Structure of the Federal Courts
The Supreme Court is the highest court in the federal
judiciary. Congress has established two levels of federal courts under
the Supreme Court: the trial courts and the appellate courts.
Trial Courts
The United States District Courts are the trial courts
of the federal court system. Within limits set by Congress and the Constitution,
the District Courts have jurisdiction to hear nearly all categories of
federal cases, including both civil and criminal matters. There are 94
federal judicial districts, including at least one district in each state,
the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Each district includes a United
States Bankruptcy Court as a unit of the District Court. Three territories
of the United States--the Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana
Islands--have District Courts that hear federal cases, including bankruptcy
cases.
There are two special trial courts that have nationwide
jurisdiction over certain types of cases. The Court of International Trade
addresses cases involving international trade and customs issues. The
United States Court of Federal Claims has jurisdiction over most claims
for money damages against the United States, disputes over federal contracts,
unlawful "takings" of private property by the federal government,
and a variety of other claims against the United States.
United States Courts of Appeals
The 94 judicial districts are organized into 12 regional
circuits, each of which has a United States Court of Appeals. A Court
of Appeals hears appeals from the District Courts located within its circuit.
In addition, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has nationwide
jurisdiction to hear appeals in specialized cases, such as those involving
patent laws and cases decided by the Court of International Trade and
the Court of Federal Claims. (To view a map of the United States which
establishes the geographic boundaries of the United States Courts of Appeals
and the United States District Courts, click on http://www.uscourts.gov/UFC99.pdf
and go to pages 9 and 10.)
United States Supreme Court
The United States Supreme Court comprises of the Chief Justice of the
United States and eight associate justices. At its discretion, and within
certain guidelines established by Congress, the Supreme Court each year
hears a limited number of the cases it is asked to decide. Those cases
may begin in the federal or state courts and they usually involve important
questions about the Constitution or federal law.
The above article is an excerpt from Understanding the Federal Courts.
The complete article can be found at: http://www.uscourts.gov/UFC99.pdf
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