The American judicial system is made up of several different court systems, all of which are further divided into state or federal courts. Two of the most common courts within the federal court system are circuit courts and district courts. With so many courts in existence, it can be quite confusing for the average person unfamiliar with state and federal law.
If you are facing criminal charges, it is wise to understand the difference between the two. Continue reading to do just that.
District Court Systems
District courts are subordinate courts that hold trials for federal-level criminal cases, including general litigation issues and challenges to federal laws. They also deal with sentencing and penalization. District courts cover ninety four different geographic regions within the United States, including linked territories like Guam, the Virgin Island, Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia and the Northern Mariana Islands.
Although reserved for federal cases, there are some states, such as Florida and Texas, which refer to their stat-level court systems as “district” courts. In a district court, a single judge resides over a case. Federal cases are first sent through the district court system, and then work their way up the judicial system depending on the outcome in district court. After a case is ruled on, the verdict can be appealed in appellate court, otherwise known as the circuit court system.
Circuit Court Systems
Circuit courts are one step below the Supreme Court, which can send cases back to district or circuit court to be reviewed. They are also known as “Federal court of appeals” because they are appellate courts responsible for overseeing criminal appeals for cases arising from the district court system. Rather than handing down sentences and penalties, they oversee appeals on federal cases.
Circuit courts exclusively cover thirteen administrative regions within the United States. In a circuit court, a panel of judges (usually 3) reside over a case, and then rotate through each of the 13 regions in the “circuit”, hence the name. Since only about 1% of cases are accepted and seen by the Supreme Court, circuit courts basically set legal precedent.