What are municipal courts classified as?

Municipal courts are classified as state courts - statutory courts because they operate under the authority of state law and are established by state statutes. These courts are typically created to handle a variety of local issues, including minor criminal offenses, traffic violations, and local ordinance violations. Their jurisdiction is limited to the specific municipality in which they are established, reflecting the localized nature of their function within the broader state judicial system.

This classification as state courts indicates that municipal courts do not operate at the federal level, which is reserved for cases that involve federal laws or disputes among states. They also differ from administrative courts, which generally deal with regulatory matters and administration of government policies, and civil courts, which primarily focus on disputes between individuals or organizations that do not involve criminal charges. The designation as statutory courts emphasizes that their power and functions are derived from statutes enacted by the state legislature, tailored to meet the unique needs of local governance.