THE FEDERAL COURT SYSTEM 

IN THE UNITED STATES

An Introduction for Judges and Judicial

Administrators in Other Countries

Leonidas Ralph Mecham, Director

Administrative Office of the 

U.S. Courts

This publication was developed 

by the Administrative Office 

of the United States Courts to 

provide an introduction to the 

federal judicial system, its 

organization and administration,its

relationship to the legislative and

executive branches of the federal

government, and its relationship 

to the state court systems. The

Administrative Office is the judicial

branch’s central support agency

responsible for providing a broad

range of management, legal, 

technical, communications, and

other support services for the

administration of the federal courts.

THE FEDERAL COURT SYSTEM 

An Introduction for Judges and Judicial 

Administrators in Other Countries

IN THE UNITED ST A TES

Article III Judges Division

Office of Judges Programs 

Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts

Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building

Washington, D.C. 20544

2001

2ND EDITION

This booklet is designed to introduce judges 

and judicial administrators in other countries 

to the United States federal judicial system, its

organization and administration, and its relationship

to the legislative and executive branches of the

government. It was developed by the Office 

of Judges Programs of the Administrative Office 

of the United States Courts at the request of the

Judicial Conference Committee on International

Judicial Relations.

The Judicial Conference of the United States 

is the national policy-making body of the federal

courts. Authorized by statute, it is presided over 

by the Chief Justice of the United States and 

composed of 26 additional judges—the chief judge

of each of the 13 federal courts of appeals, one 

district (trial) judge elected from each of the 

12 geographic circuits, and the chief judge of the

Court of International Trade. 

The Judicial Conference is assisted in its work

by more than 20 committees, whose members are

appointed by the Chief Justice. The Committee 

on International Judicial Relations is composed 

of several federal judges and a liaison member from

the State Department. Its mission, among other

things, includes the following functions:

· Coordinating the federal judiciary’s relationship

with foreign judiciaries and other organizations

interested in international judicial relations and 

the establishment and expansion of the rule of law.

· Serving as a conduit for communication on 

matters of mutual concern between the Chief

Justice, the Judicial Conference, the federal

judiciary, and foreign courts and international 

judicial organizations.

PREF ACE
The United States Constitution and the Federal Government

The Legislative Branch

The Executive Branch

The Judicial Branch

The Role of the Federal Courts in American Government

The Federal Courts and Congress

The Federal Courts and the Executive Branch

The Federal Courts and the Public

The Structure of the Federal Courts

Trial Courts

Appellate Courts

United States Supreme Court

Geographic Boundaries of United States Courts

The Jurisdiction of the Federal Courts

Relationship Between the State Courts and the Federal Courts

Types of Cases that May be Filed in the Federal and State Courts

United States Federal Judges

Appointment of Judges

Federal Judicial Ethics

Judges’ Compensation

Senior and Retired Judges

Judicial Education

Judges’ Staff

Distinctive Features of the American Judicial System 

The Adversary System

The Common Law System

Fees and Costs of Litigation 

Execution of Judgments 

Procedural Rules for Conducting Litigation

Reporting of Judicial Proceedings 

Publication of Court Opinions

CONTENTS

7

8

8

8

10

10

10

11

12

12

12

13

14

16

16

16

18

18

19

20

20

21

21

22

22

22

23

23

24

24

24
The Federal Judicial Process in Brief

Civil Cases

Criminal Cases

Jury Service

Bankruptcy Cases

The Appeals Process

Federal Judicial Administration

Individual Courts

Court Staff 

The Circuit Judicial Councils

The Judicial Conference of the United States 

The Administrative Office of the United States Courts 

The Federal Judicial Center 

The United States Sentencing Commission

The Judiciary’s Budget

Courthouse Space, Facilities, and Security

Information Technology in the Judicial Branch

Strategic Planning and Management Efficiency in the Federal Courts

Accountability

Disciplinary Mechanisms

Other Formal Mechanisms

Informal Mechanisms

Commonly Asked Questions About the Federal Judicial Process

Common Legal Terms

About the Administrative Office of the United States Courts

Sources of Additional Information

25

25

26

29

31

34

36

36

36

38

38

39

40

40

41

42

42

43

44

44

45

45

46

49

57
Article III of the U.S. Constitution

The United States Federal Courts

Geographic Boundaries of the U.S. Courts 

of Appeals and the U.S. District Courts

Examples of Jurisdiction in the Federal 

and State Courts

Code of Conduct for U.S. Judges

Juror Qualifications and Exemptions

Terms of Jury Service

Types of Bankruptcy Proceedings

Characteristics of Federal Judicial Administration

The Judicial Conference of the United States

The Committees of the Judicial Conference

The Functions of the Administrative Office

LIST OF FEA TURES 9

13

14-15

17

20

30

30

33

36

38

39

39
7

The United States Constitution, adopted in 

1789 and amended only rarely since then, is the

supreme law of the United States. It established 

a republic under which the individual states retain

considerable sovereignty and authority. Each 

state, for example, has its own elected executive 

(governor), legislature, and court system. The 

federal, or national, government is one of strong, 

but limited, powers. It may exercise only 

the powers specified in the Constitution itself. 

