Federal Court System Overview
Article III of the Constitution invests the judicial power of the United States in the federal court system. Federal courts are called courts of “limited” jurisdiction because they can only hear specific disputes involving the United States government, the Constitution, or federal laws, as well as, controversies between states or between the U.S. government and foreign governments.
The Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States. In the federal court system’s present form, 94 district level trial courts and 13 courts of appeals sit below the Supreme Court. The nation’s 94 district or trial courts are called U.S. District Courts. District courts resolve disputes by determining the facts and applying legal principles to decide who is right.
There is at least one district court in each state, and the District of Columbia. Each district includes a U.S. bankruptcy court as a unit of the district court. There are 13 appellate courts that sit below the Supreme Court, and they are called the U.S. Courts of Appeals.
A court of appeals hears challenges to district court decisions from courts located within its circuit, as well as appeals from decisions of federal administrative agencies. The losing party may ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review a decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals, but the Supreme Court usually is under no obligation to do so and most petitions are denied.
United States District Courts Websites
The Southern District of Florida comprises the counties of Broward, Miami-Dade, Highlands, Indian River, Martin, Monroe, Okeechobee, Palm Beach, and St. Lucie.
The Middle District of Florida comprises the counties of Baker, Bradford, Brevard, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, De Soto, Duval, Flagler, Glades, Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Hillsborough, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Marion, Nassau, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, St. Johns, Sarasota, Seminole, Sumter, Suwannee, Union, and Volusia.
The Northern District of Florida comprises the counties of Alachua, Bay, Calhoun, Dixie, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Taylor, Wakulla, Walton, and Washington.
United States Circuit Courts of Appeal Websites
Florida is within the jurisdiction of the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.
The United States Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States.