The Federal Courts and the Judicial BranchThe Federal Courts and the Judicial Branch

Section 2 at a Glance

Lower Federal Courts• The courts in the 94 federal judicial districts have original

jurisdiction over most federal and civil cases. They handle more than 300,000 cases a year.

• The 12 federal courts of appeals have appellate jurisdiction only.

• Under its Article I powers, Congress has established a number of specialized lower courts to hear cases of limited subject-matter jurisdiction.

The Federal Courts and the Judicial BranchThe Federal Courts and the Judicial Branch

T

• Constitution mandates cases involving foreign governments, residents of different states be handled in district court

• Federal violations: from violation of employment laws to handled in district courts

• Panels of citizens called grand juries hear evidence in serious criminal cases.

• District courts have separate bankruptcy court

The Jurisdiction of District Courts

• Judge is court’s highest official; judges instruct juries about law, make sure proper trial procedures are followed

• Magistrate judges oversee early hearings in criminal trials, also hear civil cases or minor criminal cases called misdemeanors

• Clerks of the court handle non-judicial tasks, maintaining records

Court Officials

Federal District Courts

The Federal Courts and the Judicial BranchThe Federal Courts and the Judicial Branch

Other Courtroom Officials

• Each federal court district has a U.S. attorney to represent the U.S. government.

• U• Public defenders are lawyers appointed by court to represent

defendants who lack money to hire their own.• U

Federal District Courts (cont’d.)

The Federal Courts and the Judicial BranchThe Federal Courts and the Judicial Branch

Purpose of the Courts of Appeals

• Appeals courts: middle tier in hierarchy of federal court system

• Hear cases on appeal from district courts within their circuit

• Few appeals succeed

Appeals Court Ruling

• Court’s ruling usually stands; occasionally reviewed by larger panel of judges or returned to district court for more hearings

Appeals Court Procedure

• M

• B

The Federal Circuit

• Court of Appeals for Federal Circuit has nationwide appellate jurisdiction: cases dealing with patents, trademarks, government contracts, international trade

Federal Courts of Appeals

The Federal Courts and the Judicial BranchThe Federal Courts and the Judicial Branch

U.S. Court of International Trade

• Hears cases involving laws and rules of international trade

U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims

• Hears cases involving disputes over veterans’ benefits

U.S. Tax Court

• H

U.S. Court ofFederal Claims

• Hears cases involving claims over $10,000 owed by U.S. government.

• United States has sovereign immunity

• In some circumstances the government can be sued

Other Federal Courts

The Federal Courts and the Judicial BranchThe Federal Courts and the Judicial Branch

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces

• Hears cases involving appeals from courts-martial, or military courts

Military Commissions

• Outside normal judicial system, rulings may be challenged in federal court

National Security Courts

• Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court reviews requests to spy on “agents of a foreign power” in U.S.

• Alien Terrorist Removal Court reviews requests to remove suspected terrorists from U.S.

Washington, D.C., and Territorial Courts

• C

Other Federal Courts (cont’d.)