District court

District courts are a category of courts which exists in several nations. These include:

Australia

District Court is the name given to the intermediate court in most Australian States. They hear indictable (serious) criminal offences excluding treason, murder and, in some States, manslaughter. Their civil jurisdiction is also intermediate, typically being for civil disputes where the amount claimed is greater than a $75 000 but less than $750 000. The limits vary between Australian States. In Victoria, the equivalent Court is called the County Court. Below them is the Magistrates' Courts, known as the Local Court in New South Wales. Above them are the State Supreme Courts.

Austria

Austria has some 200 district, or local, courts, which decide minor civil and criminal cases.

Finland

Finland has 27 district courts (käräjäoikeus/tingsrätt), which deal with criminal cases, civil cases and petitionary matters. Each court is headed by the Chief Judge and other District Judges. In certain cases, the district court may also have Lay Judges. The cases are handled and resolved either in a session or in chambers. In simple cases decisions can be made by notaries.

District court (Scotland)

A district court was the least authoritative type of criminal court in Scotland. The court operated under summary procedure and dealt primarily with minor criminal offences. District Courts have been replaced with justice of the peace courts.

History

District courts were introduced in 1975, as part of the local government reorganisation process as a replacement for Burgh Police Courts and sat in each local authority area under summary procedure only. The courts were each run by the local authority within whose jurisdiction it operated. Each court comprised one or more Justices of the Peace — lay magistrates appointed by Ministers — who sat singly or in threes; a qualified legal assessor acted as clerk of court.

Role

They handled many cases of breach of the peace, minor assaults, petty theft, and offences under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982. However, they could handle any offence that could competently be dealt with under summary procedure. Their sentencing powers were limited to a fine in excess of £2,500 or imprisonment of up to 60 days. In practice, most offences were dealt with by a fine.

District Courts of New Zealand

The District Courts of New Zealand (Māori: Ngā Kōti ā Rōhe) are New Zealand's main trial courts. The District Courts can hear civil claims up to $200,000 ($500,000 if recovery of land is claimed) and most criminal cases. There are 66 District Courts throughout New Zealand and the vast majority of both civil and criminal actions in New Zealand are commenced in a District Court. The District Courts are governed by the District Courts Act 1947 (formerly titled the Magistrates' Courts Act 1947) as well as the District Court Rules which are periodically revised by the Rules Committee (last revised 2014).

The District Courts were established in 1980 to replace Magistrates Courts, which had dealt with minor criminal matters and civil claims since 1893. The establishment of the District Courts was the result of the recommendations made in the 1978 Royal Commission on the Courts. report. District Courts were given an expanded jurisdiction and the Family Court was created as a division of the District Court in 1981.

District court (Norway)

In Norway, the district court (Norwegian: tingrett) is the first court instance, and handles both criminal and civil cases. The ruling of the district court may be appealed to the next level of court, the court of appeal.

The term tingrett for the district courts was introduced in 2002, replacing the previous terms city court (byrett) and district court (herredsrett).

Criminal cases

Since August 1995, all criminal cases which go to court are tried at the district court first. Prior to this, the most serious cases were tried in the Court of appeal (lagmannsrett). Regular trials are usually held before a panel of three judges, one professional and two lay judges. In particularly difficult cases the bench may consist of five judges (two professional and three lay judges). Verdicts and sentences are determined by a majority vote, with the lay judges' votes counting the same as the professional judge. If there is a full confession, and the defendant agrees to it, the trial may be held before a single professional judge who hears the case and determines sentencing.