22-301. Jurisdiction of criminal
actions
A. The justice of the peace courts shall have jurisdiction of the following
offenses committed within their respective precincts in which such courts are
established, subject only to the right to change of venue as provided by law:
1. Misdemeanors and criminal offenses punishable by a fine not exceeding two
thousand five hundred dollars, or imprisonment in the county jail for not to exceed six
months, or by both a fine and imprisonment. Any penalty or other added assessments
levied shall not be considered as part of the fine for purposes of determining
jurisdiction. The amount of restitution, time payment fees or incarceration costs shall
not be considered as part of the fine for purposes of determining jurisdiction.
2. Felonies, but only for the purpose of commencing action and conducting
proceedings through preliminary examinations and holding the defendant to answer to the
superior court or to discharge the defendant if it appears that there is not probable
cause to believe the defendant is guilty of an offense.
B. In a county with a population of more than two million persons, the justice of
the peace of each justice precinct shall have original jurisdiction to hear misdemeanor
offenses as set forth in subsection A, paragraph 1 of this section that occur within the
respective precinct in which the justice of the peace is elected unless either of the
following applies:
1. The offense is filed by a municipal officer or agent in a municipal court.
2. The offense is consolidated with a felony offense in the complaint, information
or indictment.
C. For purposes of subsection A or B of this section, an offense is committed
within the precinct of a justice of the peace court if conduct constituting any element
of the offense or a result of such conduct occurs within the precinct.
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