The Madras High Court (Tamil: சென்னை உயர் நீதிமன்றம்) is the highest court in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu; it is located in Chennai, formerly known as Madras. The court is one of the three High Courts in India established at the Presidency Towns by Letters patent granted by Her Majesty Queen Victoria, bearing date 26 June 1862. It exercises original jurisdiction over the city of Chennai and appellate jurisdiction over the entire state as well as extraordinary original jurisdiction, civil and criminal, under the Letters Patent and special original jurisdiction for the issue of writs under the Constitution of India.