Typically, a state court system will include several levels, or tiers, of courts. State courts may include (1) trial courts (of limited jurisdiction or general jurisdiction), (2) appellate courts, and (3) the state’s highest court (often called the state supreme court).
一般來說，美國州的法院體系有若干個層級。州法院體系可能包括(1)初審法院（擁有有限司法管轄權或普遍管轄權），(2)上訴法院，(3)各州的最高法院。
Generally, any person who is a party to a lawsuit has the opportunities to plead the case before a trial court and then, if he or she loses, before at least one level of appellate court. Finally, if a federal statute or federal constitutional issue is involved in the decision of the state Supreme Court, that decision can be further pleaded before the Federal Supreme Court.
一般來說，案件的任何一方當事人都有申請初審法院予以審理案件的權利，而後，如果敗訴，還可以將案件上訴至上訴法院。最後，如果州最高法院的判決涉及到聯邦制定法和聯邦憲法性的事項，那麼這個判決還可以被上訴至聯邦最高法院。
Trial courts are exactly what their name implies, courts in which trials are held and testimony taken. State trial courts have either general or limited jurisdiction. Trial courts that have general jurisdiction as to subject matter may be called county, district, superior, or circuit courts.
初審法院正如其名稱所述，是進行審判和採集證據的法院。州初審法院有普遍管轄權和有限司法管轄權之分。擁有普遍管轄權的初審法院就受理的訴訟標的之不同分別叫做郡縣法院、地區法院、高級法院和巡迴法院。
The jurisdiction of these courts is often determined by the size of the county in which the courts sit. State trial courts of general jurisdiction have jurisdiction over a wide variety of subjects, including both civil disputes and criminal prosecutions. In some cases, trial courts of general jurisdiction may hear appeals from courts of limited jurisdiction.
這些法院所擁有的司法管轄權範圍是該法院所在郡縣的大小來決定的。具有普遍管轄權的州初審法院對各種事物都有管轄權，包括民事爭議和刑事指控。在某些案件中，具有普遍管轄權的州法院可以受理具有有限司法管轄權法院的上訴案件。
Some courts of limited jurisdiction are called special inferior trial courts or minor judiciary courts. Small claims courts are inferior trial courts that hear only civil cases involving claims of less than a certain amount, such as $5,000 (the amount varies from state to state). Suits brought in small claims courts are generally conducted informally, and lawyers are not even allowed to represent peoples in small claims courts for most purposes. Another example of an inferior trial court is a local municipal court that hears mainly traffic cases. Decisions of small claims courts and municipal courts may be appealed to a state trial court of general jurisdiction.
一些有限管轄權的法院被稱為特殊低級審判法院或次級法院。小額索償法院是低級審判法院，只審理涉及索償金額少於一定數額(如$5,000)的民事案件，該數額因各州規定而異。小額索賠法院受理的訴訟案通常都採用的是非正式審理，並且在許多事項上，甚至不允許律師代表出庭。低級審判法院的另一種形式是主要負責處理交通案件的地方市級法院。小額索賠法院和市級法院的判決可以上訴至具有普遍管轄權的州初審法院。
Other courts of limited jurisdiction as to subject matter include domestic relations courts, which handle only divorce actions and child-custody cases, and probate courts.
另外，根據訴訟事項的不同，其他有限司法管轄權的法院包括只處理離婚訴訟和子女監護權案件的家庭關係法院，以及遺產檢驗法院。
LEC備考學習 | 聯邦法院體系簡介一（雙語）
LEC備考學習 | 聯邦法院體系簡介二（雙語）
LEC考試最新動態｜考試疫情防控告知書
2020年LEC考試時間為11月29日，自11月23日起，可下載準考證。
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作者：法律英語證書（LEC)全國統一考試指導委員會
出版時間：2020年4月
出版社：中國人民大學出版社
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