Overview | This section's resources address the federal system of courts, as authorized by the U.S. Constitution and Congress.
Article III of the Constitution establishes the judicial branch of the United States government by vesting judicial power in “one [S]upreme Court” and “such inferior Courts” as Congress may establish under Article III. Congress is also authorized to establish other inferior courts under other provisions of the Constitution. As a result of this separation and delegation of powers, our federal court system has different levels and differing powers – called jurisdiction – to consider cases. Two main levels of the courts are appellate courts and trial courts. Appellate courts review decisions of trial courts, whether directly or through review of a lower appellate court’s decision. And different levels of courts exist within both of those main levels.
Of course, the Supreme Court is the highest court in the federal system. The Supreme Court mostly exercises appellate jurisdiction, reviewing decisions of intermediate federal appellate courts or of the highest appellate court in a state. Intermediate federal appellate courts include, primarily, one specialized plus twelve regional courts of appeals, called circuit courts.
Federal trial courts are the courts that hear a case at the beginning. District courts try almost all kinds of federal cases, both civil and criminal. There are 94 district courts in the nation, including district courts in the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. A separate bankruptcy court, albeit a unit of the district court, is also a trial court in each district. Congress has also established two specialized trial courts, the U.S. Court of International Trade, which handles international trade disputes, and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, which handles claims against the U.S. Government.
Other trial courts Congress has created include the territorial courts for Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands. These are called district courts but have powers and judicial terms that are different from the district courts mentioned above. And Congress has authorized a separate judiciary for the District of Columbia.
In addition to the courts of the judicial branch, Congress has established some courts outside the judicial branch to carry out a legislative power. These courts include the U.S. Tax Court (trial court), appellate and trial courts dealing with the military, the Social Security Administration’s administrative tribunal, and the High Court of American Samoa.
Another way of describing the federal court system structure is with reference to the article of the Constitution under which a court is established. The two primary differences between Article III courts and other federal courts are the power to decide certain cases and the protections afforded to the judges. Article III judges enjoy the broadest power to decide cases as well as lifetime tenure and protection from salary decreases. The majority of federal courts are established under Article III – the Supreme Court, the courts of appeals, and district courts, except for the territorial district courts, and the U.S. Court of International Trade. Most other federal courts are Article I courts (Article I, Section 8, clause 9); these include bankruptcy courts, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, the U.S. Tax Court, the District of Columbia’s judiciary, military courts, and the Social Security administrative tribunal. Territorial courts, such as the district courts for Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands, as well as the High Court of American Samoa, are established under Article IV’s Territorial Clause (Article IV, Section 3, clause 2).
Learning Objectives | Students will be able to:
Of course, the Supreme Court is the highest court in the federal system. The Supreme Court mostly exercises appellate jurisdiction, reviewing decisions of intermediate federal appellate courts or of the highest appellate court in a state. Intermediate federal appellate courts include, primarily, one specialized plus twelve regional courts of appeals, called circuit courts.
Federal trial courts are the courts that hear a case at the beginning. District courts try almost all kinds of federal cases, both civil and criminal. There are 94 district courts in the nation, including district courts in the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. A separate bankruptcy court, albeit a unit of the district court, is also a trial court in each district. Congress has also established two specialized trial courts, the U.S. Court of International Trade, which handles international trade disputes, and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, which handles claims against the U.S. Government.
Other trial courts Congress has created include the territorial courts for Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands. These are called district courts but have powers and judicial terms that are different from the district courts mentioned above. And Congress has authorized a separate judiciary for the District of Columbia.
In addition to the courts of the judicial branch, Congress has established some courts outside the judicial branch to carry out a legislative power. These courts include the U.S. Tax Court (trial court), appellate and trial courts dealing with the military, the Social Security Administration’s administrative tribunal, and the High Court of American Samoa.
Another way of describing the federal court system structure is with reference to the article of the Constitution under which a court is established. The two primary differences between Article III courts and other federal courts are the power to decide certain cases and the protections afforded to the judges. Article III judges enjoy the broadest power to decide cases as well as lifetime tenure and protection from salary decreases. The majority of federal courts are established under Article III – the Supreme Court, the courts of appeals, and district courts, except for the territorial district courts, and the U.S. Court of International Trade. Most other federal courts are Article I courts (Article I, Section 8, clause 9); these include bankruptcy courts, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, the U.S. Tax Court, the District of Columbia’s judiciary, military courts, and the Social Security administrative tribunal. Territorial courts, such as the district courts for Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands, as well as the High Court of American Samoa, are established under Article IV’s Territorial Clause (Article IV, Section 3, clause 2).
Learning Objectives | Students will be able to:
- Understand the different types and levels of federal courts
- Understand what kind of cases are appropriate for federal courts versus state courts
- Understand what happens in an appeal of a trial court's decision
- Understand that issues on appeal usually involve competing arguments that have legitimate bases and are not "clear cut"
Summary of Resources | Below is the list of resources gathered in this section. Click on the titles to learn more.
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