United States federal courts
Encyclopedia
The United States federal courts make up the judiciary
branch of federal government of the United States
organized under the United States Constitution
and laws
of the federal government.
Highest court
Appellate courts
Original jurisdiction
While federal courts are generally created by the United States Congress
under the constitutional power described in Article III
, many of the specialized courts are created under the authority granted in Article I
. Greater power is vested in Article III court
s because they are independent of Congress, the President, and the political process.
Article III requires the establishment of a Supreme Court and permits the Congress to create other federal courts, and place limitations on their jurisdiction
. In theory, Congress could eliminate the entire federal judiciary except for the Supreme Court, although the 1st Congress
established a system of lower federal courts through the Judiciary Act of 1789
.
s are the general federal trial courts, although in many cases Congress
has passed statute
s which divert original jurisdiction
to the above-mentioned specialized courts or to administrative law judge
s (ALJs). In such cases, the district courts have jurisdiction to hear appeals from such lower bodies.
The United States courts of appeals
are the federal intermediate appellate courts. They operate under a system of mandatory review which means they must hear all appeals of right from the lower courts.
The Supreme Court of the United States
is the supreme court
(court of last resort). It generally is an appellate court that operates under discretionary review; meaning that the Court, through granting of writs of certiorari
, can choose which cases to hear. There is generally no right of appeal to the Supreme Court. In a few situations (like lawsuits between state governments or some cases between the federal government and a state) it sits as a court of original jurisdiction
. Such matters are generally referred to a designated individual (usually a sitting or retired judge or well-respected attorney) to sit as a special master
and report to the Court with recommendations.
, ripeness
, and standing
prohibit district courts from issuing advisory opinion
s. Other doctrines, such as the abstention doctrine
and the Rooker-Feldman doctrine
limit the power of lower federal courts to disturb rulings made by state courts. The Erie doctrine
requires federal courts to apply substantive state law to claims arising from state law (which may be heard in federal courts under supplemental or diversity jurisdiction). In difficult cases, the federal courts must either guess as to how a court of that state would decide the issue or "certify" the issue to a state court if the state has provided for such a procedure.
Notably, the only federal court that can issue proclamations of federal law that bind state courts is the Supreme Court itself. Decisions of the lower federal courts on issues of federal law are persuasive but not binding authority in the states in which those federal courts sit.
s offer an elective course that focuses specifically on the powers and limitations of U.S. federal courts, with coverage of topics such as justiciability
, abstention doctrines, the abrogation doctrine
, and habeas corpus
.
Judiciary
The judiciary is the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in the name of the state. The judiciary also provides a mechanism for the resolution of disputes...
branch of federal government of the United States
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
organized under the United States Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
and laws
Law of the United States
The law of the United States consists of many levels of codified and uncodified forms of law, of which the most important is the United States Constitution, the foundation of the federal government of the United States...
of the federal government.
Categories
The courts are one of the three coequal branches of the federal government, and include:Highest court
- Court of last resort:
- Supreme Court of the United StatesSupreme Court of the United StatesThe Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
(which primarily has appellate jurisdiction but also has original jurisdictionOriginal jurisdictionThe original jurisdiction of a court is the power to hear a case for the first time, as opposed to appellate jurisdiction, when a court has the power to review a lower court's decision.-France:...
over a very narrow range of cases)
- Supreme Court of the United States
Appellate courts
- Courts with geographic-based appellate jurisdiction:
- The eleven numbered United States courts of appealsUnited States courts of appealsThe United States courts of appeals are the intermediate appellate courts of the United States federal court system...
- The United States Courts of Appeals for the District of ColumbiaUnited States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia CircuitThe United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit known informally as the D.C. Circuit, is the federal appellate court for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Appeals from the D.C. Circuit, as with all the U.S. Courts of Appeals, are heard on a...
- The eleven numbered United States courts of appeals
- Courts with appellate jurisdiction over specific subject matter:
- United States Court of Appeals for Veterans ClaimsUnited States Court of Appeals for Veterans ClaimsThe United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims is a federal court of record that was established under Article I of the United States Constitution...
- United States Court of Appeals for the Armed ForcesUnited States Court of Appeals for the Armed ForcesThe United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces or CAAF is an Article I court that exercises worldwide appellate jurisdiction over members of the United States armed forces on active duty and other persons subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice...
