Rhode Island General Laws 12-3-1. Offenses triable by district court
The district court shall have jurisdiction and cognizance of all crimes which are not expressly designated as felonies, offenses, misdemeanors, and violations, including offenses against town or city ordinances, if no special court exists or is created by charter or law for that purpose, punishable by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000) or by imprisonment not exceeding one year, or both, and of all other criminal matters which are or shall be declared specially to be within the jurisdiction of the court by the laws of the state, which shall legally be brought before the court, with power to try, render judgment, pass sentence, and award a warrant for execution of the sentence.
History of Section.
C.P.A. 1905, § 150; G.L. 1909, ch. 281, § 2; G.L. 1923, ch. 331, § 2; G.L. 1938, ch. 501, § 2; G.L. 1956, § 12-3-1; P.L. 1969, ch. 239, § 14; P.L. 1976, ch. 173, § 3; P.L. 1985, ch. 462, § 1; P.L. 1989, ch. 200, § 1.
Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 12-3-1
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- town: may be construed to include city; the words "town council" include city council; the words "town clerk" include city clerk; the words "ward clerk" include clerk of election district; the words "town treasurer" include city treasurer; and the words "town sergeant" include city sergeant. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-9