Fees

The courts of the United States are closely linked hierarchical systems of courts at the federal and state levels. The federal courts form the judicial branch of the federal government of the United States and operate under the authority of the United States Constitution and federal law. The state and territorial courts of the individual U.S. states and territories operate under the authority of the state and territorial constitutions and state and territorial law.

Federal statutes that refer to the "courts of the United States" are referring only to the courts of the federal government, and not the courts of the individual states and counties. Because of the federalist underpinnings of the division between sovereign federal and state governments, the various state court systems are free to operate in ways that vary widely from those of the federal government, and from one another. In practice, however, every state has adopted a division of its judiciary into at least two levels, and almost every state has three levels, with trial courts hearing cases which may be reviewed by appellate courts, and finally by a state supreme court. A few states have two separate supreme courts, with one having authority over civil matters and the other reviewing criminal cases. 47 states and the federal government allow at least one appeal of right from a final judgment on the merits, meaning that the court receiving the appeal must decide the appeal after it is briefed and argued properly. Three states do not provide a right to a first appeal. Rather, they give litigants only a right to petition for the right to have an appeal heard.

State courts often have diverse names and structures, as illustrated below. State courts hear about 98% of litigation; most states have courts of special jurisdiction, which typically handle minor disputes such as traffic citations, and courts of general jurisdiction responsible for more serious disputes.[1]

The U.S. federal court system hears cases involving litigants from two or more states, violations of federal laws, treaties, and the Constitution, admiralty, bankruptcy, and related issues.[2]In practice, about 80% of the cases are civil and 20% criminal.[1] The civil cases often involve civil rights, patents, and Social Security while the criminal cases involve tax fraud, robbery, counterfeiting, and drug crimes.[1] The trial courts are U.S. district courts, followed by United States courts of appeals and then the Supreme Court of the United States. The judicial system, whether state or federal, begins with a court of first instance, whose work may be reviewed by an appellate court, and then ends at the court of last resort, which may review the work of the lower courts.[3]

Institutions which may be considered courts of the United States are listed below.

• 1United States Federal Courts
  • 1.1Geographic based jurisdiction
  • 1.2Specific subject-matter jurisdiction
  • 1.3Former United States Courts
• 2Courts by state of the United States
  • 2.1Alabama
  • 2.2Alaska
  • 2.3Arizona
  • 2.4Arkansas
  • 2.5California
  • 2.6Colorado
  • 2.7Connecticut
  • 2.8Delaware
  • 2.9Florida
  • 2.10Georgia
  • 2.11Hawaii
  • 2.12Idaho
  • 2.13Illinois
  • 2.14Indiana
  • 2.15Iowa
  • 2.16Kansas
  • 2.17Kentucky
  • 2.18Louisiana
  • 2.19Maine
  • 2.20Maryland
  • 2.21Massachusetts
  • 2.22Michigan
  • 2.23Minnesota
  • 2.24Mississippi
  • 2.25Missouri
  • 2.26Montana
  • 2.27Nebraska
  • 2.28Nevada
  • 2.29New Hampshire
  • 2.30New Jersey
  • 2.31New Mexico
  • 2.32New York
  • 2.33North Carolina
  • 2.34North Dakota
  • 2.35Ohio
  • 2.36Oklahoma
  • 2.37Oregon
  • 2.38Pennsylvania
  • 2.39Rhode Island
  • 2.40South Carolina
  • 2.41South Dakota
  • 2.42Tennessee
  • 2.43Texas
  • 2.44Utah
  • 2.45Vermont
  • 2.46Virginia
  • 2.47Washington
  • 2.48West Virginia
  • 2.49Wisconsin
  • 2.50Wyoming
• 3Courts in the District of Columbia
• 4Courts of the Territories of the United States
  • 4.1American Samoa
  • 4.2Guam
    • 4.2.1United States territorial court
  • 4.3Northern Mariana Islands
    • 4.3.1United States territorial court
  • 4.4Panama Canal Zone
  • 4.5Puerto Rico
  • 4.6United States Virgin Islands
    • 4.6.1United States territorial court
• 5Extraterritorial courts of the United States
• 6U.S. judicial system in popular culture
• 7References
• 8External links

Main article: United States Federal CourtsThe geographical boundary of the 12 United States Courts of Appeals

