Federal Courts

Federal Courts are judicial bodies established under the authority of the United States Constitution and acts of Congress, vested with the power to adjudicate cases arising under federal law, the Constitution, treaties, and other matters explicitly assigned to them by statute. They are primarily grounded in Article III of the Constitution, which provides for courts whose judges enjoy life tenure and salary protection to ensure independence from the political branches. In addition to these Article III courts—such as the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Courts of Appeals, and the U.S. District Courts—Congress has also created Article I courts (legislative courts, such as the U.S. Tax Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims) and Article IV territorial courts for U.S. territories. Federal courts exercise jurisdiction that is limited in scope, including controversies involving the Constitution or federal statutes, disputes between states, matters involving foreign nations or ambassadors, and cases where diversity of citizenship and a statutory threshold of controversy are met. As a system, the federal courts serve as the final arbiter of federal constitutional questions, maintain uniformity in the interpretation of federal law across the states, and provide judicial oversight over the executive and legislative branches through judicial review.