List of courts of the United States

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The courts of the United States are closely linked hierarchical systems of courts at the federal and state levels. The federal courts form the judicial branch of the U.S. government and operate under the authority of the United States Constitution and federal law. The state and territorial courts of the individual U.S. states and territories operate under the authority of the state and territorial constitutions and state and territorial law.

Federal statutes that refer to the "courts of the United States" are referring only to the courts of the federal government, and not the courts of the individual states and counties. Because of the federalist underpinnings of the division between sovereign federal and state governments, the various state court systems are free to operate in ways that vary widely from those of the federal government, and from one another. In practice, however, every state has adopted a division of its judiciary into at least two levels, and almost every state has three levels, with trial courts hearing cases which may be reviewed by appellate courts, and finally by a state supreme court. A few states have two separate supreme courts, with one having authority over civil matters and the other reviewing criminal cases. 47 states and the federal government allow at least one appeal of right from a final judgment on the merits, meaning that the court receiving the appeal must decide the appeal after it is briefed and argued properly. Three states do not provide a right to a first appeal. Rather, they give litigants only a right to petition for the right to have an appeal heard.

State courts often have diverse names and structures, as illustrated below. State courts hear about 98% of litigation; most states have courts of special jurisdiction, which typically handle minor disputes such as traffic citations, and courts of general jurisdiction responsible for more serious disputes.

The U.S. federal court system hears cases involving litigants from two or more states, violations of federal laws, treaties, and the Constitution, admiralty, bankruptcy, and related issues. In practice, about 80% of the cases are civil and 20% criminal. The civil cases often involve civil rights, patents, and Social Security while the criminal cases involve tax fraud, robbery, counterfeiting, and drug crimes. The trial courts are U.S. district courts, followed by United States courts of appeals and then the Supreme Court of the United States. The judicial system, whether state or federal, begins with a court of first instance, whose work may be reviewed by an appellate court, and then ends at the court of last resort, which may review the work of the lower courts.

Institutions which may be considered courts of the United States are listed below.

United States Federal Courts

Geographic based jurisdiction

Specific subject-matter jurisdiction

Former United States Courts

Courts by state of the United States

  • State supreme courts
    • State court (United States)

Alabama

State courts of Alabama
  • Supreme Court of Alabama
    • Alabama Court of Civil Appeals
    • Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals
      • Alabama Circuit Courts (41 circuits)
        • Alabama District Courts (67 districts)
        • Alabama Municipal Courts (273 courts)
        • Alabama Probate Courts (68 courts)
    • Alabama Court of the Judiciary

Federal courts located in Alabama

(All United States District Courts in Alabama may be appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia)

Former federal courts of Alabama

Alaska

State courts of Alaska
  • Alaska Supreme Court
    • Alaska Court of Appeals
      • Alaska Superior Court (4 districts containing 40 judgeships)
        • Alaska District Court (21 judgeships)

Federal courts located in Alaska

Arizona

State courts of Arizona
  • Arizona Supreme Court
    • Arizona Court of Appeals (2 divisions)
      • Superior Court of Arizona (15 counties)
        • Justices of the Peace (county courts) and Arizona Municipal Courts, city trial courts and courts of limited jurisdiction

Federal courts located in Arizona

Arkansas

State courts of Arkansas
  • Arkansas Supreme Court
    • Arkansas Court of Appeals
      • Arkansas Circuit Courts (28 judicial circuits)
        • Arkansas District Courts
          • Arkansas State District Courts (32 state judicial districts)
          • Arkansas Local District Courts (35 local district courts)
        • Arkansas County Courts (75 counties)

Federal courts located in Arkansas

Former federal courts of Arkansas

California

State courts of record of California
  • Supreme Court of California
    • California Courts of Appeal (6 appellate districts)
      • Superior Courts of California (58 courts, one for each county)
State quasi-administrative courts of California
  • State Bar Court of California; an administrative court within the judicial branch, subordinate to the California Supreme Court

Federal courts located in California

Former federal courts of California

Colorado

State courts of Colorado
  • Colorado Supreme Court
    • Colorado Court of Appeals
      • Colorado District Courts (22 judicial districts)
        • Colorado County Courts