• Trial Courts: United States district courts[4] (see federal court sections by state below for specific district courts)
  • List of United States district and territorial courts (94 courts, also listed by state below)
• Appellate Courts: United States courts of appeals[5]
  • United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit[6]
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit[7]
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit[8]
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit[9]
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit[10]
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit[11]
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit[12]
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit[13]
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit[14]
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit[15]
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit[16]
  • United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit[17]
• Court of last resort:
  • Supreme Court of the United States[18]

Headquarters of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims on Madison Place in Washington, D.C.See also: Article I and Article III tribunals

• United States federal courts with Original Jurisdiction over specific subject matter:
  • United States Tax Court[19]
  • Patent Trial and Appeal Board
  • International Trade Commission
  • United States Court of International Trade[20]
  • United States Court of Federal Claims[21]
  • United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court[22]
  • United States bankruptcy courts[23]
  • Trademark Trial and Appeal Board
  • United States Merit Systems Protection Board
  • United States Alien Terrorist Removal Court
• Courts with Appellate Jurisdiction over specific subject matter:
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit[24]
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces[25]
    • United States Army Court of Criminal Appeals
    • Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals
    • Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals
    • Coast Guard Court of Criminal Appeals
  • United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims[26]
  • United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review
  • United States Court of Military Commission Review
  • Civilian Board of Contract Appeals
  • Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals
  • Postal Service Board of Contract Appeals
  • Office of Dispute Resolution for Acquisition
  • Board of Immigration Appeals
  • Board of Veterans' Appeals

• Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences (before 2012)
• Court of Appeals in Cases of Capture (1780–1789)
• Temporary Emergency Court of Appeals (1971–1992)[27]
• United States circuit courts (1789–1911)
• United States Commerce Court (1910–1913)[28]
• United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals (1909–1982)
• United States Court of Private Land Claims (1891–1904)[29]
• United States Court for Berlin (1955–1990)
• United States District Court for the Canal Zone ( -1982)
• United States Court for China (1906–1943)

• State supreme courts
  • State court (United States)

 Courts of Alabama State courts of Alabama

• Supreme Court of Alabama[30]
  • Alabama Court of Civil Appeals[31]
  • Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals[32]
    • Alabama Circuit Courts (41 circuits)[33]
      • Alabama District Courts (67 districts)[33]
      • Alabama Municipal Courts (273 courts)[33]
      • Alabama Probate Courts (68 courts)[33]
  • Alabama Court of the Judiciary[34]

Federal courts located in Alabama

• United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama[35]
• United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama[36]
• United States District Court for the Southern District of Alabama[37]

(All United States District Courts in Alabama may be appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia)

Former federal courts of Alabama

• United States District Court for the District of Alabama (extinct, subdivided in 1824)

 Courts of Alaska State courts of Alaska

• Alaska Supreme Court[38]
  • Alaska Court of Appeals[38]
    • Alaska Superior Court (4 districts containing 40 judgeships)[39]
      • Alaska District Court (21 judgeships)[39]

Federal courts located in Alaska

• United States District Court for the District of Alaska[40]

Courts of Arizona  State courts of Arizona

• Arizona Supreme Court[41]
  • Arizona Court of Appeals (2 divisions)[42]
    • Superior Court of Arizona (15 counties)[42]
      • Justices of the Peace (county courts) [43] and Arizona Municipal Courts, city trial courts and courts of limited jurisdiction

Federal courts located in Arizona

• United States District Court for the District of Arizona[44]

Main article: Courts of ArkansasState courts of Arkansas

• Arkansas Supreme Court[45]
  • Arkansas Court of Appeals[46]
    • Arkansas Circuit Courts (23 judicial circuits)[47]
      • Arkansas District Courts (formerly Arkansas Municipal Courts) [48]
      • Arkansas City Courts[49]

Federal courts located in Arkansas

• United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas[50]
• United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas[51]
• United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas

Former federal courts of Arkansas

• United States District Court for the District of Arkansas (extinct, subdivided)

Courts of California Headquarters of the Supreme Court of California, in San Francisco.State courts of record of California

• Supreme Court of California[52]
• California Courts of Appeal (6 appellate districts)[53]
• Superior Courts of California (58 courts, one for each county)[54]

State quasi-administrative courts of California

• State Bar Court of California;[55] an administrative court within the judicial branch, subordinate to the California Supreme Court

State administrative courts of CaliforniaThis list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

• California State Personnel Board, hearing appeals from state human resources matters
• California Labor Commissioner's Office
• Office of Administrative Hearings, California Department of General Services[56]
• California Office of Tax Appeals, hearing appeals from the Franchise Tax Board and California Department of Tax and Fee Administration
• California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board, hearing appeals from the Employment Development Department
• California Office of Administrative Law, when hearing underground regulation petitions[57]

