A Brief Overview of Minnesota’s Criminal Courts
Generally speaking, Minnesota has three levels of criminal courts: district courts, appellate courts, and the Supreme Court.
District courts: These are the trial courts in Minnesota. They have jurisdiction over criminal cases and handle a wide range of criminal cases, from minor traffic offenses to serious felonies. District court trials may be held before a judge, but the defendant has a right to a trial by jury if they are charged with a serious crime. District court judges also handle bail hearings, probation revocation hearings, and other pretrial proceedings.
Appellate courts: These courts review decisions made by the district courts. They are not trial courts and do not hear new evidence. They hear appeals from the decisions of district courts, and they can affirm, reverse, or modify the decisions of the district courts. Appellate courts in Minnesota include the Minnesota Court of Appeals and the Minnesota Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court: This is the highest court in Minnesota, and it's the court of last resort. It has the power to hear appeals of cases decided by the Court of Appeals, and it has original jurisdiction in certain cases, such as disputes between the state and federal government. The Supreme Court also has the power to issue writs of habeas corpus, mandamus, and quo warranto, among others.
It's worth mentioning that Minnesota also have specialized courts such as drug courts, family court, veteran’s court, and mental health courts that are tasked with dealing with specific cases and a specific population.