Study GuideCriminal JusƟce–Criminal Courts1. Federal CourtsThe federal court system is organized much like state court systems. It follows a pyramid structure,with trial courts at the bottom, appellate courts in the middle, and the U.S.Supreme Court at the top.Each level has a different role in handling cases.1.1 U.S. District Courts: The Trial CourtsAt the base of the federal court system are the94 U.S. district courts. These are thetrial courtsofthe federal system, where cases begin.Every state hasat least one federal district court, and larger states have several districts. Thesecourts handle bothcivil cases(such as lawsuits) andcriminal cases(cases involving violations offederal law).In 1997, more than300,000 caseswere filed in federal district courts. About15 percentof thesewere criminal cases. Since 1972, the number of criminal cases has gone up, mainly because of anincrease indrug-related cases. In fact,drugs, fraud, and immigration casesmade up over60percentof all criminal defendants in federal district courts in 1997.1.2 U.S. Courts of Appeals: Reviewing DecisionsAbove the district courts are theU.S. courts of appeals, also known ascircuit courts. These courtshave two main jobs:1.To hearappeals from federal district courts2.To reduce the workload of the U.S. Supreme CourtUnlike district courts, appeals courts do not use just one judge. Instead, cases are usually heard bythree-judge panels. In especially important cases, the court may hear the caseen banc, whichmeansall the judges in that circuitparticipate.The main role of the courts of appeals isreview, not trial. They focus on:•Interpreting lawsPreview Mode
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