Federal courts located in California

• United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (headquartered in San Francisco, having jurisdiction over the United States District Courts of Alaska, Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, the Northern Mariana Islands, Oregon, and Washington)
  • United States District Court for the Central District of California[58]
  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of California[59]
  • United States District Court for the Northern District of California[60]
  • United States District Court for the Southern District of California[61]

Former federal courts of California

• United States District Court for the District of California (extinct, subdivided)

 Courts of ColoradoState courts of Colorado

• Colorado Supreme Court[62]
  • Colorado Court of Appeals[63]
    • Colorado District Courts (22 judicial districts)[64]
      • Colorado County Courts[65]

Federal courts located in Colorado

• United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit (headquartered in Denver, having jurisdiction over the United States District Courts of Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah, and Wyoming)
• United States District Court for the District of Colorado[66]

 Courts of ConnecticutState courts of Connecticut

• Connecticut Supreme Court[67]
  • Connecticut Appellate Court[68]
    • Connecticut Superior Court (13 districts)[69]
    • Connecticut Probate Courts (54 districts)[70]

Federal court located in Connecticut:

• United States District Court for the District of Connecticut[71]

Courts of DelawareState courts of Delaware

• Delaware Supreme Court[72]
  • Delaware Court of Chancery[73]
  • Delaware Superior Court (3 courts, one for each county)[74]
    • Delaware Family Court[75]
    • Delaware Court of Common Pleas[76]
    • Delaware Justice of the Peace Court
    • Delaware Alderman's Court

Federal courts located in Delaware

• United States District Court for the District of Delaware[77]

Courts of Florida Headquarters of the Florida Supreme Court in Tallahassee.State courts of Florida

• Florida Supreme Court[78]
  • Florida District Courts of Appeal (5 districts)[79]
    • Florida Circuit Courts (20 judicial circuits)[80]
      • Florida County Courts (67 courts, one for each county)[81]

Federal courts located in Florida

• United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida[82]
• United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida[83]
• United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida[84]

Former federal courts of Florida

• United States District Court for the District of Florida (extinct, subdivided)

Main article: Courts of Georgia (U.S. state)State courts of Georgia

• Supreme Court of Georgia[85]
  • Georgia Court of Appeals[86]
    • Georgia Superior Courts (49 judicial circuits)[87]
      • Georgia State Courts[88]
        • Georgia Magistrate Courts[89]
        • Georgia Juvenile Courts[90]
        • Georgia Probate Courts[91]
        • Georgia Municipal Courts[92]

Federal courts located in Georgia

• United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (headquartered in Atlanta, having jurisdiction over the United States District Courts of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia)
• United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia[93]
• United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia[94]
• United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia[95]

Former federal courts of Georgia

• United States District Court for the District of Georgia (extinct, subdivided)

 Courts of Hawaii Aliʻiōlani Hale, in Honolulu, the building where the Hawaiʻi State Supreme CourtmeetsState courts of Hawaii

• Hawaiʻi State Supreme Court[96]
  • Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals[97]
    • Hawaii state circuit courts (4 circuits)[98]
    • Hawaii State family courts (4 circuits)[99]
    • Hawaii state district courts (including Small Claims Court)[100]
    • Hawaiʻi State Land Court[101]
    • Hawaii Tax Appeal Court[101]

Federal courts located in Hawaii

• United States District Court for the District of Hawaii[102]

Courts of IdahoState courts of Idaho

• Idaho Supreme Court[103]
  • Idaho Court of Appeals[103]
    • Idaho District Courts (7 judicial districts)[104]
      • Idaho Drug Court
      • Idaho Mental Health Court

Federal courts located in Idaho

• United States District Court for the District of Idaho[105]

 Courts of IllinoisThe Dirksen Federal Building in Chicago, headquarters of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

State courts of Illinois

Further information: State court (United States)

• Supreme Court of Illinois[106]
  • Illinois Appellate Court (5 districts)[107]
    • Illinois Circuit Courts (24 judicial circuits)[108]

Federal courts located in Illinois

Further information: Federal judiciary of the United States

• United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (headquartered in Chicago, having jurisdiction over the United States District Courts of Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin)
• United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois[109]
• United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois[110]
• United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois[111]

