Court structure in the United States
Identify the type of court structure in the United States and describe its various components. Identify the ten purposes of courts.
Sample Answer
The type of court structure in the United States is a dual court system, meaning that there are two sets of courts: state courts and federal courts. State courts handle matters that are governed by state law, while federal courts handle matters that are governed by federal law.
The components of the federal court system are as follows:
- District courts: These are the trial courts of the federal system. There is at least one district court in each state and the District of Columbia.
- Courts of appeals: There are 13 courts of appeals in the federal system. These courts review decisions from the district courts.