What is the relation of state court to federal court?

Answer 1

There is no "relationship." They are totally separate from one another. State courts are charged with the responsibility of interpreting and ruling on laws promulgated by their state's legislature, and exercising appeal authority over the lower courts of their particular state. State courts do NOT enforce ANY Federal Laws. Federal Courts are charged with the responsibilty of interpreting and ruling on Federal Laws. The only time State court matters come before them would be if a state court matter was appealed to the Federal Circuit because of a potential Constitutional issue.

Answer 2

Technically very very little in terms of what cases they are supposed to hear. Federal courts are supposed to handle purely state cases only where one litigant is in one state and one or more are in other states ("diversity") and the amount in controversy is (presently set at no less than) $75,000.00. Otherwise such cases can be heard in state courts as long as the state courts can obtain jurisdiction over the out of state litigants (unless they consent). In terms of what law applies, the state courts can apply federal law, and the federal district courts can apply the law of the state in which the district is located if reference to state law is required to help adjudicate the case if that state's law is the appropriate state law -- it could be the law of another state in a diversity case. Otherwise administratively they are totally separate, and have different rules of procedure and evidence in most situations, although more and more states are adopting federal procedural rules and rules of evidence as they are felt to be more efficient, less complicated or problematic, and more probative of the truth when it comes to evidentiary matters. Finally there are certain things that only federal courts can hear such as bankruptcy, patents, federal trademarks and federal copyrights.