Journalist's Guide
District
Appellate
Key Players
Process
Information Sources
Bankruptcy
Glossary
The nation's 94 federal judicial districts are organized into 12 regional circuits, each of which has a United States court of appeals. A court of appeals hears appeals from the district courts located within its circuit, as well as appeals from decisions of federal administrative agencies and some original proceedings filed directly with the courts of appeals.
A list of the 12 regional circuits and of the judicial districts they encompass is in the appendix.
The Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit is based in Washington, D.C., and has nationwide jurisdiction to hear appeals in specialized cases. The court hears appeals from the U.S. Court of International Trade, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. It also exclusively hears certain types of cases appealed from the district courts, primarily those involving patent laws.
About U.S. Courts | Newsroom | Library | Court Links | FAQs
Employment Opportunities | Contact Us | Search
This page is maintained by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts on behalf of the U.S. Courts. The purpose of this site is to function as a clearinghouse for information from and about the Judicial Branch of the U.S. Government.