Federal Court System
United States Supreme Court
The United States Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States. It sits in Washington D.C. and is comprised of nine justices who are appointed for life by the President of the United States after they are confirmed by the United States Senate. Article III of the United States Constitution created the Supreme Court and authorized Congress to pass laws establishing a system of lower courts. In the federal court system’s present form, 94 district level trial courts and 13 courts of appeal sit below the Supreme Court. Article III, Section II of the Constitution establishes the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.
This is what gives the court its power to hear cases. This power gives the court “original jurisdiction” over certain cases involving lawsuits between two or more states or cases involving ambassadors and other public ministers. This power also gives the court “appellate jurisdiction” on almost any other case that involves a point of constitutional and/or federal law that has been decided by a lower Federal or State court. When exercising its appellate jurisdiction, the court, with a few exceptions, does not have to hear a case.
The Certiorari Act of 1925 gives the court the discretion to decide whether or not to do so. In a petition for a writ of certiorari, a party asks the court to review its case. The Supreme Court only agrees to hear about 100-150 of the more than 7,000 cases that it is asked to review each year.
Link: http://www.supremecourt.gov/
The Federal circuit courts of appeal are intermediate appellate courts of the United States Court system. The 94 federal judicial districts are organized into 12 regional circuits, each of which has a court of appeals. The appellate court’s task is to determine whether or not the law was applied correctly in the trial court.
Appeals courts hear challenges to district court decisions from courts located within its circuit. The courts of appeals (other than the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit) have jurisdiction to hear appeals from all final decisions of the district courts of the United States, the United States District Court for the District of the Canal Zone, the District Court of Guam, and the District Court of the Virgin Islands. Typically, arguments are made before a panel of three judges unless special circumstances allow for cases to be heard by the entire court.
The 12 circuits are comprised of the following regions:
First Circuit – Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Puerto Rico
Link: http://www.ca1.uscourts.gov
Second Circuit – New York, Connecticut and Vermont
Link: http://www.ca2.uscourts.gov/
Third Circuit – Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and U.S. Virgin Islands
Link: http://www.ca3.uscourts.gov/
Fourth Circuit – Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina and South Carolina
Link: http://www.ca4.uscourts.gov/
Fifth Circuit – Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas
Link: http://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/
Sixth Circuit – Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio and Michigan
Link: http://www.ca6.uscourts.gov/
Seventh Circuit – Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana
Link: http://www.ca7.uscourts.gov/
Eighth Circuit – North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri and Arkansas
Link: http://www.ca8.uscourts.gov/
Ninth Circuit – California, Arizona, Nevada, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.
Tenth Circuit – Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Kansas and Oklahoma
Link: http://www.ca10.uscourts.gov/
Eleventh Circuit – Alabama, Florida and Georgia
Note: Prior to October 1, 1981, the States within the Eleventh Circuit were originally a part of the Fifth Circuit
Link: http://www.ca11.uscourts.gov/
D.C. Circuit
Link: http://www.cadc.uscourts.gov/internet/home.nsf
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURTS
(Federal Trial Courts)
The nation’s 94 trial courts are called United States District Courts. District courts resolve disputes by determining the facts and applying legal principles either though jury trial, or the parties settlement, or by other orders of the court. Trial courts are presided over by district court judges who are appointed, for life, by the President of the United States after Senate confirmation. Unless the parties agree otherwise, all trials are before a jury comprised of 12 citizens who decide the case. District judges are often assisted by United States Magistrate Judges, who, although not appointed for life, hear any matters referred to them. Magistrate Judges may also conduct trials in misdemeanor cases by agreement of the parties. There is at least one district court in each state and the District of Columbia; although, many states have multiple districts because of the population. Four territories of the United States have United States District Courts that hear Federal cases, including, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
The following is a list of the district courts, by circuit, and by state:
First Circuit:
Maine – District of Maine
Link: http://www.med.uscourts.gov/
New Hampshire – District of New Hampshire
Link: http://www.nhd.uscourts.gov/
Massachusetts – District of Massachusetts
Link: http://www.mad.uscourts.gov/
Rhode Island – District of Rhode Island
Link: http://www.rid.uscourts.gov/
Puerto Rico – District of Puerto Rico
Link: http://www.prd.uscourts.gov/
Second Circuit:
Connecticut – District of Connecticut
Link: http://www.ctd.uscourts.gov/
Vermont – District of Vermont
Link: http://www.vtd.uscourts.gov/
New York:
Eastern District of New York
Link: https://www.nyed.uscourts.gov/
Western District of New York
Link: http://www.nywd.uscourts.gov/
Northern District of New York
