Matthew Powell
Administrative Courts. Was a false claim filed with Worker’s Comp? If so, an administrative court, which exists within the organization and only for the purpose of deciding related cases, may hear the testimony. Many federal and state governmental organizations have the organized judicial bodies.
State Courts. Of course, an administrative court has very limited jurisdiction and if a case, even a related one, cannot be decided within such an organization, then the next step would be to seek the audience of a state court. Every state in this country, including Washington, D.C., has its own individual court system. Again, these courts have limited jurisdiction and they are limited by geography. Generally, these courts see cases that involve state laws, such as a Tampa auto accident, for example. There is also, in most states, a State Supreme Court that acts as a slightly higher power when compared to others that exist within the same borders.
Federal District Courts. When it is not state law being questioned in a particular area, but rather a federal law, district courts may claim jurisdiction. These courts are also commonly utilized when the two parties of the case reside in different states. There are ninety-four district courts in this country. There is at least one federal district court in each state, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
Federal Courts of Appeals. As one might guess, these courts hear the cases that have been previously decided in district courts and then appealed. There are twelve courts, which each presiding over a specific geographical region. There is also the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which has nationwide jurisdiction in certain types of cases, including those previously heard by the Court of International Trade and the Court of Federal Claims.
Supreme Court. Above all others in this country is the United States Supreme Court. This is the court that decides only a limited number of cases each year, many of which have worked their way up from state or district courts. The cases heard by the Supreme Court often question translations of the U.S. Constitution. Therefore, decisions made in the Supreme Court can have a serious and lasting impact on the country as a whole.
Matthew Powell