Which is the highest Texas appellate court with jurisdiction over juveniles?

• A. Texas Supreme Court
• B. Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
• C. United States Supreme Court
• D. Texas Court of Appeals

Answer: (A)

In Texas, the highest authority for juvenile appeals is the Texas Supreme Court. This court has final appellate jurisdiction over civil and juvenile matters, meaning it reviews decisions from the intermediate Texas Courts of Appeals and is the last stop for most juvenile issues. The intermediate Courts of Appeals handle most appeals first, but their decisions can be reviewed by the Texas Supreme Court. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals handles criminal matters, not juvenile cases, and the United States Supreme Court would only step in for federal questions after state remedies are exhausted. So for juvenile appeals within Texas, the top authority is the Texas Supreme Court.