Federal courts located in Colorado

Connecticut

State courts of Connecticut
  • Connecticut Supreme Court
    • Connecticut Appellate Court
      • Connecticut Superior Court (13 districts)
      • Connecticut Probate Courts (54 districts)

Federal court located in Connecticut:

Delaware

State courts of Delaware
  • Delaware Supreme Court
    • Delaware Court of Chancery
    • Delaware Superior Court (3 courts, one for each county)

Federal courts located in Delaware

Florida

State courts of Florida
  • Florida Supreme Court
    • District courts of appeal (6 districts)
      • Circuit courts (20 judicial circuits)
        • County courts (67 courts, one for each county)

Federal courts located in Florida

Former federal courts of Florida

  • United States District Court for the District of Florida (extinct, subdivided)

Georgia

State courts of Georgia
  • Supreme Court of Georgia
    • Georgia Court of Appeals
      • Georgia Superior Courts (49 judicial circuits)
      • Georgia State-wide Business Court
        • Georgia State Courts
          • Georgia Magistrate Courts
          • Georgia Juvenile Courts
          • Georgia Probate Courts
          • Georgia Municipal Courts

Federal courts located in Georgia

Former federal courts of Georgia

Hawaii

State courts of Hawaii
  • Hawaiʻi State Supreme Court
    • Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals
      • Hawaii state circuit courts (4 circuits)
      • Hawaii State family courts (4 circuits)
      • Hawaii state district courts (including Small Claims Court)
      • Hawaiʻi State Land Court
      • Hawaii Tax Appeal Court

Federal courts located in Hawaii

Idaho

State courts of Idaho
  • Idaho Supreme Court
    • Idaho Court of Appeals
      • Idaho District Courts (7 judicial districts)
        • Idaho Drug Court
        • Idaho Mental Health Court

Federal courts located in Idaho

Illinois

State courts of Illinois

  • Supreme Court of Illinois
    • Illinois Appellate Court (5 districts)
      • Illinois Circuit Courts (24 judicial circuits)

Federal courts located in Illinois

Former federal courts of Illinois

Indiana

State courts of Indiana
  • Indiana Supreme Court
    • Indiana Court of Appeals (5 districts; previously Indiana Appellate Court)
    • Indiana Tax Court
      • Indiana Circuit Courts (91 circuits)
      • Indiana Superior Courts (177 divisions)
      • Indiana city and town courts

Federal courts located in Indiana

Former federal courts of Indiana

Iowa

State courts of Iowa
  • Iowa Supreme Court
    • Iowa Court of Appeals
      • Iowa District Courts (8 districts)

Federal courts located in Iowa

Former federal courts of Iowa

Kansas

State courts of Kansas
  • Kansas Supreme Court
    • Kansas Court of Appeals
      • Kansas District Courts (31 districts)
        • Kansas Municipal Courts

Federal courts located in Kansas

Kentucky

Kentucky Court of Justice

Under an amendment to the Kentucky Constitution passed by the state's voters in 1975, judicial power in Kentucky is "vested exclusively in one Court of Justice", divided into the following:

  • Kentucky Supreme Court
    • Kentucky Court of Appeals
      • Kentucky Circuit Courts (57 circuits)
        • Kentucky District Courts (59 judicial districts)
Federal courts located in this state
Former federal courts of Kentucky

Louisiana

State courts of Louisiana
  • Louisiana Supreme Court
    • Louisiana Circuit Courts of Appeal (5 circuits)
      • Louisiana District Courts (42 districts)
Federal courts located in Louisiana
Former federal courts of Louisiana

Maine

State courts of Maine
  • Maine Supreme Judicial Court
    • Maine Superior Court
      • Maine District Courts (13 districts)
      • Maine Problem-Solving Courts

Federal courts located in Maine

Maryland

State courts of Maryland
  • Supreme Court of Maryland
    • Appellate Court of Maryland
      • Maryland Circuit Courts (8 judicial circuits)
        • Maryland District Courts (34 locations in 12 judicial districts)

Federal courts located in Maryland

Former federal courts of Maryland

  • United States District Court for the District of Potomac (1801–1802; also contained the District of Columbia and pieces of Virginia; extinct, reorganized)

