Federal Court System
There are three levels to the Federal Court system, US Federal District courts, the US Federal Court of Appeals, and the US Supreme Court, in ascending order.
US District courts are the lowest courts in the Federal court system, and there are 94 of them, with at least one in each state and up to four in populous states such as California. District courts have judges, not justices, and each court usually has between two and twenty-eight judges. District courts hear both civil and criminal cases.
If a party is dissatisfied with the verdict reached in District court, they may appeal to the US Court of Appeals, where the case is retried. Note that the prosecution may not appeal a verdict in which the defendant is acquitted. When a party appeals a verdict, the case goes to one of the 12 Regional Circuit Court of Appeals (the 13th is in Washington, it is the Federal Circuit). These cases are usually seen by panels of three judges at a time.
If the party is again dissatisfied with the Federal Court of Appeals verdict, they may appeal to the
US District courts are the lowest courts in the Federal court system, and there are 94 of them, with at least one in each state and up to four in populous states such as California. District courts have judges, not justices, and each court usually has between two and twenty-eight judges. District courts hear both civil and criminal cases.
If a party is dissatisfied with the verdict reached in District court, they may appeal to the US Court of Appeals, where the case is retried. Note that the prosecution may not appeal a verdict in which the defendant is acquitted. When a party appeals a verdict, the case goes to one of the 12 Regional Circuit Court of Appeals (the 13th is in Washington, it is the Federal Circuit). These cases are usually seen by panels of three judges at a time.
If the party is again dissatisfied with the Federal Court of Appeals verdict, they may appeal to the