Federal courts can handle a few different types of cases. (1) Cases that involve a federal question (i.e., involves a federal law, statute, etc.), (2) cases between residents of different states, (3) cases where there used to be a federal question, but maybe that count got dismissed, and there's still state counts left, but the judge keeps it because he/she has had the case for so long it doesn't make sense to send it to state court.
Violations of Federal Laws, statutes and regulations. All laws promulgated by STATE legislatures and enforced by local and state law enforcement authorities are tried and handled in State Court Systems.
Diversity of Citizenship: Parties from two or more states if the amount in question is above $75,000
Federal Question: Such as Bill of Rights
Foreign: US citizen or Business is in dispute with a foreign entity.
Bankruptcy
Federal cases. "Federal" is another word for "National". Criminally speaking think kidnapping or crossing state lines. In civil think large corporations and civil rights.
Added: They hear ALL matters addressed by FEDERAL law, both criminal and civil.
Federal courts hear both civil and criminal cases. Criminal cases arise when federal laws are violated. Civil cases need to have what is known as "subject matter jurisdiction" to be heard in federal court.
The two most common sources of subject matter jurisdiction are cases raising a federal question or diversity existing between the parties. For instance, a federal question is raised when there is an alleged violation of federal law or a federal statute allows the cause of action under which the plaintiff is proceeding. Diversity exists when the plaintiffs are from different states and more than $75,000 is at stake in the lawsuit.
United States District Courts have original jurisdiction over cases involving federal crimes, civil suits under federal law, civil suits between citizens of different states, admiralty and maritime cases, bankruptcy cases, actions of certain federal administrative agencies, and other matters that may be assigned to them by Congress. The US Court of Appeals hear only appeals from Federal district courts, USA. regulatory commissions, and certain other Federal Courts. The Supreme Court has original jurisdiction over cases involving two or more states, The US and a state, foreign ambassadors and other diplomats, and a state and a citizen of a different state. They hear appeals from lower Federal Courts and the highest state courts.
The federal courts handle two basic kinds of cases:
1. Cases arising under any federal laws, including anything under the United States Code, the US Constitution, bankruptcy, patents, etc.
2. Cases where there is "diversity of jurisdiction", the plaintiff and defendant are from two different states or one is from the US and the other is from a foreign country, and the minimum amount being sought for in the case ("the amount in controversy") is at least $75,000.00. The amount has changed over the years with inflation; it keeps going up from time to time.
The federal courts handle all cases in which federal law and statutes have been violated, and certain cases appealed to the federal system from the state courts.
Examples of Federal Criminal Cases
- Bank Robbery
- Counterfeiting
- Mail Fraud
- Kidnapping
- Civil rights abuses
- Postal crimes
- Making false reports to the Federal government
Broad answer: Violations of federal law and disputes between the states.
More Detail
Federal courts have jurisdiction over criminal and civil cases that fall into the following simplified categories:
The short answer is the courts of the United States have jurisdiction over cases that present a federal question (an issue under the constitution or statutes of the US) and over disputes between citizens of different states where the amount in controversy exceeds $75,000. The full answer fills books and books of theory and cases.
The federal court deals with cases that has to do with foreign affair and businesses, bankruptcy, problems between residences from two different places in the country, the law and most things that are international.
Cases involving federal law.
a lot there are many
speeding tickets
Federal District Courts have jurisdiction over all federal cases occurring/originating within their circuit. US Courts of Appeal have jurisdiction over all cases referred to them from the District Courts within their circuit.
State courts handle civil and criminal matters that arise under state law.
Chapter 18 section 2. The inferior courts those beneaththe Supreme court are the core of the federal judicial system, hearing nearly all of the cases tried in federal courts. they hear cases, both originally and on appeal, and both criminal and civil cases.
District attorneys are responsible for handling criminal cases. They don't handle federal cases, but act as the prosecutor for a state case.
United States District Courts have original jurisdiction over cases involving federal crimes, civil suits under federal law, civil suits between citizens of different states, admiralty and maritime cases, bankruptcy cases, actions of certain federal administrative agencies, and other matters that may be assigned to them by Congress.
Federal courts can take cases of offenders who cross state lines while committing crimes, civil suites against states, civil suites between states, violations of civil rights cases, cases where the outcome is appealed by the defendant or any case that really catches their interest (for the Supreme Court)
It really depends what kind of courts you are talking about and where the courts are. If the courts are federal, then a district court is a trial court and a circuit court is an appeals court, which may review a trial decision from a district court. For state courts, the difference between a district court and a circuit court will depend on what state the courts are in. Many states have courts called "district court" and "circuit court," but what kinds of cases these courts handle differs state to state.
The Supreme Court hears three kinds of cases. Cases appealed from lower federal courts account for two-thirds of the cases they hear. They also hear cases appealed from state's supreme courts, and sometimes hear cases that have not been previously heard by a lower court, such as between one state's government and another.
The answer depends on the specific court you're referring to. In the Federal Judiciary, the US District Courts have original jurisdiction; US Courts of Appeals Circuit Courts have appellate jurisdiction. Both state and federal cases enter the system through a trial court, which is the court of original jurisdiction. Both systems also have intermediate appellate courts below the supreme court (or court of last resort).