Why do cases get moved to circuit court?
Asked by: Leanne Moore | Last update: January 30, 2026Score: 4.5/5 (48 votes)
Cases move to circuit court primarily because they involve serious felonies, the defendant requests a jury trial (which lower courts often can't provide), or they are appeals from lower district/municipal courts, often after a finding of probable cause in preliminary hearings or grand jury indictments, with circuit courts handling more significant civil matters and family law too.
Why would a case go to circuit court?
You go to circuit court for serious criminal felonies, major civil disputes (like large contract or personal injury cases), family law matters (divorce, custody, support), probate/estates, adoptions, guardianships, and appeals from lower courts, serving as a state's main trial court with broad jurisdiction. These courts handle cases requiring jury trials or extensive evidence, dealing with significant financial stakes or severe penalties.
What cases go to the circuit court?
Circuit courts are general jurisdiction trial courts handling serious felonies, major civil lawsuits (like large damage claims, divorce, custody), family law, probate, adoptions, and appeals from lower courts and administrative agencies, acting as the main trial court for significant cases not assigned to specialized courts.
Is circuit court worse than district court?
The federal court system has three main levels: district courts (the trial court), circuit courts which are the first level of appeal, and the Supreme Court of the United States, the final level of appeal in the federal system.
What kind of cases are in circuit court?
Circuit courts are general jurisdiction trial courts handling serious felonies, major civil lawsuits (like large damage claims, divorce, custody), family law, probate, adoptions, and appeals from lower courts and administrative agencies, acting as the main trial court for significant cases not assigned to specialized courts.
How a case gets to the US Supreme Court
What is the purpose of a circuit court?
A circuit court handles major criminal cases (felonies) and significant civil lawsuits, acting as a trial court for serious matters like divorce, juvenile issues, and large financial disputes, while also hearing appeals from lower courts (county/district/municipal courts) and certain administrative agencies. These courts often feature jury trials and cover specific geographic regions (circuits) within a state or federal system.
Is circuit court serious?
Yes, circuit courts are generally considered serious because they handle major criminal cases (like felonies), significant civil disputes, family law matters (divorce, custody), and appeals, often featuring jury trials, unlike lower courts that focus on less severe issues like misdemeanors or traffic tickets. These courts deal with complex, high-stakes legal situations, requiring detailed proceedings and often involving substantial penalties or financial amounts.
What is the hardest case to win in court?
The hardest cases to win in court often involve high emotional stakes, like crimes against children or sexual assault, where jurors struggle with bias; complex, voluminous evidence, such as white-collar fraud; and defenses that challenge societal norms, like an insanity plea, which faces high scrutiny and conflicting expert testimony. Cases with weak physical evidence, uncooperative witnesses (like in sex crimes), or those involving unpopular defendants (e.g., child abusers) are particularly challenging for defense attorneys.
What are the 7 stages of a case?
The 7 stages of a criminal trial generally include Jury Selection, Opening Statements, Prosecution's Case (witnesses/evidence), Defense's Case, followed by Closing Arguments, Jury Instructions, and finally, the Verdict and potential Sentencing, though pre-trial phases like investigation, arraignment, and discovery also precede these. These steps guide the presentation of evidence and arguments, culminating in a decision by the jury or judge.
Why would someone appeal a case to the circuit court?
In California, you're eligible to appeal the conviction if you've been convicted of a crime and the sentence is unfairly harsh or if there were legal errors during the court proceedings. The higher court can then determine whether these errors directly led to the trial's outcome.
What do circuit courts deal with?
A circuit court handles major criminal cases (felonies) and significant civil lawsuits, acting as a trial court for serious matters like divorce, juvenile issues, and large financial disputes, while also hearing appeals from lower courts (county/district/municipal courts) and certain administrative agencies. These courts often feature jury trials and cover specific geographic regions (circuits) within a state or federal system.
Is it better to plead or go to trial?
Certainty. You can never know what will happen if you take your case to a jury trial—even if you have a strong defense or know you are innocent. If you agree to plead guilty, you will have a certain outcome and have a good sense of how the judge would sentence you.
Why would someone go to circuit court?
You go to circuit court for serious criminal felonies, major civil disputes (like large contract or personal injury cases), family law matters (divorce, custody, support), probate/estates, adoptions, guardianships, and appeals from lower courts, serving as a state's main trial court with broad jurisdiction. These courts handle cases requiring jury trials or extensive evidence, dealing with significant financial stakes or severe penalties.
What is the biggest mistake in custody battle?
The biggest mistake in a custody battle is losing sight of the child's best interests by letting anger, revenge, or adult conflicts drive decisions, which courts view negatively, but other major errors include badmouthing the other parent, failing to co-parent, poor communication, violating court orders, and excessive social media use, all damaging your case and your child's well-being.
Where do most of the cases for the circuit-based courts come from?
While the Court has original jurisdiction over certain legal disputes,12 most cases come to the Court through appeals from decisions of the U.S. Courts of Appeals and state supreme courts, when the state case raises issues of federal law.
What is the stupidest court case?
We all know the most famous frivolous lawsuit story. Stella Liebeck sued McDonald's back in 1992 when she spilled hot coffee on herself. "But coffee is meant to be hot" we all cry. Dig a little deeper into the case however and it starts to look less frivolous.
Which lawyer wins most cases?
There's no single lawyer universally recognized for the most cases won, as records are hard to track and definitions vary, but Gerry Spence is famous for never losing a criminal case and a long civil win streak (until 2010), while Guyanese lawyer Sir Lionel Luckhoo holds a Guinness World Record for 245 successive murder acquittals, making them top contenders for different aspects of "most wins".
What happens to 90% of court cases?
According to the Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance, "The overwhelming majority (90 to 95 percent) of cases result in plea bargaining."
What crimes are in the circuit court?
Key points about the Circuit Court:
Hears more serious offences, including assault causing harm, burglary, robbery, possession and supply of drugs, fraud, and other indictable crimes. These offences require more detailed examination.
What kind of cases go through circuit court?
Circuit courts are general jurisdiction trial courts handling serious felonies, major civil lawsuits (like large damage claims, divorce, custody), family law, probate, adoptions, and appeals from lower courts and administrative agencies, acting as the main trial court for significant cases not assigned to specialized courts.
Why do they call it a circuit court?
It's called a circuit court because it comes from the English tradition of itinerant judges who traveled in a circuit or route through different areas to hold court, a practice known as "circuit riding". These courts initially followed pre-set paths to bring justice to remote regions, and the term stuck even as federal and state court systems evolved, with "circuit" now referring to a geographic district or jurisdiction.
Is circuit court more serious?
Complexity of Cases: The General District Court usually deals with straightforward cases, while the Circuit Court handles more complex and serious legal matters.
What happens at the circuit court?
A circuit court, formally known as a United States Court of Appeals, is the intermediate appellate court in the federal judicial system. These courts review decisions made by federal district courts within their assigned geographic region, with a panel of three judges typically hearing appeals.
What are circuit courts used for?
A circuit court handles major criminal cases (felonies) and significant civil lawsuits, acting as a trial court for serious matters like divorce, juvenile issues, and large financial disputes, while also hearing appeals from lower courts (county/district/municipal courts) and certain administrative agencies. These courts often feature jury trials and cover specific geographic regions (circuits) within a state or federal system.