Courts in the United States are not one system but many. A speeding ticket in Abernathy, Texas, a probate filing at a county seat, and a patent dispute in federal court each follow different rules, answer to different governments, and charge different fees. Our directory holds 14,472 court listings, from town courts in upstate New York to circuit courts in the South, so you can find the building that actually handles your matter. This page explains how the system fits together and how to choose the right state page before you drive to the wrong address.

Think of this page as a map key. The state pages show the listings. The explanation below helps you read them.

Who Runs Courts in the United States: Federal, State, County and City

Federal courts exist under Article III of the Constitution and laws passed by Congress. The country is divided into 94 federal judicial districts, grouped into 12 regional circuits, each with its own court of appeals. The Supreme Court sits above them all. Federal judges hear a limited set of cases: crimes under federal law, bankruptcy, disputes about federal statutes or the Constitution, and certain lawsuits between citizens of different states. The federal judiciary runs these courts, not your county or city.

State courts handle most of what ordinary people need. That includes traffic tickets, divorce and custody, evictions, small claims, wills and estates, and the large majority of criminal charges. Each state writes its own court structure through its constitution and legislature. A typical state has a supreme court, an intermediate appeals court, and trial courts of general jurisdiction, though names and boundaries vary widely.

Counties and cities sit at the bottom of the ladder, and that is where most listings in our database live. A general trial court usually sits at the county seat. Abbeville Circuit Court at 102 Court Square in Abbeville County, South Carolina, is one example. Smaller municipal, city, and town courts handle local ordinances, traffic, and minor offenses. Absecon Municipal Court in Atlantic County, New Jersey, and Worth Town Court in Jefferson County, New York, work at that level. Funding and staffing are often shared between the local government and the state, so the clerk you reach may work for either.

How Rules, Services and Fees Differ Between States

The same word can mean a different job in a different state. A district court in Colorado, such as Alamosa District Court on East 4th Street in Alamosa County, is a general trial court for serious civil and criminal cases. Abington District Court on Old York Road in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, belongs to a different tier of local courts that deal with minor matters. If you match only on the word district, you may end up at the wrong counter.

Fees and services follow the same pattern. Filing fees, accepted payment methods, and e-filing options are set by each state or county and change over time, so a figure quoted for one place says little about another. Some courts take cards and online payments. Small town courts may accept only money orders, cashier's checks, or cash during limited hours. Interpreter services, self-help centers, and mediation programs also depend on local budgets. Ask the clerk for the current fee schedule before you go.

Local court names you will see in the listings

Court names carry real meaning. These are the types that appear most often in our data:

  • Justice of the Peace and Justice Courts: found in places such as Abernathy Justice of Peace Court in Hale County, Texas, Albany Justice of Peace Court in Louisiana, and Ajo Justice Court in Pima County, Arizona. Depending on state law, they handle small claims, evictions, and minor criminal matters.
  • Town, village, and city courts: common in New York, Tennessee, and elsewhere. They deal with local traffic and ordinance cases, and Adamsville City Court in McNairy County, Tennessee, is one example.
  • Municipal and mayor's courts: used in Georgia, Missouri, Kansas, Mississippi, New Jersey, and Ohio. Examples include Adrian Municipal Court in Bates County, Missouri, Abilene Municipal Court in Dickinson County, Kansas, and Aberdeen Mayor's Court in Brown County, Ohio.
  • Magistrate, county, and circuit courts: including Abingdon Magistrate Court in Washington County and Adrian Circuit Court in Lenawee County, Michigan. These often cover larger civil claims, felonies, and appeals from lower courts.
  • Specialty courts: such as Alameda Juvenile Court in Alameda County, California, which hears matters involving minors and keeps most records confidential.

What to Bring and What to Expect at a Courthouse in the United States

Preparation matters more than most people expect. Bring a government-issued photo ID, your citation, summons, or notice with the case number, and any papers that support your side: contracts, photos, receipts, or police reports. Make copies ahead of time. Clerks rarely copy for free, and judges may not accept loose originals. Bring a payment method the court accepts, and confirm which ones those are before you leave home.

Plan for security screening at the door. Many courthouses restrict phones, bags, and tools, and the rules differ by building. Arrive early, dress neatly, and silence your phone. Hours also vary. A small court may open only certain days or hold sessions on a fixed morning or evening each week. Call the number in the listing first and ask whether your session is still on, which entrance to use, and where to park.

Know what clerks can and cannot do. They explain procedures, forms, and deadlines. They cannot give legal advice or tell you how to win. If you need advice, look for a court self-help center, a local legal aid office, or your state bar association's referral service. Free help is more common in housing, family, and benefits cases than in business disputes.