Massachusetts

State courts of Massachusetts
Judicial courts
  • Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
    • Massachusetts Appeals Court
      • Massachusetts Trial Court
        • Massachusetts Superior Court (14 divisions)
        • Massachusetts District Court
        • Massachusetts Boston Municipal Court
        • Massachusetts Land Court
        • Massachusetts Housing Court
        • Massachusetts Juvenile Court
        • Massachusetts Probate and Family Court
Administrative courts
  • Massachusetts Appellate Tax Board
  • Massachusetts Division of Labor Relations

Federal courts located in Massachusetts

Michigan

State courts of Michigan
  • Michigan Supreme Court
    • Michigan Court of Appeals
      • Michigan Circuit Courts
        • Michigan District Courts
        • Michigan Probate Courts
      • Michigan Court of Claims

Federal courts located in Michigan

Former federal courts of Michigan

Minnesota

State courts of Minnesota
  • Minnesota Supreme Court
    • Minnesota Court of Appeals
      • Minnesota District Courts (10 districts)
    • Minnesota Tax Court
    • Minnesota Workers' Compensation Court of Appeals

Federal courts located in Minnesota

Mississippi

State courts of Mississippi
  • Supreme Court of Mississippi
    • Mississippi Court of Appeals
      • Mississippi Chancery Courts
      • Mississippi Circuit Courts (22 circuits)
        • Mississippi County Courts
          • Mississippi Justice Courts
          • Mississippi Municipal Courts
          • Mississippi Drug Courts
          • Mississippi Youth Courts

Federal courts located in Mississippi

Former federal courts of Mississippi

Missouri

State courts of Missouri
  • Supreme Court of Missouri
    • Missouri Court of Appeals (3 districts)
      • Missouri Circuit Courts (46 circuits)

Federal courts located in Missouri

Former federal courts of Missouri

Montana

State courts of Montana
  • Montana Supreme Court
    • Montana District Courts (56 courts, 22 judicial districts)
      • Montana Justice Courts
      • Montana City Courts
      • Montana Municipal Courts
    • Montana Youth Courts, Generally assigned to District Court Judges, cases appealed to the Montana Supreme Court.
    • Montana Worker's Compensation Court
    • Montana Water Court
    • Montana Asbestos Claims Court

Federal courts located in Montana

Nebraska

State courts of Nebraska
  • Nebraska Supreme Court
    • Nebraska Court of Appeals
      • Nebraska District Courts (12 districts)
        • Nebraska County Courts (93 courts, one for each county)
        • Nebraska Juvenile Courts (3 courts, in Douglas, Lancaster, and Sarpy counties)
        • Nebraska Problem-Solving Courts (35 courts statewide)
      • Nebraska Workers' Compensation Court

Federal courts located in Nebraska

Nevada

State courts of Nevada
  • Supreme Court of Nevada
    • Nevada Court of Appeals
      • District Courts of Nevada (11 districts)
        • Municipal Courts of Nevada
        • Justice Courts of Nevada

Federal courts located in Nevada

New Hampshire

State courts of New Hampshire
  • New Hampshire Supreme Court
    • New Hampshire Superior Court
    • New Hampshire District Court
    • New Hampshire Family Division
    • New Hampshire Probate Court

Federal courts located in New Hampshire

New Jersey

State courts of New Jersey
  • New Jersey Supreme Court (previously the New Jersey Court of Errors and Appeals)
    • New Jersey Superior Court (including the Appellate Division; 15 vicinages)
    • New Jersey Tax Court
    • New Jersey Municipal Courts (including Joint Municipal Courts and the Court of the Palisades Interstate Park)

Federal courts located in New Jersey

Former federal courts of New Jersey

New Mexico

State courts of New Mexico
  • New Mexico Supreme Court
    • New Mexico Court of Appeals
      • New Mexico District Court (13 judicial districts)
        • New Mexico Magistrate Court
        • Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court
        • New Mexico Municipal Court
        • New Mexico Probate Court

