Federal Court System
Reagan Howell
District Courts
Do you have a court case? Well you're in the right spot! All trials are held here in the District Courts and this is where all the lawsuits begin!
Did you know District Courts have Original Jurisdiction? This means that the District Courts have the authority to hear the case for the first time!
Did you know District Courts have Original Jurisdiction? This means that the District Courts have the authority to hear the case for the first time!
Court of Appeals
The Court of Appeals is the 2nd level in the federal court system! Here they review decisions that are made in the district courts.
Unlike the District Courts the Court of Appeals has Appellate Jurisdiction. They have the authority to hear a case appealed from a lower court!
Unlike the District Courts the Court of Appeals has Appellate Jurisdiction. They have the authority to hear a case appealed from a lower court!
Federal Court System
Circuit
Each of the 12 US Courts of Appeals cover a particular geographic area. This is known as a Circuit.
Remand
The Appeals Court doesn't hold trials instead they listen to the arguments from both sides of the case. They can decide to remand the case. This means they send it back to the lower court to be tried again!
Opinoins and Precedents
Once the decision for the Appeals Courts are made one Appellate Judge writes an opinion. This explains the legal thinking behind the courts decision in the case. The opinion then sets a precedent. This is a model other judges can follow when making decisions on similar cases.
Life Terms
Federal Judges are appointed by the President and approved by the Senate. Only Supreme Court Justices serve for life. They serve for life terms. This means they can serve as long as they want.
Other Government Officials
Magistrate Judges can decide whether an accused person should be held in jail or released on bail. They follow the Judges routine work and hear preliminary evidence to decide whether a case should go to trial.
US Attorneys are government lawyers who prosecute people accused of breaking federal laws.
US Marshall's make arrest, collect fines, take convicted people to prison. They also protect jurors, keep order in court and serve subpoenas.
US Attorneys are government lawyers who prosecute people accused of breaking federal laws.
US Marshall's make arrest, collect fines, take convicted people to prison. They also protect jurors, keep order in court and serve subpoenas.