U.S. Judicial Systems and How to Sue Someone

Federal district courts

-There are 94 of them

-They are trial courts that find out the facts

-They hear cases involving federal questions & constitutional matters

-Trials in these courts sometimes have juries and are sometimes bench trials

-Includes the Court of International Trade and US Court of Federal Claims

US Courts of Appeals

Doesn’t establish a factual record

Examines whether trial court properly considered the facts of the case

Determines if law was applied properly in light of facts established at trial court

can order a new trial if there’s new important evidence or return case to trial court for resolution w/ new instructions

DC Circuit Court

Deals with federal admin agency cases

Federal circuits

Deals with patent law and international trade/Federal Claims Courts cases

94

How many federal judicial districts are there?

12

The federal judicial districts are ordered into___circuits which each have one court

13

There are___federal appellate courts

US Supreme Court

Has jurisdiction over constitutional and federal law cases as well as disputes between two or more states; ambassadors or public ministers of foreigen countries; disputes; admirals; and maritime law

Memorandum decision

only gives the result of the US Supreme Court’s decision on a case

Per curiae opinion

opinion attributed to the entire US Supreme Court; not just written by a single judge

State trial courts

Represent certain jurisdictions within a county or state

handle all criminal and civil matters

include juries or hold bench trials

Deal with small civil suits

Limited jurisdiction courts at trial level

deal with small claims, traffic violations, misdemeanors, city code violations, et