What are district courts?

District courts are the federal trial courts where most federal cases begin. There are 94 federal judicial districts in the United States, with at least one in every state plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Some larger states have multiple districts. Texas, California, and New York each have four federal districts.

Each district court is the trial court for federal civil and criminal cases arising in its area, including federal criminal prosecutions, civil rights cases, federal regulatory disputes, bankruptcy cases (handled by specialized bankruptcy judges within each district), federal habeas corpus petitions, and other federal matters. Federal district courts also hear cases between citizens of different states when the amount in dispute exceeds 75,000 dollars, called diversity jurisdiction. District court trials can involve juries (in criminal cases and most civil cases) or judges sitting alone (in equity cases and some others).

District court judges, called United States District Judges, are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, serving for life during good behavior. There are 677 authorized district judgeships across the 94 districts, plus senior judges who continue to hear reduced caseloads after taking senior status. Each district also has magistrate judges who handle preliminary matters in criminal cases, certain civil cases (with party consent), and routine motions.

District court decisions can be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the regional circuit. District court judges issue rulings on motions, conduct trials, sentence convicted defendants in criminal cases, award damages or grant injunctions in civil cases, and oversee federal jury selection and deliberations.

Major district courts, particularly in New York, Washington, D.C., and Texas, handle some of the most consequential federal cases each year. The Southern District of New York, often called the Sovereign District for its independence and prominent prosecutions, has handled cases involving terrorism, financial fraud, and high-profile public officials. The District Court for the District of Columbia handles many federal regulatory cases.

District courts handle hundreds of thousands of cases each year. Most are settled or resolved without trial. Federal trials are relatively rare and usually involve significant matters that have not been resolved through plea bargaining or settlement.