Glossary
State court
A court run by a state government. State courts handle the vast majority of legal cases in the U.S.: landlord-tenant, family law, most criminal cases, contract disputes, personal injury, and almost everything else that doesn't involve federal law.
Each state has its own court system, and the structures vary. Most states have three levels: trial courts, intermediate appellate courts, and a state supreme court. Smaller states sometimes skip the intermediate appellate level. Some states have additional specialty courts for family, probate, juvenile, drug court, business courts, etc.
State courts have general jurisdiction: meaning they can hear almost any kind of case, including some federal-law claims, unless a specific law gives exclusive jurisdiction to federal court.