Felonies sentencing is heard in which court?

• A. Circuit Court
• B. District Court
• C. Municipal Court
• D. Supreme Court

Answer: (A)

Felonies are the most serious offenses and require a trial in a court with broad jurisdiction to handle them. In many jurisdictions, that court is the circuit court, which has original jurisdiction over felonies and is responsible for conducting the trial and, if there is a conviction, imposing the sentence within the statutory guidelines. The other courts serve different purposes: municipal courts handle city ordinance violations and misdemeanors; district courts (where that term is used) typically deal with less serious matters or preliminary proceedings; and the supreme court is an appellate court that reviews decisions after trials, not the venue for sentencing felonies. So the sentencing of felonies is done in the circuit court.