U.S. Government and Civics / Unit 8: The Federal Courts
8.1 Structure of the Federal Courts
Notes
Article III creates the Supreme Court and lets Congress create lower federal courts.
- District courts (94): federal trial courts, where cases start; they hear witnesses and juries decide facts.
- Courts of appeals (13 circuits: 12 regional plus the Federal Circuit): review district court decisions for legal errors; no juries.
- Supreme Court: the highest court. Congress sets the number of justices; it has been nine since 1869 (one chief justice and eight associate justices).
- The Judiciary Act of 1789 set up the first federal court system.
- Federal judges serve "during good Behaviour," which in practice means for life, and their pay cannot be reduced. This protects judicial independence.
- Dual court system: the U.S. has both federal and state courts. Most cases are heard in state courts.
Practice
Where would a federal criminal trial with a jury most likely take place?
District courts are the federal trial courts.
Who decides how many justices sit on the Supreme Court?
The number is set by statute and has been nine since 1869.
Why do federal judges serve for life during good behavior?
Life tenure and protected salaries support judicial independence.
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