Final answer:
State courts generally include trial courts, appellate courts, and a supreme court, with the supreme court being the final authority on state law matters.
Step-by-step explanation:
Most state courts consist of three levels: trial courts, appellate courts, and a supreme court. Trial courts handle a variety of civil and criminal matters, from traffic fines to serious felonies. Appellate courts review the decisions of trial courts, and supreme courts, also known as courts of last resort, hear appeals from lower appellate courts. Not all cases involve juries; for instance, in noncriminal cases like traffic court and small claims court, a judge often decides the case without one. Each state's supreme court is typically the highest authority on state law matters, providing the final voice in most legal disputes within the state.
Most state courts consist of three levels of courts: trial courts, appellate courts, and a state supreme court. State courts vary in their structure, but this is the basic hierarchy of state courts. Trial courts are the first level where cases are heard, appellate courts are the intermediate level where cases can be appealed, and the state supreme court is the highest level where the final decisions are made.