What is circuit court

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The awkward case of 'his or her'. Take the quiz. Our Favorite New Words How many do you know? How Strong Is Your Vocabulary? In addition, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has nationwide jurisdiction to hear appeals in specialized cases, such as those involving patent laws, and cases decided by the U.

Court of International Trade and the U. Court of Federal Claims. Learn more about the courts of appeals. Bankruptcy Appellate Panels BAPs are 3-judge panels authorized to hear appeals of bankruptcy court decisions. These panels are a unit of the federal courts of appeals, and must be established by that circuit.

District Courts. District courts resolve disputes by determining the facts and applying legal principles to decide who is right. Trial courts include the district judge who tries the case and a jury that decides the case. Magistrate judges assist district judges in preparing cases for trial.

They may also conduct trials in misdemeanor cases. There is at least one district court in each state, and the District of Columbia. En banc opinions tend to carry more weight and are usually decided only after a panel has first heard the case. Beyond the Federal Circuit, a few courts have been established to deal with appeals on specific subjects such as veterans claims United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims and military matters United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.

The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the American judicial system, and has the power to decide appeals on all cases brought in federal court or those brought in state court but dealing with federal law. For example, if a First Amendment freedom of speech case was decided by the highest court of a state usually the state supreme court , the case could be appealed to the federal Supreme Court.

However, if that same case were decided entirely on a state law similar to the First Amendment, the Supreme Court of the United States would not be able to consider the case. After the circuit court or state supreme court has ruled on a case, either party may choose to appeal to the Supreme Court. Unlike circuit court appeals, however, the Supreme Court is usually not required to hear the appeal. If the writ is granted, the Supreme Court will take briefs and conduct oral argument.

The Court typically hears cases when there are conflicting decisions across the country on a particular issue or when there is an egregious error in a case. There are nine justices on the court — eight associate justices and one chief justice.

The Constitution sets no requirements for Supreme Court justices, though all current members of the court are lawyers and most have served as circuit court judges. Justices are also often former law professors. The chief justice acts as the administrator of the court and is chosen by the President and approved by the Congress when the position is vacant. The Supreme Court meets in Washington, D. The court conducts its annual term from the first Monday of October until each summer, usually ending in late June.

The elections are non-partisan and they serve eight-year terms. If a Circuit Judge leaves office prior to the expiration of his or her term, the Governor of the State of West Virginia appoints a replacement to serve until the next election.

The West Virginia Judicial System is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing equal access and unbiased, non-discriminatory treatment to all.