Which courts are established by the Texas Constitution and serve as the highest state courts?

• A. Texas Supreme Court and Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
• B. Intermediate Court of Appeals and District Court
• C. Justice Courts and Municipal Courts
• D. Federal District Courts

Answer: (A)

Texas's highest state courts are the Texas Supreme Court and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. These two courts, established by the Texas Constitution, are the final authorities on state law. The Supreme Court handles civil matters and oversees the judicial system, while the Court of Criminal Appeals handles the most serious criminal cases. Below them sit the intermediate appellate courts and trial courts, and the options that involve lower or federal courts do not hold the same top-level authority within Texas.