Choosing the Right State Page and Avoiding Common Mistakes in the United States

Start with the state where the event happened or where the case is filed, not where you live now. A ticket from a traffic stop in Georgia belongs to a Georgia court even if you have since moved to Ohio. The size of our state pages reflects how many local courts each state runs. Texas has the most listings at 2,238, followed by New York at 1,428, Georgia at 770, and Pennsylvania at 617. Start with Courts in Texas if you need a justice or municipal court, Courts in New York for town and village courts, or Courts in Georgia for the mix of superior, magistrate, and municipal courts. Pennsylvania's local courts are at Courts in Pennsylvania, and Ohio's mayor's and municipal courts are at Courts in Ohio.

Most problems come from a short list of mistakes:

The first is going to the wrong court. Match the court name, county, and address on your paperwork to the listing before you travel. The second is missing a deadline. Response dates on tickets, summonses, and eviction notices are strict, and a late answer can lead to a default judgment or a license suspension. The third is ignoring a notice because the amount seems small. Unpaid minor tickets can grow into warrants in many jurisdictions.

The fourth is paying through a look-alike website. Use the payment instructions printed on your citation, or call the court's listed number to confirm how to pay. The fifth is assuming a town name points to one court. Abbeville and Aberdeen each appear in several states, and some small towns share a court with neighboring ones. Use the state pages to find the court, then call to confirm hours, fees, and the correct department.

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Reading a Court Listing Anywhere in the United States

Each listing gives the court's name, street address, county, and main phone number. Treat the county as the key detail. It tells you which clerk and county seat are involved, and it separates look-alike names. Adamsville City Court sits in McNairy County, Tennessee. Alexander District Court is in Pulaski County, Arkansas. Stanly District Court serves Albemarle in Stanly County, North Carolina.

Phone numbers are the fastest way to verify details that change: hours, session days, accepted payments, and whether a hearing has moved. Courts consolidate, relocate, and shift schedules, so call before you travel, especially to small-town courts with part-time staff. In states where several towns share a municipal court, check carefully. The Courts in New Jersey page is a good place to see how that works.

If you are unsure which court has authority over your case, ask the clerk of the county's general trial court. They can usually point you to the correct local or specialized court and save you a wasted trip.

Questions About Courts in the United States

In most places a traffic ticket goes to the lowest local court covering the spot where you were stopped, not where you live. Depending on the state, that may be a municipal court like Absecon Municipal Court in New Jersey, a justice of the peace court in Texas, a magistrate court in South Carolina, or a mayor's court in Ohio. Your citation names the court, lists a response deadline, and explains how to pay or contest. If you lost the ticket, call the issuing police agency or the county clerk with the date and location of the stop.

Federal courts hear cases involving federal law, the Constitution, bankruptcy, and some disputes between residents of different states. State courts hear nearly everything else, including most crimes, family law, probate, evictions, and contract disputes. The federal judiciary runs 94 districts, while each state runs its own system through its legislature and supreme court. Our listings focus on the local courts you are most likely to visit. If you were served with a federal summons, look for a United States District Court name on the document and follow its instructions.

Often not, though it depends on the case. Justice courts and small claims divisions are designed so people can speak for themselves, and some states limit lawyers in small claims. Criminal charges are different. If jail is possible and you cannot afford a lawyer, you can ask the judge to appoint one, a right the Supreme Court recognized in Gideon v. Wainwright in 1963 and later extended. In civil cases, appointed counsel is rare, so try a legal aid office or your state bar's referral service.

Sometimes. Many state court systems offer online case search, while smaller courts may answer only by phone or at the clerk's window. Federal filings are available through PACER, the federal electronic records system, which charges modest per-page fees. Some records are restricted by law, including most juvenile files such as those at Alameda Juvenile Court in California, adoption records, and sealed cases. Have the party name, an approximate filing date, and any case number ready, and ask the clerk which records are searchable.

A court that lacks jurisdiction or proper venue can dismiss your case or send it elsewhere, and your deadline usually keeps running while you sort it out. Jurisdiction concerns the type and size of the case. Venue concerns location, often the county where the defendant lives or the event happened. Before filing, confirm with the clerk that you have the right court. For a hearing, compare the court name, address, and county on your notice with the listing so you arrive at the correct building.

Place names repeat across the country. Our database includes Abbeville Municipal Court in Wilcox County, Georgia, Abbeville Municipal Court in Lafayette County, Mississippi, Abbeville Circuit Court in Abbeville County, South Carolina, and Abbeville Courthouse in Henry County, Alabama. Aberdeen Mayor's Court sits in Brown County, Ohio, while Aberdeen County Court is in Grays Harbor County, Washington. Match the state and county on your paperwork to the listing, and use the street address and phone number to confirm you have the right one.

They are local courts for everyday matters. A justice of the peace court, such as Abernathy Justice of Peace Court in Hale County, Texas, can handle minor criminal cases, evictions, and small claims, depending on state law. Ohio's mayor's courts, such as Aberdeen Mayor's Court in Brown County, hear traffic and local ordinance violations, with the mayor or a magistrate presiding. Both are genuine courts, and you can generally appeal a decision to a higher court within a short window, so read your paperwork for the appeal deadline.