THE COURT SYSTEM
Answers: 1.c; 2.dIf you are convicted in a U.S. district court and
want to appeal the ruling, with which court
would you file an appeal?
a the state supreme court
b the state court of appeals
c the U.S. court of appeals for your region
d the U.S. Supreme Court
e none of the aboveIf your case is heard by your state supreme
court and you want to appeal the decision,
with which court would you file an appeal?
a the trial court of original jurisdiction
b the state court of appeals
c the U.S. court of appeals for your region
d the U.S. Supreme Court (if the case
involves a federal question)
e none of the above12POP
QUIZ!
FEDERAL^ COUR
TS
STATE^ AND^ LOCAL (^) CO
UR
TS
U.S. Courts of Appeals
12 regional courts and the U.S. Court of
Appeals for the Federal Circuit;
decided 55,126 cases in 2010–11.
United States Supreme Court
Received 7,857 filings for the 2010–11 term;
86 cases argued; 83 disposed of in
75 signed opinions.
TRIAL COURTS OF
LIMITED AND SPECIAL
JURISDICTION
TRIAL COURTS OF
GENERAL AND ORIGINAL
JURISDICTION
District Courts, County
Courts, Municipal Courts
About 90 million filing in
state and local courts of
original jurisdiction.
Courts of Appeals
300,000 cases in the 38 states with
courts of appeals.
State Supreme Courts
About 85,000 cases in 50 courts.
Examples: Juvenile
Court, Traffic Court,
Small Claims Court,
Justice of the Peace,
Family Court.
INTERMEDIATE
APPEALS
COURTS
TRIAL
COURTS
FINAL
APPEALS
COURTS
If federal question
Data on federal courts are from the U.S. Supreme Court,
"2011 Year-End Report on the Federal Judiciary,"
http://www.supremecourt.gov/publicinfo/year-end/2011year-endreport.pdf
(accessed 9/5/12).
TRIAL COURTS OF
LIMITED AND SPECIAL
JURISDICTION
TRIAL COURTS OF
GENERAL AND ORIGINAL
JURISDICTION
Examples: Federal
Claims Court, Tax Court,
Court of International
Trade, Court of
Veterans Appeals.
94 District Courts
Decided 289,252 civil
cases and 78,440 criminal
cases in 2010–11.
How It Works