- United States Court of Appeals for the Federal CircuitUnited States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit-Vacancies and pending nominations:-List of former judges:-Chief judges:Notwithstanding the foregoing, when the court was initially created, Congress had to resolve which chief judge of the predecessor courts would become the first chief judge...
- United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of ReviewUnited States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of ReviewThe United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review is a U.S. federal court authorized under and established by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978...
- United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
Original jurisdiction
- General trial courts:
- United States district courtUnited States district courtThe United States district courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal court system. Both civil and criminal cases are filed in the district court, which is a court of law, equity, and admiralty. There is a United States bankruptcy court associated with each United States...
s
- United States district court
- Courts with original jurisdiction over specific subject matter:
- United States Alien Terrorist Removal Court
- United States bankruptcy courtUnited States bankruptcy courtUnited States bankruptcy courts are courts created under Article I of the United States Constitution. They function as units of the district courts and have subject-matter jurisdiction over bankruptcy cases. The federal district courts have original and exclusive jurisdiction over all cases arising...
s - United States Court of Federal ClaimsUnited States Court of Federal ClaimsThe United States Court of Federal Claims is a United States federal court that hears monetary claims against the U.S. government. The court is established pursuant to Congress's authority under Article One of the United States Constitution...
- United States Court of International TradeUnited States Court of International TradeThe United States Court of International Trade is an Article III court, with full powers in law and equity. The Customs Court Act of 1980 replaced the old United States Customs Court with the United States Court of International Trade. The Court has nine sitting Judges, as well as Senior Judges...
- United States Court of Private Land ClaimsUnited States Court of Private Land ClaimsThe United States Court of Private Land Claims , was a United States court created to decide land claims guaranteed by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, in the territories of New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah, and in the states of Nevada, Colorado, and Wyoming.-Origins:During Spanish and Mexican rule...
(1891-1904) - United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance CourtUnited States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance CourtThe United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court is a U.S. federal court authorized under , . It was established by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 . The FISC oversees requests for surveillance warrants against suspected foreign intelligence agents inside the United...
- United States Tax CourtUnited States Tax CourtThe United States Tax Court is a federal trial court of record established by Congress under Article I of the U.S. Constitution, section 8 of which provides that the Congress has the power to "constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court"...
While federal courts are generally created by the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
under the constitutional power described in Article III
Article Three of the United States Constitution
Article Three of the United States Constitution establishes the judicial branch of the federal government. The judicial branch comprises the Supreme Court of the United States and lower courts as created by Congress.-Section 1: Federal courts:...
, many of the specialized courts are created under the authority granted in Article I
Article One of the United States Constitution
Article One of the United States Constitution describes the powers of Congress, the legislative branch of the federal government. The Article establishes the powers of and limitations on the Congress, consisting of a House of Representatives composed of Representatives, with each state gaining or...
. Greater power is vested in Article III court
Article I and Article III tribunals
In the United States, the American legal system includes both state courts and United States federal courts. The federal tribunals may be an Article III tribunal or another adjudicative body classified as an Article I or an Article IV tribunal...
s because they are independent of Congress, the President, and the political process.
Article III requires the establishment of a Supreme Court and permits the Congress to create other federal courts, and place limitations on their jurisdiction
Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction is the practical authority granted to a formally constituted legal body or to a political leader to deal with and make pronouncements on legal matters and, by implication, to administer justice within a defined area of responsibility...
. In theory, Congress could eliminate the entire federal judiciary except for the Supreme Court, although the 1st Congress
1st United States Congress
-House of Representatives:During this congress, five House seats were added for North Carolina and one House seat was added for Rhode Island when they ratified the Constitution.-Senate:* President: John Adams * President pro tempore: John Langdon...
established a system of lower federal courts through the Judiciary Act of 1789
Judiciary Act of 1789
The United States Judiciary Act of 1789 was a landmark statute adopted on September 24, 1789 in the first session of the First United States Congress establishing the U.S. federal judiciary...
.
Levels of U.S. federal courts
The United States district courtUnited States district court
The United States district courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal court system. Both civil and criminal cases are filed in the district court, which is a court of law, equity, and admiralty. There is a United States bankruptcy court associated with each United States...
s are the general federal trial courts, although in many cases Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
has passed statute
Statute
A statute is a formal written enactment of a legislative authority that governs a state, city, or county. Typically, statutes command or prohibit something, or declare policy. The word is often used to distinguish law made by legislative bodies from case law, decided by courts, and regulations...
s which divert original jurisdiction
Original jurisdiction
The original jurisdiction of a court is the power to hear a case for the first time, as opposed to appellate jurisdiction, when a court has the power to review a lower court's decision.-France:...
to the above-mentioned specialized courts or to administrative law judge
Administrative law judge
An administrative law judge in the United States is an official who presides at an administrative trial-type hearing to resolve a dispute between a government agency and someone affected by a decision of that agency. The ALJ is usually the initial trier of fact and decision maker...
s (ALJs). In such cases, the district courts have jurisdiction to hear appeals from such lower bodies.
