Federal Court System

Come learn about the Federal Court System

The U.S. District Cour

District courts are the federal courts where trials are held and lawsuits are begun. All of the states have at least one but some of the bigger states will have two or three. For ALL federal cases, original jurisdiction, the authority to hear a case for the first time.

Court of Appeals

The federal court that reviews decisions made in the district courts. The people who loose in the district court go to the court of appeals.
  • This is known as an appellate jurisdiction, which gives the authority to hear a case appealed from the lower court.
Each of the US appeals cover a geographic area of the US which is called the Circuit

The Thirteen Appeals Court: It is the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit with nation wide jurisdiction. So imagine it as the outside of a peach. It is a bigger Court of Appeals. Where as the Court of Appeals is the core, or smaller, part of the peach.

A judge will remand, or send it back to the lower court system a case if he feels like he can do nothing with it.

About the Judges

Judges are given evidence of a crime or if a person has done something wrong, but a good part of it comes form his/hers opinion, or the juries opinion. An opinion explains the legal thinking behind the court's decision in the case. Many judges with use a precedent to make their decision on a case. A precedent is a model for other judges to follow in marking their own decisions on similar cases.

Not all judges are required to do this but some are. The Supreme Court is required to serve as a member of the Supreme Court for a life term. A life term is where someone can hold office for as long as they would like. once appointed their position the only way to be brought out of it is impeachment.

This was how the federal court works.

George Mayo

Thanks to Mrs. Ross.