Link: http://www.nynd.uscourts.gov/
Southern District of New York
Link: http://www.nysd.uscourts.gov/
Third Circuit:
Delaware – District of Delaware
Link: http://www.ded.uscourts.gov/
New Jersey – District of New Jersey
Link: http://www.njd.uscourts.gov/
Pennsylvania:
Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Link: http://www.paed.uscourts.gov/
Middle District of Pennsylvania
Link: http://www.pamd.uscourts.gov/
Western District of Pennsylvania
Link: http://www.pawd.uscourts.gov/
U.S. Virgin Islands – District of Virgin Islands
Link: http://www.vid.uscourts.gov/
Fourth Circuit:
Maryland – District of Maryland
Link: http://www.mdd.uscourts.gov/
South Carolina – District of South Carolina
Link: http://www.scd.uscourts.gov/
Virginia:
Eastern District of Virginia
Link: http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov/
Western District of Virginia
Link: http://www.vawd.uscourts.gov/
West Virginia:
Northern District of West Virginia
Link: http://www.wvnd.uscourts.gov/
Southern District of West Virginia
Link: http://www.wvsd.uscourts.gov/
North Carolina:
Eastern District of North Carolina
Link: http://www.nced.uscourts.gov/
Middle District of North Carolina
Link: http://www.ncmd.uscourts.gov/
Western District of North Carolina
Link: http://www.ncwd.uscourts.gov/
Fifth Circuit:
Louisiana:
Eastern District of Louisiana
Link: http://www.laed.uscourts.gov/
Middle District of Louisiana
Link: http://www.lamd.uscourts.gov/
Western District of Louisiana
Link: http://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/
Mississippi:
Northern District of Mississippi
Link: http://www.msnd.uscourts.gov/
Southern District of Mississippi
Link: http://www.mssd.uscourts.gov/
Texas:
Eastern District of Texas
Link: http://www.txed.uscourts.gov/
Western District of Texas
Link:http://www.txwd.uscourts.gov/
Northern District of Texas
Link: http://www.txnd.uscourts.gov/
Southern District of Texas
Link: http://www.txdd.uscourts.gov/
Sixth Circuit:
Kentucky:
Eastern District of Kentucky
Link: http://www.kyed.uscourts.gov/
Western District of Kentucky
Link: http://www.kywd.uscourts.gov/
Michigan:
Eastern District of Michigan
Link: http://www.mied.uscourts.gov/
Western District of Michigan
Link: http://www.miwd.uscourts.gov/
Ohio:
Northern District of Ohio
Southern District of Ohio
Tennessee:
Eastern District of Tennessee
Link: http://www.tned.uscourts.gov/
Middle District of Tennessee
Link: http://www.tnmd.uscourts.gov/
Western District of Tennessee
Link: http://www.tnwd.uscourts.gov/
Seventh Circuit:
Illinois
Northern District of Illinois
Link: http://www.ilnd.uscourts.gov/
Central District of Illinois
Link: http://www.ilcd.uscourts.gov/
Southern District of Illinois
Link: http://www.ilsd.uscourts.gov/
Indiana:
Northern District of Indiana
Link: http://www.innd.uscourts.gov/
Southern District of Indiana
Link: http://www.insd.uscourts.gov/
Wisconsin:
Eastern District of Wisconsin
Link: http://www.wied.uscourts.gov/
Western District of Wisconsin
Link: http://www.wiwd.uscourts.gov/
Eighth Circuit:
Arkansas:
Eastern District of Arkansas
Western District of Arkansas
Link: http://www.arwd.uscourts.gov/
Iowa:
Northern District of Iowa
Link: http://www.iand.uscourts.gov
Southern District of Iowa
Link: http://www.iasd.uscourts.gov
Minnesota – District of Minnesota
Link: http://www.mnd.uscourts.gov/
Missouri:
Eastern District of Missouri
Link: http://www.moed.uscourts.gov/
Western District of Missouri
Link: http://www.mowd.uscourts.gov/
Nebraska – District of Nebraska
Link: http://www.ned.uscourts.gov/
North Dakota – District of North Dakota
Link: http://www.ndd.uscourts.gov/
South Dakota – District of South Dakota
Link: http://www.sdd.uscourts.gov/
Ninth Circuit:
Alaska – District of Alaska
Link: http://www.akd.uscourts.gov/
Arizona – District of Arizona
Link: http://www.azd.uscourts.gov/
California:
Central District of California
Link: http://www.cacd.uscourts.gov/
Eastern District of California
Link: http://www.caed.uscourts.gov/
Northern District of California
Link: http://www.cand.uscourts.gov/
Southern District of California
Link: http://www.casd.uscourts.gov/
Hawaii – District of Hawaii
Link: http://www.hid.uscourts.gov/
Idaho- District of Idaho
Link: http://www.idd.uscourts.gov/
Montana – District of Montana
Link: http://www.mtd.uscourts.gov/
Nevada – District of Nevada
Link: http://www.nvd.uscourts.gov/
Oregon – District of Oregon
Washington:
Eastern District of Washington
Link: http://www.waed.uscourts.gov/
Western District of Washington
Link: http://www.wawd.uscourts.gov/
Guam – District of Guam
Link: http://www.gud.uscourts.gov/
Northern Mariana Islands – District of the Northern Mariana Islands
Link: http://www.nmid.uscourts.gov/
Tenth Circuit:
Colorado – District of Colorado
Link: http://www.cod.uscourts.gov/
Kansas – District of Kansas
Link: http://www.ksd.uscourts.gov/
Oklahoma:
Eastern District of Oklahoma
Link: http://www.oked.uscourts.gov/
Northern District of Oklahoma
Link: http://www.oknd.uscourts.gov/
Western District of Oklahoma
Link: http://www.okwd.uscourts.gov/
Utah – District of Utah
Link: http://www.utd.uscourts.gov/
Wyoming – District of Wyoming
Link: http://www.wyd.uscourts.gov/
Eleventh Circuit:
Alabama:
Middle District of Alabama
Link: http://www.almd.uscourts.gov/
Northern District of Alabama
Link: http://www.alnd.uscourts.gov/
Southern District of Alabama
Link: http://www.alsd.uscourts.gov/
Florida:
Middle District of Florida
Link: http://www.flmd.uscourts.gov/
Northern District of Florida
Link: http://www.flnd.uscourts.gov/
Southern District of Florida
Link: http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/
Georgia:
Middle District of Georgia:
Link: http://www.gamd.uscourts.gov/
Northern District of Georgia
Link: http://www.gand.uscourts.gov/
Southern District of Georgia
Link: http://www.gasd.uscourts.gov/
D.C. Circuit
Washington D.C. – District of Columbia