The United States courts of appeals
United States courts of appeals
The United States courts of appeals are the intermediate appellate courts of the United States federal court system...
are the federal intermediate appellate courts. They operate under a system of mandatory review which means they must hear all appeals of right from the lower courts.
The Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
is the supreme court
Supreme court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of many legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, instance court, judgment court, high court, or apex court...
(court of last resort). It generally is an appellate court that operates under discretionary review; meaning that the Court, through granting of writs of certiorari
Certiorari
Certiorari is a type of writ seeking judicial review, recognized in U.S., Roman, English, Philippine, and other law. Certiorari is the present passive infinitive of the Latin certiorare...
, can choose which cases to hear. There is generally no right of appeal to the Supreme Court. In a few situations (like lawsuits between state governments or some cases between the federal government and a state) it sits as a court of original jurisdiction
Original jurisdiction
The original jurisdiction of a court is the power to hear a case for the first time, as opposed to appellate jurisdiction, when a court has the power to review a lower court's decision.-France:...
. Such matters are generally referred to a designated individual (usually a sitting or retired judge or well-respected attorney) to sit as a special master
Special master
In law, a special master is an authority appointed by a judge to make sure that judicial orders are actually followed.In England, at common law, there were "Masters in Chancery," who acted in aid of the Equity Courts. There were also "Masters in Lunacy," who conducted inquiries of the same nature...
and report to the Court with recommendations.
Related organizations
- The Judicial Conference of the United StatesJudicial Conference of the United StatesThe Judicial Conference of the United States, formerly known as Conference of Senior Circuit Judges, was created by the United States Congress in 1922 with the principal objective of framing policy guidelines for administration of judicial courts in the United States...
is the policymaking body of the U.S. federal courts. The Conference is responsible for creating and revising federal procedural rules pursuant to the Rules Enabling ActRules Enabling ActThe Rules Enabling Act is an Act of Congress that gave the judicial branch the power to promulgate the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Amendments to the Act allowed for the creation of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure and other procedural court rules...
. - The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict LitigationJudicial Panel on Multidistrict LitigationThe United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation is a special body within the United States federal court system which manages multidistrict litigation. It was established by Congress in 1968 under 28 U.S.C...
transfers and consolidates cases in multiple judicial districts that share common factual issues. - The United States Marshals ServiceUnited States Marshals ServiceThe United States Marshals Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice . The office of U.S. Marshal is the oldest federal law enforcement office in the United States; it was created by the Judiciary Act of 1789...
is responsible for providing protection for the federal judiciary and transporting federal prisoners. - The Supreme Court PoliceSupreme Court PoliceThe Supreme Court of the United States Police is a small U.S. federal law enforcement agency headquartered in the District of Columbia, whose mission is to ensure the integrity of the constitutional mission of the U.S. Supreme Court by protecting the Supreme Court building, the Justices, employees,...
provide security for the Supreme Court buildingUnited States Supreme Court buildingThe Supreme Court Building is the seat of the Supreme Court of the United States. It is situated in Washington, D.C. at 1 First Street, NE, on the block immediately east of the United States Capitol. The building is under the jurisdiction of the Architect of the Capitol. On May 4, 1987, the Supreme...
.
Limitations on U.S. federal courts
The Supreme Court has interpreted the Constitution as placing some additional restrictions on the federal courts. For example, the doctrines of mootnessMootness
In American law, a matter is moot if further legal proceedings with regard to it can have no effect, or events have placed it beyond the reach of the law...
, ripeness
Ripeness
In United States law, ripeness refers to the readiness of a case for litigation; "a claim is not ripe for adjudication if it rests upon contingent future events that may not occur as anticipated, or indeed may not occur at all." For example, if a law of ambiguous quality has been enacted but never...