Former federal courts of Illinois

• United States District Court for the District of Illinois (extinct, subdivided in 1855)[112]
• United States District Court for the Eastern District of Illinois (extinct, reorganized in 1978)[112]

Courts of IndianaState courts of Indiana The E. Ross Adair Federal Building, seat of the Fort Wayne division of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana

• Indiana Supreme Court[113]
  • Indiana Court of Appeals (5 districts; previously Indiana Appellate Court)[114]
    • Indiana Tax Court[115]
    • Indiana Circuit Courts (91 circuits)[116][117]
    • Indiana Superior Courts (177 divisions)[116][117]
    • Indiana city and town courts[116][117]

Federal courts located in Indiana

• United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana[118]
• United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana[119]

Former federal courts of Indiana

• United States District Court for the District of Indiana (extinct, subdivided)

IOWA

Main article: Courts of IowaState courts of Iowa

• Iowa Supreme Court[120]
  • Iowa Court of Appeals[121]
    • Iowa District Courts (8 districts)[122]

Federal courts located in Iowa

• United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa[123]
• United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa[124]

Former federal courts of Iowa

• United States District Court for the District of Iowa (extinct, subdivided)

Main article: Courts of KansasState courts of Kansas

• Kansas Supreme Court[125]
  • Kansas Court of Appeals[126]
    • Kansas District Courts (31 districts)[127]
      • Kansas Municipal Courts[128]

Federal courts located in Kansas

• United States District Court for the District of Kansas[129]

Main article: Courts of KentuckyKentucky Court of Justice

Under an amendment to the Kentucky Constitution passed by the state's voters in 1975,[130] judicial power in Kentucky is "vested exclusively in one Court of Justice", divided into the following:[131]

• Kentucky Supreme Court[132]
  • Kentucky Court of Appeals[133]
    • Kentucky Circuit Courts (57 circuits)[134]
      • Kentucky District Courts (60 judicial districts)[135]

Federal courts located in this state

• United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky[136]
• United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky[137]

Former federal courts of Kentucky

• United States District Court for the District of Kentucky (extinct, subdivided)

 Courts of LouisianaState courts of Louisiana Louisiana judicial districts map

• Louisiana Supreme Court[138]
  • Louisiana Circuit Courts of Appeal (5 circuits)[139]
    • Louisiana District Courts (42 districts)[140]

Federal courts located in Louisiana The John Minor Wisdom U.S. Courthouse, home of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in New Orleans

• United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana; having jurisdiction over the United States District Courts of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas)
• United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana[141]
• United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana[142]
• United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana[143]

Former federal courts of Louisiana

• United States District Court for the District of Orleans (territorial court of the Territory of Orleans, extinct, abolished when Louisiana became a state on April 30, 1812)
• United States District Court for the District of Louisiana (extinct, subdivided)

 Courts of MaineState courts of Maine

• Maine Supreme Judicial Court[144]
  • Maine Superior Court[145]
    • Maine District Courts (13 districts) [146]
    • Maine Problem-Solving Courts[147]

Federal courts located in Maine

• United States District Court for the District of Maine[148]

Courts of Maryland Maryland judicial circuit mapState courts of Maryland

• Maryland Court of Appeals[149]
  • Maryland Court of Special Appeals[150]
    • Maryland Circuit Courts (8 judicial circuits)[151]
      • Maryland District Courts (34 locations in 12 judicial districts)[152]

Federal courts located in Maryland

• United States District Court for the District of Maryland[153]

Former federal courts of Maryland

• United States District Court for the District of Potomac (1801–1802; also contained the District of Columbia and pieces of Virginia; extinct, reorganized)[154]

Courts of Massachusetts  John Adams Courthouse in Boston, Massachusetts, home to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and Massachusetts Appeals CourtState courts of MassachusettsJudicial courts

• Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court[155]
  • Massachusetts Appeals Court[156]
    • Massachusetts Trial Court[157]
      • Massachusetts Superior Court (14 divisions)[158]
      • Massachusetts District Court[159]
      • Massachusetts Boston Municipal Court[160]
      • Massachusetts Land Court[161]
      • Massachusetts Housing Court[162]
      • Massachusetts Juvenile Court[163]
      • Massachusetts Probate and Family Court[164]

Administrative courts

• Massachusetts Appellate Tax Board[165]
• Massachusetts Division of Labor Relations[166]

Federal courts located in Massachusetts

• United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit (headquartered in Boston, having jurisdiction over the United States District Courts of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Puerto Rico)
• United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts[167]