The Judicial Branch

Chapter 18

THE INFERIOR COURTSSection 2

The District Courts

• 94 constitutional courts that handle much of the trial work of the federal judicial branch.

• Federal Judicial Districts – 50 states divided into 89 judicial districts and U.S. territorial district courts.

District Court Jurisdiction

• Original jurisdiction over 80% of all federal court cases.– Hears all original cases not heard in special courts or

supreme court.– Hears both criminal and civil cases• Criminal Case: Defendant has been accused of violating an

action that Congress has declared a federal crime.– U.S. Government is always prosecutor (District Attorney)– i.e. bank robbery, kidnapping, counterfeiting

• Civil Case: Contract law or lawsuit in which plaintiff seeks damages.– i.e. public lands disputes, civil rights violation, bankruptcy

The Courts of Appeals

• Relieve Supreme Court of much of the burden of hearing cases from district courts.– 13 Courts of Appeals: 12 Circuit Courts (circuit

jurisdiction) and The Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (nation-wide jurisdiction)

• Have anywhere from 6 to 28 justices that typically sit in 3-judge panels during hearings.

U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit - Denver

Appellate Court Jurisdiction• ONLY appellate jurisdiction

– Can not hear original cases – only review previously decided cases – looking for misapplications of the law or improper procedures at the trial court level.

– Appellant and Appellee’ lawyers present written and oral arguments to the court.

• Circuit Courts: Hear cases from district courts within their jurisdictions as well as from tax courts, territorial courts, and regulatory agencies.

• Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit: Nation-wide jurisdiction hearing cases from the court of international trade, court of federal claims, court of appeals for veterans claims, or patent, copyright, or trademark cases.

The Court of International Trade

• Composed of 8 Justices and 1 Chief Justice– Trial Court hearing civil cases arising from customs

and trade-related laws.– Justices hear cases in panels of three– Often sit in major port cities: New York, New

Orleans, San Francisco, Boston, etc…