How many district courts are there?
Answer
93 federal district courts across the country
Explanation
There are 94 federal judicial districts, each served by a U.S. District Court. Every state has at least one federal district. States with larger populations or more federal cases are divided into multiple districts. California, New York, and Texas each have four federal districts. Florida and Pennsylvania each have three. Several states with smaller populations or lower caseloads, such as Alaska, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, are single-district states.
The District of Columbia has its own federal district court. Three U.S. territories (Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam) have federal district courts that handle federal cases in their territories. The Northern Mariana Islands also has a district court that, along with the territorial court, handles federal matters.
The federal districts are organized into 12 regional circuits for purposes of appellate jurisdiction, with each circuit covering several districts. The Ninth Circuit is the largest in geographic area, covering nine western states and two Pacific territories, while the District of Columbia Circuit covers only the federal district court for D.C. Each district court has at least one courthouse, and many have multiple courthouses to serve different parts of the district. The Southern District of New York, headquartered in lower Manhattan, has additional courthouses in White Plains and Poughkeepsie. The Eastern District of California has courthouses in Sacramento, Fresno, and other locations.
The number of federal judicial districts has grown over time as the country has expanded and federal caseloads have increased. The original Judiciary Act of 1789 created 13 federal districts, one for each of the original states.
Each district court has a number of authorized judgeships set by Congress based on caseload. The Southern District of New York has 28 active judges, the most of any district. Smaller districts have fewer than five active judges. Across all 94 districts, there are 677 authorized district judgeships. Each district also has a U.S. Attorney (the chief federal prosecutor for the district), a U.S. Marshal (responsible for security of federal courts and prisoner transport), and a clerk's office that manages court records and administration.
District courts handle a wide range of federal cases each year, from criminal prosecutions to civil rights claims to bankruptcy proceedings.
Why this matters for your test
This question tests a specific factual point about the structure of the federal court system. USCIS asks it because the number 94 reflects how the federal judiciary is distributed across the country, ensuring federal courts are accessible in every region.
Source: USCIS 128 Civics Questions (2025)
