Trial and Appellate Courts

Read this section, which discusses the jurisdiction of various courts in the United States. The judicial system of the United States involves complex webs of jurisdiction. For example, some courts can hold trials, while other courts only hear appeals from trial court decisions. In some situations, a case must be brought in a state court, and in others it can be brought in a federal court. Some courts have broad jurisdiction, and some courts are given only limited jurisdiction. This section covers these issues in more detail.