The Federal Court System The federal court system—the Judicial branch of the federal government—consists of the lower courts and the Supreme Court. There are three types of lower courts: District Courts Each state is divided into between one and four federal districts, depending on size. District courts are courts of “original jurisdiction” over federal cases that arise there. There are a total of 94 federal district courts across the United States. These courts operate like the state trial courts, with a single judge presiding and a jury deciding the facts of the case. Courts of Appeals Appeals of cases from the U.S. district courts are heard by the courts of appeals. The country is divided into 13 “circuits” each of which is covered by a court of appeals. Appeals are brought before judges who rule only on issues of law, not issues of fact. Appeals are heard before a panel of judges, not a jury. Judges can affirm a district court ruling, reverse it, or send it back for a retrial. In addition to District and Appeals Courts, the federal system also includes a variety of: Special Courts U.S. Court of Claims U.S. Court of Customs and Patent Appeals U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces U.S. Territorial Courts U.S. Tax Court U.S. Court of Veterans Appeals The Supreme Court is the highest court in the federal court system. It serves as the final court of appeals for both the state and the federal courts. Federal Court Judges are not elected. They are appointed by the President and must then be confirmed by the Senate. In order to keep them free from political pressure, they serve life terms and may only be removed through impeachment. Federal judges typically, but not always, have an extensive legal background. Most judges have previously been attorneys or law professors. Because appointments to the federal bench are for life, the selection of these judges is a very significant matter. Appointments to the Supreme Court are especially controversial, because of the power and influence that the court has on American society. Presidents tend to nominate judges who reflect their own political views and who are members of their own political party. In turn, the opposition party often tries to block or delay these appointments. President Obama has appointed two justices to the Supreme Court—both women: Justice Sonia Sotomayor
Justice Elena Kagan
Justices Sotomayor and Kagan joined Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court, marking the first time in history that as many as three of the nine justices have been women.