, and standing
Standing (law)
In law, standing or locus standi is the term for the ability of a party to demonstrate to the court sufficient connection to and harm from the law or action challenged to support that party's participation in the case...
prohibit district courts from issuing advisory opinion
Advisory opinion
An advisory opinion is an opinion issued by a court that does not have the effect of adjudicating a specific legal case, but merely advises on the constitutionality or interpretation of a law. Some countries have procedures by which the executive or legislative branches may certify important...
s. Other doctrines, such as the abstention doctrine
Abstention doctrine
An abstention doctrine is any of several doctrines that a court of law in the United States of America might apply to refuse to hear a case, when hearing the case would potentially intrude upon the powers of another court...
and the Rooker-Feldman doctrine
Rooker-Feldman doctrine
The Rooker-Feldman doctrine is a rule of civil procedure enunciated by the United States Supreme Court in two cases, Rooker v. Fidelity Trust Co., 263 U.S. 413 and District of Columbia Court of Appeals v. Feldman, 460 U.S. 462...
limit the power of lower federal courts to disturb rulings made by state courts. The Erie doctrine
Erie doctrine
In United States law, the Erie doctrine is a fundamental legal doctrine of civil procedure mandating that a federal court in diversity jurisdiction must apply state substantive law....
requires federal courts to apply substantive state law to claims arising from state law (which may be heard in federal courts under supplemental or diversity jurisdiction). In difficult cases, the federal courts must either guess as to how a court of that state would decide the issue or "certify" the issue to a state court if the state has provided for such a procedure.
Notably, the only federal court that can issue proclamations of federal law that bind state courts is the Supreme Court itself. Decisions of the lower federal courts on issues of federal law are persuasive but not binding authority in the states in which those federal courts sit.
Study of U.S. federal courts
Most U.S. law schoolLaw school
A law school is an institution specializing in legal education.- Law degrees :- Canada :...
s offer an elective course that focuses specifically on the powers and limitations of U.S. federal courts, with coverage of topics such as justiciability
Justiciability
Justiciability concerns the limits upon legal issues over which a court can exercise its judicial authority. It includes, but is not limited to, the legal concept of standing, which is used to determine if the party bringing the suit is a party appropriate to establishing whether an actual...
, abstention doctrines, the abrogation doctrine
Abrogation doctrine
The Abrogation doctrine is a constitutional law doctrine expounding when and how the Congress may waive a state's sovereign immunity and subject it to lawsuits to which the state has not consented ....
, and habeas corpus
Habeas corpus
is a writ, or legal action, through which a prisoner can be released from unlawful detention. The remedy can be sought by the prisoner or by another person coming to his aid. Habeas corpus originated in the English legal system, but it is now available in many nations...
.
See also
- Article I and Article III tribunalsArticle I and Article III tribunalsIn the United States, the American legal system includes both state courts and United States federal courts. The federal tribunals may be an Article III tribunal or another adjudicative body classified as an Article I or an Article IV tribunal...
- CM/ECFCM/ECFCM/ECF is the case management and electronic case files system for most of the United States Federal Courts...
(Case Management/Electronic Case Files) - Courts of the United StatesCourts of the United StatesCourts of the United States include both the United States federal courts, comprising the judicial branch of the federal government of the United States and state and territorial courts of the individual U.S...
(outline of all state and federal courts in the United States) - Federal Rules of Civil ProcedureFederal Rules of Civil ProcedureThe Federal Rules of Civil Procedure govern civil procedure in United States district courts. The FRCP are promulgated by the United States Supreme Court pursuant to the Rules Enabling Act, and then the United States Congress has 7 months to veto the rules promulgated or they become part of the...
- State court (United States)
- State supreme courtState supreme courtIn the United States, the state supreme court is the highest state court in the state court system ....
- Uniformity and jurisdiction in U.S. federal court tax decisionsUniformity and jurisdiction in U.S. federal court tax decisionsUniformity and jurisdiction in the tax decisions of the United States federal courts. is the ongoing debate spanning many decades about achievement of uniformity and decisionmaking by federal courts when addressing tax controversies against the backdrop of multiple, regionally diverse courts with...
- United States Marshals ServiceUnited States Marshals ServiceThe United States Marshals Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice . The office of U.S. Marshal is the oldest federal law enforcement office in the United States; it was created by the Judiciary Act of 1789...
External links
- The Federal Judiciary (official U.S. government site)
- United States Federal Courts @ OpenJurist
- Federal Court Concepts, Georgia Tech
- Federal District Court Case Filings
- Creating the Federal Judicial System (PDF)
- History of the Courts of the Federal Judiciary
- CourtWEB, Online Federal Court Opinions Information System