Federal courts located in New Mexico

New York

State courts of New York

Federal courts located in New York

Former federal courts of New York

North Carolina

State courts of North Carolina

Federal courts located in North Carolina

Former federal courts of North Carolina

  • United States District Court for the District of North Carolina (extinct, subdivided)
  • United States District Court for the District of Edenton (1794–1797; extinct, reorganized)
  • United States District Court for the District of New Bern (1794–1797; extinct, reorganized)
  • United States District Court for the District of Wilmington (1794–1797; extinct, reorganized)
  • United States District Court for the District of Albemarle (1801–1872; extinct, reorganized)
  • United States District Court for the District of Cape Fear (1801–1872; extinct, reorganized)
  • United States District Court for the District of Pamptico (1801–1872; extinct, reorganized)

North Dakota

State courts of North Dakota
  • North Dakota Supreme Court
    • North Dakota District Courts (7 judicial districts)
      • North Dakota Municipal Courts

Federal courts located in North Dakota

Ohio

State courts of Ohio
  • Supreme Court of Ohio
    • Ohio District Courts of Appeal (12 districts)
      • Ohio Court of Claims
      • Ohio Courts of Common Pleas
        • Ohio Municipal Courts
        • Ohio County Courts
          • Ohio Mayor's Courts

Federal courts located in this state

Former federal courts of Ohio

Oklahoma

State courts of Oklahoma
  • Oklahoma Supreme Court (civil)
  • Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals (criminal)
    • Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals
      • Oklahoma District Courts (26 judicial districts with 77 district courts)
      • Oklahoma Workers' Compensation Court

Federal courts located in Oklahoma

Oregon

State courts of Oregon
  • Oregon Supreme Court
    • Oregon Court of Appeals
      • Oregon Circuit Courts (36 courts, one for each county, administratively divided between 27 judicial districts)
      • Oregon Justice Courts
      • Oregon Municipal Courts
      • Oregon County Courts
    • Oregon Tax Court

Federal courts located in Oregon

Pennsylvania

State courts of Pennsylvania
  • Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
    • Superior Court of Pennsylvania (3 districts)
    • Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
      • Pennsylvania Courts of Common Pleas (60 judicial districts)
        • Magisterial District Courts

Former colonial and state courts of Pennsylvania

  • Provincial Court (1684-1722)
  • Orphans' Courts (1688-1968 when merged with Courts of Common Pleas)
  • Justice of the Peace Courts (1682 - now Magisterial District Courts)
  • Court for the Trial of Negroes (1700-1780)
  • District Courts (1811-1873)
  • County Courts (1682-1722)
  • Court of Chancery (1720-1735)
  • High Court of Errors and Appeals (1780-1808)
    • Court of Admiralty (1697-1789)
    • Register's Courts
  • Courts of Quarter Sessions of the Peace (1682–1969)
  • Courts of Oyer and Terminer and General Gaol Delivery (1802-1910)

Federal courts located in Pennsylvania

Former federal courts located in Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

State courts of Rhode Island
  • Rhode Island Supreme Court
    • Rhode Island Superior Courts
      • Rhode Island District Courts
      • Rhode Island Family Courts
      • Rhode Island Workers' Compensation Courts
      • Rhode Island Traffic Tribunals

Federal courts located in Rhode Island

South Carolina

State courts of South Carolina
  • South Carolina Supreme Court
    • South Carolina Court of Appeals
      • South Carolina Circuit Courts (16 circuits)
      • South Carolina Family Courts
      • South Carolina Probate Courts
      • South Carolina Magistrate Courts
      • South Carolina Municipal Courts

Federal courts located in South Carolina

South Dakota

State courts of South Dakota

  • South Dakota Supreme Court
    • South Dakota Circuit Courts (7 circuits)
    • South Dakota Magistrate Courts

Federal courts located in South Dakota

Tennessee

State courts of Tennessee
  • Tennessee Supreme Court
    • Tennessee Court of Appeals (3 grand divisions)
    • Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals (3 grand divisions)
      • Tennessee Circuit Courts (32 judicial districts)
      • Tennessee Chancery and Probate Courts (32 judicial districts)
      • Tennessee Criminal Courts (32 judicial districts)
      • Tennessee Municipal and City Courts
      • Tennessee Juvenile and Family Courts
      • Tennessee General Session Courts

