Legal Definitions - United States district courts

The United States district courts are the primary trial courts within the federal judicial system. This means they are the initial courts where federal cases begin, evidence is presented, and decisions are first made, whether by a judge or a jury. These courts are authorized by the U.S. Constitution and federal laws to hear a wide array of cases that fall under federal jurisdiction. This includes both criminal cases involving federal laws and civil disputes that either involve federal law or meet specific criteria, such as disputes between citizens of different states with a significant amount of money at stake. There are 94 such district courts located across the United States, including at least one in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and some U.S. territories.

Here are a few examples of situations where United States district courts would be involved:

• Criminal Case (Federal Offense): Imagine a group of individuals is arrested by the FBI for engaging in a large-scale cybercrime operation that targeted government websites across multiple states.

  How it illustrates the term: Because this involves federal law (cybercrime targeting federal entities) and crosses state lines, the charges would be brought by federal prosecutors, and the trial to determine guilt or innocence would take place in a United States district court. This is where the evidence would be presented, witnesses would testify, and a verdict would be reached.

• Civil Case (Federal Question Jurisdiction): Consider a small pharmaceutical company that believes a larger competitor has illegally copied its patented drug formula. The smaller company decides to sue the competitor for patent infringement.

  How it illustrates the term: Patent law is exclusively federal law. Therefore, the lawsuit alleging infringement of a federal patent would be filed and heard in a United States district court, which has the authority to interpret and apply federal patent statutes to resolve the dispute.

• Civil Case (Diversity Jurisdiction): Suppose a resident of Florida suffers severe injuries due to a defective product manufactured by a company based in Oregon. The damages sought exceed $75,000.

  How it illustrates the term: Even though product liability is typically a matter of state law, because the plaintiff (Florida resident) and the defendant (Oregon company) are citizens of different states and the amount in dispute meets the federal threshold, the case can be filed in a United States district court. This allows for a federal forum to hear a state law claim when parties are from different states.