: Structure of the Federal Courts

Fuente: http://www.uscourts.gov

Structure of the Federal Courts

Explaining the Structure
The federal courts have a three-part structure,
as explained in the following diagram:
The structure of the federal courts is roughly pyramidal. The Supreme Court is at the top of the
pyramid. The Supreme Court is the highest court in the federal system.

The Supreme Court is often called "the highest court in the land" because it hears appeals from
state courts as well as federal courts. The Supreme Court has nine justices and begins its term
on the first Monday in October of each year.
The Supreme Court hears most cases on appeal. Litigants appeal their cases from a state
supreme court or from a federal Court of Appeals must file for a "writ of certiorari". If four of
the nine Justices agree to issue a writ, the Court will hear the case. The Court also has limited
"original jurisdiction" in some cases.

The Federal Courts of Appeal are the middle part of the pyramid.

The Courts of Appeal are divided into twelve different regions, often known as "circuits". These
courts are often known as "circuit courts". Eleven of the twelve circuit courts handle cases from
different states -- for example, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta handles cases
from Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. The twelfth circuit court is the Court of Appeals for the
District of Columbia, and is located in Washington. Additionally, there is also a United States
Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which hears certain specialized cases.

The Federal District Courts are the lowest part of the pyramid. There are 94 judicial districts
across the country, including judicial districts in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the
Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam.