THE JUDICIAL BRANCHChapter 18

PART 3Inferior Courts

US Supreme Court

100 cases a year

8000cases

Federal Courts of Appeals

55,000 cases a year

Federal District Courts300,000 cases a year

1. THE DISTRICT COURTS

Created by the Judicial act of 1789

FEDERAL JUDICIAL DISTRICTS 89 Federal Judicial Districts

Each state has at least 1A district may have several judges

Cases are heard by either 1 judge or a 3 judge panel

Original Jurisdiction over most federal cases Both criminal and civil cases

If appealed it goes to the court of appeals for that judicial circuit

2. THE COURTS OF APPEALS Created by Congress in 1891

Used to relieve some of the burden on the Supreme Court (gatekeepers)

12 courts of appeal Judicial Circuits

179 judges and a Supreme Court Justice is assigned to one of the circuits3 judge panel (sometimes all of them)

Decisions are final unless the Supreme Court decides to hear the case

US Supreme Court

US Court of Appeals for the Armed

Forces

12 US Courts of Appeals

US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

Military Courts

• 94 District Courts

• Courts of DC•Territorial Courts• US Tax Courts

Appeals from

Highest State Courts

• US Court of International Trade• US Court of Federal Claims• US Court of

Appeals for Veterans Claims

OTHER CONSTITUTIONAL COURTS

Court of International trade9 judges Civil cases from tariffs and other

trade issues Court of Appeals for the Federal

Circuit12 judges Nationwide jurisdiction