Types of cases
Overall, there are two types of cases: civil and criminal. In civil cases, private citizens (or companies) sue each other in court. In criminal cases, the state brings a lawsuit against a person who has broken a criminal law.
Civil cases
There are many kinds of cases in civil court. You can get information on these cases from the home page.
Small claims cases are lawsuits between individuals or companies for $10,000 or less. No one is allowed to have a lawyer in small claims cases.
General civil cases usually involve suing someone for money in disputes over things like contracts, damage to property, or someone getting hurt.
Family law cases include divorce, child support, child custody, and adoptions.
Common landlord/tenant cases involve situations where a landlord is trying to evict a tenant from a rental property. In other cases a tenant who has moved out is trying to get more of their security deposit back from the landlord.
Probate cases are generally about taking care of people and their personal affairs (like wills). They also include conservatorships for people who cannot take care of themselves or handle their own finances.
Juvenile cases involve children under the age of 18 and are separated into 2 main categories:
- Juvenile delinquency is for minors who have broken a criminal law
- Juvenile dependency is for children who have been removed from the home or care of their parents
Other types of cases involve name changes, elder abuse, civil harassment, and many others
Criminal cases
Criminal cases are separated into three main categories:
Infractions are minor violations. The punishment is usually having to pay a fine.
Misdemeanors are more serious crimes that can be punished by up to 1 year in jail and/or fines up to $1,000.
Felonies are the most serious kinds of crime. If you are found guilty, you could be sentenced to time in state prison, including life in prison. There could be other penalties with, or instead of, time in jail or prison.