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DISTRICT JUDICIARY

DISTRICT COURTS - ORGANIZATION, FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES

The Principal District Judge is the head of the District Judiciary as a Unit. The District
Judiciary functions under a three-tier system. Civil Judges (Senior Division) and Civil Judges

(Junior Division) exercise both civil and criminal jurisdiction. While exercising criminal

jurisdiction, they are referred to as Assistant Sessions Judges and Judicial Magistrate of First
Class. Special Courts like Family Courts, ACB Courts, CBI Courts, POCSO Courts are established to

deal with Special Acts.

The Principal District Judge is the head of both the judicial and administrative wings of the

District Judiciary. On the administrative side, the Principal District Judge is assisted by the Chief
Administrative Officer, in turn, is assisted by the Senior Superintendents, Superintendents,

Senior Assistants, Personal Assistants, Junior Assistants, Typists, Field Assistants, Examiners,

Copyists, Record Assistants, Process Servers, Office Subordinates, etc. The Civil Judges (Senior
and Junior Division) are assisted by the Superintendents and other Ministerial Staff.

The District Court exercises both the Original and Appellate jurisdiction. The original

jurisdiction includes pecuniary where the value of the suit is more than Rs.50 Lakhs apart from

petitions under various Special Acts. The Civil Judge (Senior and Junior Division), on original side,
shall entertain the suit where value is above Rs.20 lakhs and upto Rs.50 Lakhs and below Rs.20

Lakhs respectively.

POWERS AND DUTIES - OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES

The Principal District Judge of the District concerned is the Disciplinary Authority for the

employees working in the District Court.

The District Judge exercises supervisory power in respect of the Judicial Officers and all
the Ministerial Staff working in his/her unit. The duty of the employees of the District Judiciary is

to see that the work of the Courts both on the judicial and administrative sides is carried on

smoothly without causing inconvenience to the Courts, the Officers, Advocates and the Litigant
Public.

The administration of the District Judiciary is regulated by the Circular Instructions issued

by the High Court and also the Rules made and Instructions issued by the Government of Andhra
Pradesh from time to time.

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Annual Report 2025