US District Courts

A map of US Federal Courts

The U.S. federal court system has a three-tiered structure, with district courts and circuit courts forming the lower two levels.

U.S. District Courts

These are the federal trial courts where most federal cases begin. There are 94 district courts across the United States, including:

• At least one district court in each of the 50 states.
• One each in Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands
• Some larger states have multiple districts (for example, California has four: Northern, Eastern, Central, and Southern)

District courts handle both civil and criminal cases involving federal law, including cases involving the Constitution, federal statutes, disputes between states, and cases where the U.S. government is a party.

U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals

These are the intermediate appellate courts that review decisions from district courts. There are 13 circuit courts:

• 11 numbered regional circuits (1st through 11th) that cover different geographic regions of the country
• The D.C. Circuit, which covers Washington D.C. and handles many cases involving federal agencies
• The Federal Circuit, which has nationwide jurisdiction over specific types of cases like patent disputes, international trade, and certain claims against the federal government

Each regional circuit covers multiple states and their district courts. For example, the 9th Circuit covers the western states and is the largest, while the 1st Circuit covers New England and is among the smallest.

Above these courts sits the U.S. Supreme Court, which serves as the highest appellate court and final arbiter of federal law and constitutional questions.

In the map above, polygons are shown for each district court, and the circuit court for each district is depected by color.