Which type of court first hears cases?

• A. Appellate Courts
• B. Supreme Courts
• C. Probate Court
• D. Trial Courts

Answer: (D)

Cases begin in the trial court, where the facts are established through evidence and testimony from witnesses and a judge or jury makes the initial decision. This is the stage where evidence is presented and evaluated, and the outcome is determined. Appellate courts come after a decision is made to review for legal errors; they don’t hear new evidence or re-try the case. The highest courts focus on important questions on appeal rather than serving as the first place a case is heard. Probate courts handle matters like wills and estates, with procedures that are specialized and not the general starting point for most cases. So, the first court to hear cases is the trial court.