How the U.S. Justice System is Arranged

The Justice System of the United States is an institution that steeles legal disputes and administers justice and is made up of two seperate courts, the federal and state. Courts resolve situations involving individuals, organizations, and goverments. They also decide the innocence or guilt of a person acused of a crime.

The Federal Court System

The Federal Court handles both criminal and civil cases involving the constitution and federal laws. They also handle cases between people of different states or groups from other countries or their citizens, bankruptcy actions, and cases of infringed patent and copyrights.

The Federal Court System includes
District Courts, Courts of Appeals, and the Supreme Court.
The District Courts are courts that hear the most cases involving a violation of Federal Law.
The Courts of Appeals reviews appeals from district court and decisions made by certain federal agencies.
The Supreme Court is the "High Court of the Land". A person who has lost a case in the highest State Court or the District Court may appeal the Supreme Court, but it refuses to review many of the appealed cases.

The Federal Court System also includes several specialized courts.
United States Claims Court - Hears cases of claims against the Federal Government.
Court of International Trade - Settles disputes involving import duties.
Tax Courts - Appeals of tax payers ordered to pay additional taxes.
Military Courts - Courts that rule over offenses by members of the Armed Services
Court of Military Appeals - Reviews court-martial rulings.

The State Court System

In the State Court System their are two levels of courts. The higher level and the lower level. The higher level are called General Jurisdiction Courts and the lower level are called Limited Jurisdiction Courts.

General Jurisdiction Courts
These courts are know as Circuit Courts, Superior Courts and Courts of Common. These courts handle both civil and criminal trials. Another general jurisdiction court is the Intermediate Appeals Court, this court handles appeals from the other high courts. The absolute highest state court is called the Supreme Court.

Limited Jurisdiction Courts
The Limited Jurisdiction Courts are lower then the General Jurisdiction Courts and handle smaller cases. Their are three main section of this court. The courts that handle minor civil and criminal cases are the Police Courts, Magistrate's Courts, County Courts and Justices of the Peace. The court that handles cases involving small amounts of money is the Small Claims Court. Courts that handle cases involving cases over inheritance disputes and wills are Probate or Surrogate Courts. Click to learn about Civil and Criminal Trials or back to the Guide to the Government homepage.