Federal District Courts
• Federal District courts have
original jurisdiction (first) in
most federal cases.
• Each state has at least on
Federal District court. (some
more)
• 90 percent of all federal court
work (300,000 cases per year)
District Court Judges
• Each court has at least 2
judges.
• Federal Court judges decide
procedures in the court, explain
the law in a case, punishment
or fine.
• Appointed by President,
approved by the Senate
Other District Court
Officers
• Several Officials help District
Courts:
• Magistrate-issues court orders,
hears preliminary evidence to
see if a case should be brought
to trial
Other District Court
Officers
• U.S. Attorney-the government’s
lawyer, proves if a suspect
commits a crime, has dozens of
assistant U.S. attorneys who
perform most of the trial work.
• U.S. Marshal-makes arrests,
serves subpoenas
U.S. Courts of Appeals
• Courts of Appeals have only
appellate jurisdiction (appeals
only)
• The losing side in a case may
decide to appeal a ruling based
on wrong procedure,
misapplication of the law, new
evidence….
U.S. Courts of Appeals
• Present system established in 1891
to ease the burden of the Supreme
Court
• Today 12 courts of appeals have
jurisdiction over a certain
geographic area called a Circuit.
• Each court receives cases from the
district courts in its own circuit
Appeals Court Judges
• Each court has from 6 to 27
judges
• Appointed for life
• No Juries in appeals courts
• Cases are decided by a panel of
at least 3 judges
Appeals Court Judges
• Judges do not decide guilt of
innocence. The rule on whether
a persons rights have been
protected or whether there was
a fair trial
• Judges may overturn the lower
courts ruling, uphold it, or send
the case back for a new trial
Special Federal Courts
• U.S. Tax Court-hears tax law appeals
• U.S. Court of Federal Claims-when
citizens sue the govt.
• U.S. Court of Military Appeals-for
military people to appeal a courtmartial
• U.S. Court of International Tradetrade disputes from tariff/trade laws