1. Pearson Education, Inc., Longman © 2008

2. 94 District Courts

3.   District Courts (94 federal courts) District Courts  Original Jurisdiction: courts that hear the case first and determine the facts - the trial court  Deals with the following types of cases:  Federal crimes  Civil suits under federal law and across state lines  Supervise bankruptcy and naturalization  Review some federal agencies  Admiralty and maritime law cases Pearson Education, Inc., Longman © 2008 District Courts

4. 94 District Courts U.S. Tax Court U.S. Court of International Trade U.S. Court of Federal Claims U.S. Court of Veteran Appeals Special Courts

5.   Special Courts  Courts that handle specific types of cases  Ex. U.S. Tax Court deals with cases concerning tax violations

6. 94 District Courts U.S. Tax Court U.S. Court of International Trade U.S. Court of Federal Claims U.S. Court of Veteran Appeals United States Court of Appeals (12 Circuits) United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit Special Courts

7.   Courts of Appeal  13 circuit courts 13 circuit courts  Appellate Jurisdiction: reviews the legal issues in cases brought from lower courts  Hold no trials and hear no testimony  Focus on errors of procedure and law Pearson Education, Inc., Longman © 2008 Courts of Appeal

8. 94 District Courts U.S. Tax Court U.S. Court of International Trade U.S. Court of Federal Claims U.S. Court of Veteran Appeals United States Court of Appeals (12 Circuits) United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit Supreme Court Special Courts

9.   The Supreme Court  Ensures uniformity in interpreting national laws  resolves conflicts among states  maintains national supremacy in law Pearson Education, Inc., Longman © 2008 Supreme Court

10. Pearson Education, Inc., Longman © 2008 District Courts and Court of Appeals Map DC CA