Which set of courts is established by the Texas Constitution?

• A. Texas Supreme Court, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, intermediate courts of appeals, constitutional county courts, district courts, and justice courts.
• B. Texas Supreme Court, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, municipal courts, and justice courts
• C. Texas Supreme Court and District Courts only
• D. Intermediate courts of appeals and justice courts only

Answer: (A)

Texas's Constitution creates a layered judiciary: two high courts (one for civil matters and one for criminal matters), a system of intermediate appellate courts, and several trial and lower courts. The highest civil court is the Texas Supreme Court, and the highest criminal court is the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. The intermediate appellate courts review most appeals from the trial courts. At the trial level, the Constitution establishes district courts, constitutional county courts, and justice courts. Municipal courts are not set up directly by the Constitution; they arise from municipalities or statutes. So the set that includes the Supreme Court, Court of Criminal Appeals, intermediate appellate courts, constitutional county courts, district courts, and justice courts matches what the Constitution establishes. The other options either include municipal courts or omit essential constitutional courts and appellate levels.