Difference Between Federal and State Courts
The state courts handle a large number of cases and maintain more contact with the public. On the other side, federal courts hear a few cases mostly those that have national importance. Let us discuss the difference between federal and state courts in detail.
Feature |
Federal Courts in the USA |
State Courts in the USA |
---|---|---|
Jurisdiction |
Limited jurisdiction over the federal law issues. |
Broad jurisdiction over the state laws and related issues. |
Cases Heard |
Cases involves the federal laws, constitutional issues, cases between citizens of different states (diversity jurisdiction), bankruptcy. Most of the cases involve with the United States government. |
Cases involving particularly the state laws including criminal, family, contract, property, and tort law. |
Judges |
Appointed by the President of USA, confirmed by the Senate. He serves the lifetime tenure as a Judge. |
Judges are appointed or elected according to state laws. Their terms may vary. |
Structure |
Hierarchical structure of the federal courts includes the district courts, circuit courts of appeals, and the Supreme Court. |
Structure of the state court may vary by state but majorly consists with the trial courts, appellate courts, and a state supreme court. |
Appeals Process |
Appeals usually proceed to the circuit courts of appeals and may eventually reach the Supreme Court. |
Appeals usually proceed to intermediate appellate courts and may eventually reach the state supreme court. |
Jury Composition |
Juries are selected from a broad geographic area and may be more diverse. |
Juries are typically selected from within the state or county. It depends on the court’s jurisdiction. |
Legal Precedent Binding |
Binding precedent across all federal courts. |
Binding precedent within the state but not across different states. |
Application of Law |
Federal law applies uniformly across all states. |
State law applies only within the state’s jurisdiction. |
Resources and Caseload |
Federal courts have more resources and handle a smaller caseload. |
State courts may have varying resources and often handle a larger caseload. |
Role in the Legal System |
Interpret federal laws, resolve disputes involving federal government, uphold the U.S. Constitution. |
Interpret state laws, resolve disputes within the state, uphold state constitution. |
Read More: Preamble of the US Constitution
Difference between federal and state courts
Difference between federal and state courts: In the United States of America, the federal courts interpret the Constitution and federal laws. On the other hand, the state courts interpret state laws and constitutions. State courts are the courts of general jurisdiction. It means they hear all the cases which are not specifically assigned to the federal courts. The federal courts are the supreme judiciary body in the USA that resolves the conflicts between two or more provinces.
In this article, we are going to discuss the difference between federal and state courts of the USA in detail with their thorough specifications and powers.
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