Notes

1. Inferior courts were created to function beneath the Supreme Court.
2. District Courts
1. District courts are the federal trial courts- 677 judges handle more than 350,000 cases per year- 80%of the federal caseload.
3. There are 94 district courts.
4. Breakdown
1. 12 judicial courts
2. each district is further divided into district courts
5. secret courts
1. there are two little-known about multi-judge panels that play a key role in ongoing effects to combat terrorism in the U.S. & abroad.
2. FISA meet in secret and are entitled to secret search warrants.
6. District Court Jurisdiction
1. the district court do not hear cases within original jurisdiction of the supreme court
2. district courts hear both criminal and civil cases
3. in criminal cases the us is always the prosecutor. in civil cases the us can either by the plaintiff or defendant.
4. most decisions in the federal district courts are final-meaning the cases start and end there.
7. Court of Appeals
1. these courts were created by congress to relieve the supreme court of hearing all appealed cases
2. normally 3-judge panels
8. court of international trade
1. a federal trial court only tries civil cases that arise out of the nation's customs and other trade related laws.
2. 9 judges- chief justice appointed by the president and senate.