Superior court
|
|
In law, and more specifically, in the Anglo-American common law legal tradition, a superior court is a court of general jurisdiction over all, or major, civil and criminal cases. It is contrasted with courts of limited jurisdiction, which are restricted to hearing criminal cases involving smaller offenses or civil cases involving less than a certain monetary amount.
In some jurisdictions, the Superior Court is the name of a specific court. In many U.S. states, such as California, and Delaware, the Superior Court is a state trial court of general jurisdiction that has the power to try any case in law. In Pennsylvania, the Superior Court is an appellate court. In New Jersey, the Superior Court comprises trial courts of general jurisdiction, courts of equity, and an appellate division. Canada also has Superior Courts for each province and territory, and the one in Ontario is called the Superior Court of Justice. For more information see the article on Canadian courts.