Federal courts located in Tennessee

Former federal courts of Tennessee

Texas

State courts of Texas
  • Texas Supreme Court (Civil)
  • Texas Court of Criminal Appeals (Criminal)
    • Texas Courts of Appeals (14 districts)
      • Texas District Courts (420 districts)
      • Texas Business Court
      • Texas County Courts
        • Texas Justice Courts
        • Texas Municipal Courts

Federal courts located in Texas

Former federal courts of Texas

  • United States District Court for the District of Texas (extinct, subdivided)

Utah

State courts of Utah
  • Utah Supreme Court
    • Utah Court of Appeals
      • Utah District Courts (8 districts)
      • Utah Business and Chancery Court
      • Utah Juvenile Courts
      • Utah Justice Courts

Federal courts located in Utah

Vermont

State courts of Vermont
  • Vermont Supreme Court
  • Vermont Superior Court
    • Civil Division
    • Criminal Division
    • Environmental Division
    • Family Division
    • Probate Division
  • Vermont Judicial Bureau

Federal courts located in Vermont

Virginia

State courts of Virginia
  • Supreme Court of Virginia
    • Court of Appeals of Virginia
      • Virginia Circuit Court (120 courts divided among 31 judicial circuits)
        • Virginia General District Court (courts in 32 districts)
        • Virginia Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court (courts in 32 districts)

Federal courts located in Virginia

Former federal courts of Virginia

Washington

State courts of Washington

  • Washington Supreme Court
    • Washington Court of Appeals (3 divisions)
      • Washington Superior Courts (39 courts of general jurisdiction, one for each county)
        • Washington District Courts (Courts of limited jurisdiction)
        • Washington Municipal Courts (Courts of limited jurisdiction)

Federal courts located in Washington

Former federal courts of Washington

West Virginia

State courts of West Virginia
  • Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia
    • Intermediate Court of Appeals of West Virginia (Effective July 1, 2022)
      • West Virginia Circuit Courts (31 judicial circuits)
        • West Virginia Family Courts
        • West Virginia Magistrate Courts
        • West Virginia Municipal Courts

Federal courts located in West Virginia

Former federal courts of West Virginia

Wisconsin

State courts of Wisconsin
  • Wisconsin Supreme Court (7 justices)
    • Wisconsin Court of Appeals (4 districts, 16 judges)
      • Wisconsin Circuit Court (9 judicial administrative districts (1–5; 7–10), 69 circuits, 261 judges)
        • Wisconsin Municipal Courts

Federal courts located in Wisconsin

Former federal courts of Wisconsin

  • United States District Court for the District of Wisconsin (extinct, subdivided)

Wyoming

State courts of Wyoming
  • Wyoming Supreme Court
    • Wyoming District Courts (9 districts)
    • Wyoming Chancery Court
      • Wyoming Circuit Courts

Federal courts located in Wyoming

Courts in the District of Columbia

Federal courts located in the District of Columbia

Former federal courts in the District of Columbia

  • United States District Court for the District of Potomac (1801–1802; also contained pieces of Maryland and Virginia; extinct, reorganized)

Courts of the Territories of the United States

American Samoa

  • High Court of American Samoa

Guam

  • Supreme Court of Guam
    • Superior Court of Guam

United States territorial court

  • District Court of Guam

Northern Mariana Islands

  • Northern Mariana Islands Supreme Court
    • Northern Mariana Islands Superior Court

United States territorial court

  • United States District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands

Panama Canal Zone

Puerto Rico

  • Supreme Court of Puerto Rico (Tribunal Supremo de Puerto Rico)
    • Circuit Court of Appeals of Puerto Rico (Tribunal de Apelaciones)
    • * Courts of First Instance of Puerto Rico (Tribunal de Primera Instancia; 13 divisions)

Federal courts located in Puerto Rico:

  • United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico

United States Virgin Islands

United States territorial court

  • District Court of the Virgin Islands

Extraterritorial courts of the United States

Due to its involvement in the resolution of crimes and conflicts, which are an intricate part of drama, the U.S. judicial system is often portrayed in American literature and films.

Several Hollywood films such as A Few Good Men (1992) and Runaway Jury (2003) are set around its courts.

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