CRJ 203

Overview of the Federal Court System

The federal court system derives its authority primarily from Article III, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution.
Only one court, the U.S. Supreme Court, is created by the Constitution; all other federal courts are established by Congress.
This distinction means the Supreme Court cannot be abolished by congressional action.

Federal courts handle a narrow class of cases under federal question jurisdiction.
- Cases that arise under federal law, including:
  - Constitutionality challenges to governmental actions.
  - Interpretations of federal statutes (e.g., bankruptcy, civil rights, antitrust).
  - Federal administrative regulations (e.g., SEC for securities, EPA for environmental laws).
State laws may raise federal questions; conflicts with federal laws can lead to federal court adjudication.

Federal courts also have jurisdiction over diversity of citizenship cases:
- These cases involve parties from different states and state law claims.
- Example: A traffic accident case between plaintiffs and defendants from different states.
- The federal diversity jurisdiction exists to prevent unfair treatment of out-of-state defendants.
A plaintiff can choose to file in state or federal court, and defendants can seek removal to federal court.

The most common types of federal criminal cases are:
- Immigration offenses.
- Drug offenses.
Federal criminal laws govern a small percentage of crimes, with most criminal activity handled by state courts.
Federal jurisdiction exists primarily for crimes that occur on federal land or involve federal issues.

U.S. District Courts:
- Created by the Judiciary Act of 1789; they are the major trial courts for federal cases.
- There are 94 district courts, with at least one in each state, and more for larger states.
- Handle both federal question and diversity of citizenship cases; courts of original jurisdiction.
Appellate Courts:
- After losing in district court, parties can appeal to the U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals.
- Approximately 179 circuit judges; they finalize interpretations of federal law in most cases.
- The appellate process involves reviewing records and briefs from the district court.
- The Circuit Court can affirm or reverse district court decisions.

Organized geographically into 13 circuits; 11 numbered and a Federal Circuit.
The Federal Circuit handles specialized cases, particularly patent and trademark disputes.

Established by Article III of the U.S. Constitution and consists of 9 justices (1 chief justice and 8 associate justices).
Has limited original jurisdiction, primarily concerning cases involving states or ambassadors.
Majority of its cases are heard in appellate jurisdiction with authority to review lower court decisions.
- Discretionary jurisdiction; most cases require a grant of a writ of certiorari (requires at least 4 justices).
- The Court hears around 80 to 120 cases per year from thousands of petitions; typically based on:
  - Conflicting decisions by circuit courts.
  - Different interpretations of federal questions by state high courts.
  - New and significant federal legal issues.

Article 1 Courts:
- Created by Congress, such as the Tax Court and the Court of Federal Claims.
Article 3 Courts (Judges appointed by the President):
- Court of Veterans' Appeals, Court of International Trade, and Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces handle specific matters.
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Courts:
- Focus on electronic surveillance for intelligence purposes.
- Judges are borrowed from other courts for cases.

The federal court system is a complex structure including district courts, circuit courts, the Supreme Court, and specialized courts, all serving distinct but interconnected roles in the administration of federal justice.