In a felony murder case, which court has jurisdiction?

• A. District Court
• B. County Court
• C. Court of Appeals
• D. Supreme Court

Answer: (A)

Jurisdiction at the trial level is about where a case is heard first. For felony offenses, the trial of serious crimes is handled by a district court, which has the broad authority to conduct felony trials, hear evidence, and issue a verdict. That’s why a felony murder case is heard in district court.

The other courts serve different roles. An intermediate Court of Appeals reviews decisions after the trial, not the initial trial itself. The highest court (often called the Supreme Court, or in some states the Court of Criminal Appeals for criminal matters) reviews decisions on appeal rather than trying cases first. County courts generally handle misdemeanors and less serious matters, not felonies. So district court is the correct starting point for a felony murder case.