" (hence their title, as they were seen- in this capacity- as assisting the Governor): was authorized to hear "major trials" (usually, but not always, criminal in nature); also had appellate jurisdiction over County and other lower courts.] |
| County Court (1666-1715) [IN and FOR: county. authorized to hear "minor trials" (usually civil)-- was aso called "Prerogative Court" when hearing cases at Equity and "Court of Common Pleas" when hearing suits at Law; also functioned as Administrative body of County, in which capacity was often called "Quarter Court" (since it met every three months for such purposes)] |
| Superior Court (1715--) Constitutional Court [IN: colony/state (-1818-) county FOR: county (-1978-) county-based 'judicial district'. originally, a colony/state-wide Court with judges "riding circuit" in order to try cases in each County: in 1818, the judges of this court were elevated to become the Supreme Court of Errors; after 1818, judges of a new county-based court took over this court's name and jurisdiction] |
|
Limited Jurisdiction |
| City Court (--1978) Statutory Court [FOR: municipality] |
| Police Court (--1978) Statutory Court [FOR: municipality] |
| Municipal Court (--1978) Statutory Court [FOR: municipality] |
| Justices of the Peace (1638-1974) [IN and FOR: town(ship). phased out as a judicial office over the period between 1961 and 1974] |
| Quarter Court (1715-1855) Statutory Court [FOR: county. in effect, the continuation of the old 'County Court' supplanted by the Superior Court and, as such, continued to serve as County administrative body until supplanted by County Boards of Commissioners; colloquially referred to as "Court of Common Pleas" when it heard cases, "County Court" in general] |
| Court of Common Pleas (1855-1978) Statutory Court [IN and FOR: county] |
| District Court (1961-1974) Statutory Court [FOR: district] |
| Circuit Court (1961-1974) Statutory Court [FOR: district] |
Special Jurisdiction |
| Probate Court (1698--) Constitutional Court [FOR: county (-1719-) town(ship)-based 'probate district'] |