The courts of the United States are closely linked hierarchical systems of courts at the federal and state levels. The federal courts form the judicial branch of the US government and operate under the authority of the United States Constitution and federal law. The state and territorial courts of the individual U.S. states and territories operate under the authority of the state and territorial constitutions and state and territorial law.
Federal statutes that refer to the "courts of the United States" are referring only to the courts of the federal government, and not the courts of the individual states and counties. Because of the federalist underpinnings of the division between sovereign federal and state governments, the various state court systems are free to operate in ways that vary widely from those of the federal government, and from one another. In practice, however, every state has adopted a division of its judiciary into at least two levels, and almost every state has three levels, with trial courts hearing cases which may be reviewed by appellate courts, and finally by a state supreme court. A few states have two separate supreme courts, with one having authority over civil matters and the other reviewing criminal cases. 47 states and the federal government allow at least one appeal of right from a final judgment on the merits, meaning that the court receiving the appeal must decide the appeal after it is briefed and argued properly. Three states do not provide a right to a first appeal. Rather, they give litigants only a right to petition for the right to have an appeal heard.
State courts often have diverse names and structures, as illustrated below. State courts hear about 98% of litigation; most states have courts of special jurisdiction, which typically handle minor disputes such as traffic citations, and courts of general jurisdiction responsible for more serious disputes.[1]
The U.S. federal court system hears cases involving litigants from two or more states, violations of federal laws, treaties, and the Constitution, admiralty, bankruptcy, and related issues.[2] In practice, about 80% of the cases are civil and 20% criminal.[1] The civil cases often involve civil rights, patents, and Social Security while the criminal cases involve tax fraud, robbery, counterfeiting, and drug crimes.[1] The trial courts are U.S. district courts, followed by United States courts of appeals and then the Supreme Court of the United States. The judicial system, whether state or federal, begins with a court of first instance, whose work may be reviewed by an appellate court, and then ends at the court of last resort, which may review the work of the lower courts.[3]
Institutions which may be considered courts of the United States are listed below.
Main article: United States Federal Courts |
See also: Article I and Article III tribunals |
Main article: Courts of Alabama |
Federal courts located in Alabama
(All United States District Courts in Alabama may be appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia)
Former federal courts of Alabama
Main article: Courts of Alaska |
Federal courts located in Alaska
Main article: Courts of Arizona |
Federal courts located in Arizona
Main article: Courts of Arkansas |
Federal courts located in Arkansas
Former federal courts of Arkansas
Main article: Courts of California |
Federal courts located in California
Former federal courts of California
Main article: Courts of Colorado |
Federal courts located in Colorado
Main article: Courts of Connecticut |
Federal court located in Connecticut:
Main article: Courts of Delaware |
Federal courts located in Delaware
Main article: Courts of Florida |
Federal courts located in Florida
Former federal courts of Florida
Main article: Courts of Georgia (U.S. state) |
Federal courts located in Georgia
Former federal courts of Georgia
Main article: Courts of Hawaii |
Federal courts located in Hawaii
Main article: Courts of Idaho |
Federal courts located in Idaho
Main article: Courts of Illinois |
State courts of Illinois
Further information: State court (United States) |
Federal courts located in Illinois
Further information: Federal judiciary of the United States |
Former federal courts of Illinois
Main article: Courts of Indiana |
Federal courts located in Indiana
Former federal courts of Indiana
Main article: Courts of Iowa |
Federal courts located in Iowa
Former federal courts of Iowa
Main article: Courts of Kansas |
Federal courts located in Kansas
Main article: Courts of Kentucky |
Under an amendment to the Kentucky Constitution passed by the state's voters in 1975,[128] judicial power in Kentucky is "vested exclusively in one Court of Justice", divided into the following:[129]
Main article: Courts of Louisiana |
Main article: Courts of Maine |
Federal courts located in Maine
Main article: Courts of Maryland |
Federal courts located in Maryland
Former federal courts of Maryland
Main article: Courts of Massachusetts |
Federal courts located in Massachusetts
Main article: Courts of Michigan |
Federal courts located in Michigan
Former federal courts of Michigan
Main article: Courts of Minnesota |
Federal courts located in Minnesota
Main article: Courts of Mississippi |
Federal courts located in Mississippi
Former federal courts of Mississippi
Main article: Courts of Missouri |
Federal courts located in Missouri
Former federal courts of Missouri
Main article: Courts of Montana |
Federal courts located in Montana
Main article: Courts of Nebraska |
Federal courts located in Nebraska
Main article: Judiciary of Nevada |
Federal courts located in Nevada
Main article: Courts of New Hampshire |
Federal courts located in New Hampshire
Main article: Courts of New Jersey |
Further information: Judiciary of New Jersey |
Federal courts located in New Jersey
Former federal courts of New Jersey
Main article: Courts of New Mexico |
Federal courts located in New Mexico
Main article: Courts of New York |
Federal courts located in New York
Former federal courts of New York
Main article: Courts of North Carolina |
Federal courts located in North Carolina
Former federal courts of North Carolina
Main article: Courts of North Dakota |
Federal courts located in North Dakota
Main article: Courts of Ohio |
Federal courts located in this state
Former federal courts of Ohio
Main article: Courts of Oklahoma |
Federal courts located in Oklahoma
Main article: Courts of Oregon |
Federal courts located in Oregon
Main article: Courts of Pennsylvania |
Former colonial and state courts of Pennsylvania
Federal courts located in Pennsylvania
Former federal courts located in Pennsylvania
Main article: Courts of Rhode Island |
Federal courts located in Rhode Island
Main article: Courts of South Carolina |
Federal courts located in South Carolina
Main article: Courts of South Dakota |
State courts of South Dakota
Federal courts located in South Dakota
Main article: Courts of Tennessee |
Federal courts located in Tennessee
Former federal courts of Tennessee
Main article: Courts of Texas |
Federal courts located in Texas
Former federal courts of Texas
Main article: Courts of Utah |
Federal courts located in Utah
Main article: Courts of Vermont |
Federal courts located in Vermont
Main article: Courts of Virginia |
Federal courts located in Virginia
Former federal courts of Virginia
Main article: Courts of Washington (state) |
State courts of Washington
Federal courts located in Washington
Former federal courts of Washington
Main article: Courts of West Virginia |
Federal courts located in West Virginia
Former federal courts of West Virginia
Main article: Courts of Wisconsin |
Federal courts located in Wisconsin
Former federal courts of Wisconsin
Main article: Courts of Wyoming |
Federal courts located in Wyoming
Federal courts located in the District of Columbia
Former federal courts in the District of Columbia
See also: United States territorial court |
Federal courts located in Puerto Rico:
Due to its involvement in the resolution of crimes and conflicts, which are an intricate part of drama, the U.S. judicial system is often portrayed in American literature and films.
Several Hollywood films such as A Few Good Men (1992) and Runaway Jury (2003) are set around its courts.