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United States Courts: Making a Federal Case Out of It

Federal Courts

Kramer & Connolly's Irwin R. Kramer is a member of the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States

U.S. Supreme Court

  • Largely Discretionary Review by Writ of Certiorari
  • Hears Only 75-100 Cases Per Year
  • Favors Monumental Constitutional Issues
Kramer & Connolly attorneys have successfully argued numerous cases before federal appeals courts

U.S. Court of Appeals

  • Divided into 12 regional "circuit" courts
  • Hears Appeals as of Right
  • Does not preside over any trials
Kramer & Connolly attorneys have tried some of the area's most prominent cases before judges and juries in the U.S. District Courts

U.S. District Courts

  • The federal system's trial court
  • Divided into 94 "districts" in 50 states and territories
  • Does not preside over appeals
The material provided on trial and appellate litigation at all levels of the federal court system, the Supreme Court of the United States, the U.S. Courts of Appeal, and the U.S. District Courts, civil trials, appellate litigation, jurisdiction, small claims, exclusive subject matter jurisdiction, concurrent power, courts and judicial proceedings, and amount in controversy is designed for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute legal advice.