Eleanor Finch
The US Constitution establishes a federal system of government, with power shared between the federal government and state governments. Both levels of government have their own court systems, with the federal judiciary sitting at the apex. The federal judiciary is composed of the Supreme Court, which is the highest court in the United States, and lower federal courts. The Supreme Court is made up of nine justices, including one Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices, who are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate for life. Below the Supreme Court are 13 appellate courts, known as the US Courts of Appeals, and 94 district or trial courts, called US district courts. The US Courts of Appeals are divided into 12 regional circuits and one Federal Circuit. The US district courts handle civil and criminal trials within the federal court system.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Supreme Court justices | 9 (8 associate justices and 1 chief justice) |
| Number of U.S. Courts of Appeals | 13 |
| Number of district courts | 94 |
| Number of bankruptcy courts | 90 |
| Number of district court judges | Over 670 |
| Number of people working for the judiciary | 30,000 |
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What You'll Learn
Federal and state courts
The US Constitution establishes a federal system of government, with power shared between the federal government and the state governments. Both the federal government and each of the state governments have their own court systems. The federal judiciary is composed of the Supreme Court, 13 appellate courts, 94 district or trial courts, and 90 bankruptcy courts.
The US Supreme Court is the highest court in the country. It is composed of nine justices: eight associate justices and one chief justice. These justices, like other federal judges, are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate for life. However, they can be removed by impeachment by the House of Representatives and conviction by the Senate. The Supreme Court is responsible for interpreting federal law and reviewing state court decisions that allegedly conflict with federal law or the Constitution.
The 13 appellate courts below the Supreme Court are called US Courts of Appeals. These courts determine whether the law was correctly applied in the trial court or federal administrative agency. The nation's 94 district courts, also known as trial courts, resolve disputes by determining the facts and applying the law. Each district court has at least one US District Judge, appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate for life. There are over 670 district court judges nationwide, and some tasks are delegated to federal magistrate judges.
Bankruptcy courts, of which there are 90, help individuals and businesses unable to pay their debts get a fresh start. State courts, on the other hand, generally have the authority to hear claims involving federal law, except where federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. In some cases, a complainant bringing a claim under federal law must first exhaust available state legislative or administrative remedies before seeking relief in federal court. Additionally, state law claims may be brought in federal court under the court's "diversity jurisdiction," where the defendant is located in a different state than the plaintiff.
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Federal judges and their appointment
The US Constitution does not provide eligibility criteria for federal judges. However, the president nominates federal judges, who are then confirmed by the Senate for life terms. This is referred to as appointment by the executive with the advice and consent of the smaller branch of the legislature. The president has the most discretion when filling vacancies on the Supreme Court. There are 9 justices on the Supreme Court, including a chief justice.
The US has 13 appellate courts and 94 district courts. The district courts are the general trial courts of the federal court system. Each district court has at least one district judge, appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate for a life term. There are over 670 district court judges nationwide. District court judges are responsible for managing the court and supervising the court's employees. They can be impeached and removed by Congress.
Magistrate judges are selected by district judges and serve a term of eight years if full-time and four years if part-time. They can be reappointed after their term ends.
The US Court of Appeals and the US District Court are also part of the federal judiciary. The number of active judges in these courts is displayed by the party of the appointing president.
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The role of the Supreme Court
The Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States. It is made up of judges who act independently of the political branches of the government, including the Legislative Assembly and the Executive. The Court is tasked with interpreting and deciding on the constitutionality of federal laws and resolving cases involving federal laws. The Supreme Court also hears cases that challenge the constitution, interprets legislation, protects civil rights, deals with disputes between states, and presides over cases involving treaties. One of the most important powers of the Supreme Court is Judicial Review, which allows the court to proclaim that legislation or an Executive Act is unconstitutional.
The Supreme Court is composed of nine justices, including eight associate justices and one chief justice. The justices are chosen by the President and confirmed by the Senate, like all other federal judges. They hold their offices during ""good behavior"" and serve for life, though many resign or retire earlier. Justices may also be removed by impeachment by the House of Representatives and conviction by the Senate. The chief justice is chosen by the President and approved by Congress, acting as the administrator of the court.
The Supreme Court operates within a system of checks and balances, where each branch of the government has its own roles and areas of authority. While the Supreme Court is an arm of the government, it maintains its independence, ensuring that government policies and actions are not contrary to the law and that citizens' legal rights and responsibilities are upheld.
The Supreme Court's decisions have a significant impact on society, and its role in interpreting the constitution and ensuring the protection of civil rights is crucial to the functioning of the United States' system of government.
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The US Constitution and federal judiciary
The US Constitution establishes a federal system of government, with power shared between the federal government and the state governments. The federal judiciary is one of the three branches of the federal government, alongside the legislative and executive branches.
Article III of the US Constitution establishes the federal judiciary, with the Supreme Court at its apex. The Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States and comprises one Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices. These justices are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, serving for life.
Below the Supreme Court are the 13 appellate courts or US Courts of Appeals. These courts determine whether the law was correctly applied in the trial court or federal administrative agency. The US Courts of Appeals are divided into twelve regional circuits and one Federal Circuit.
The lowest level of the federal judiciary is comprised of the 94 district or trial courts, also known as the US District Courts. These courts resolve disputes by determining the facts and applying the law. Depending on the state's population, there may be a single district court or up to four district courts. District courts handle both civil and criminal trials and are overseen by district court judges, who are responsible for managing the court and its employees.
In addition to these three levels of federal courts, there are other tribunals and adjudicative bodies, such as the Court of International Trade, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, and the Alien Terrorist Removal Court. These courts are often specialised and established by Congress to assist the President in executing their powers.
The US Constitution, particularly Article III, grants the federal judiciary the authority to interpret and apply the Constitution and federal laws. It outlines the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, which includes original jurisdiction over cases involving ambassadors and controversies between states, and appellate jurisdiction over a wide range of cases involving constitutional and federal law. The federal judiciary plays a crucial role in ensuring the constitutionality of laws and resolving disputes, maintaining the balance of power within the federal system.
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District courts and their jurisdiction
The US Constitution establishes a federal system of government in which power is shared between the federal government and the state governments. Both the federal government and each of the state governments have their own court systems. The US Constitution also created the Supreme Court and authorized Congress to pass laws establishing a system of lower courts.
The nation has 94 district or trial courts, called US district courts. Each state has at least one district court, and there are also district courts in the territories of Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. These territorial courts are called "district courts" and exercise the same jurisdiction as district courts, but their judges serve ten-year terms instead of lifetime appointments like those of district court judges.
District courts resolve disputes by determining the facts and applying the law to those facts. They handle both civil and criminal trials within the federal court system. Civil cases can be brought to district court if the parties are citizens of different states or countries and the amount in controversy exceeds a certain amount. Criminal cases involve allegations that an individual or entity violated US criminal laws. District courts have exclusive jurisdiction over certain matters, such as patent and copyright infringement disputes and prosecutions for federal crimes. They also have appellate jurisdiction over a limited class of judgments, orders, and decrees.
District court judges are responsible for managing the court and supervising its employees. They are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate for life terms, serving as long as they maintain "'good behavior.'" They can be impeached and removed by Congress if they violate this standard.
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Frequently asked questions
There is one Supreme Court, 13 appellate courts, and 94 district courts.
The Supreme Court is the highest court in the federal judiciary.
The members of the Supreme Court are referred to as "justices". There are nine justices on the court – eight associate justices and one chief justice.