All other powers are reserved by the Constitution 

to the states and the people. This system of 

divided powers between the national and state 

governments is known as “federalism.”

The Bill of Rights is set forth as the first 

ten amendments to the Constitution. It guarantees

fundamental rights to the people and protects them

against improper acts by the government. The 

rights protected include such matters as free speech,

freedom of assembly, freedom to seek redress of

grievances, freedom from unreasonable searches 

and seizures, due process of law, protection against

compelled self-incrimination, protection against

seizure of property without just compensation, 

a speedy and public trial in criminal cases, trial by

jury in both criminal and civil cases, and assistance

of counsel in criminal prosecutions.

The Constitution established three separate

branches of government—Legislative (Article I),

Executive (Article II), and Judicial (Article III). 

The three branches of the federal government 

operate within a constitutional system known 

as “checks and balances.” Each branch is formally

separate from the other two, and each has certain

constitutional authority to check the actions 

of the others.

THE UNITED ST A TES 

CONSTITUTION AND THE 

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

Two central features 

of the government established under

the United States Constitution are

· Federalism, and 

· Checks and balances among 

the three separate branches 

of the government.
8

THE LEGISLA TIVE BRANCH

Congress, the national legislature of the United

States, is composed of two houses or chambers—

the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Each state has two Senators who are elected for

six-year terms. One-third of the Senate is elected

every two years. Members of the House of

Representatives are elected from local districts

within states. Each state receives a number of

Representatives in proportion to its population.

The entire House is elected every two years.

To become law, proposed legislation must 

be passed by both houses and approved by the

President. If the President does not sign, or

vetoes, a bill, it may still be enacted, but only 

by a two-thirds vote of each house of Congress.

The Constitution did not establish 

a parliamentary or cabinet system of government, 

as in the United Kingdom and many other 

democracies around the world. Under the United

States Constitution, the President is both the 

head of state and the head of the government. 

The President appoints a cabinet—consisting 

of the heads of major executive departments 

and agencies—but neither the President nor any 

member of the cabinet sits in the Congress. The

President’s political party, moreover, does not need

to hold a majority of the seats in the Congress to

stay in office. In fact, it is not unusual for one 

or both houses of the Congress to be controlled 

by the opposition party. 

Each house of the Congress has committees 

of its members, organized by subject-matter, 

that draft laws, exercise general oversight 

over government agencies and programs, enact 

appropriation bills to fund government operations,

and monitor the operation of federal programs. 

The federal courts, for example, maintain regular

communications with the Judiciary Committees

and the Appropriations Committees of the Senate

and the House of Representatives.

THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH

The President is elected every four years, and

under the Constitution may serve no more than

two terms in office. Once elected, the President

selects a cabinet, each member of which must 

be confirmed by a majority vote in the Senate.

Each cabinet member is the head of a department

in the executive branch. The cabinet includes, 

for example, the Secretary of State, the Secretary 

of Defense, the Secretary of the Treasury, and 

the Attorney General.

The President, his cabinet, and other 

members of the President’s administration are

responsible for operating the executive branch 

of the federal government and for executing and

enforcing the laws. The Attorney General, who 

is head of the Department of Justice, is responsible for all criminal prosecutions, for representing

the government’s legal interests in civil cases, 

and for administration of the Bureau of Prisons,

the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Marshals

Service, the Immigration and Naturalization

Service, and certain other law enforcement organizations. At the local level, the chief prosecutor 

in each of the 94 federal judicial districts is the

United States attorney, who is appointed by the

President and reports to the Attorney General.

The Department of Justice plays no role 

in administration or budgeting for the federal

courts. The judiciary communicates separately 

and directly to the Congress on legislative and

appropriations matters.

THE JUDICIAL BRANCH

The federal judiciary is a totally separate, selfgoverning branch of the government. The federal
9

courts often are called the guardians of the Constitution because their rulings protect the rights and

liberties guaranteed by the Constitution. Through

fair and impartial judgments, they determine facts

and interpret the law to resolve legal disputes. 

The courts do not make the laws. That is the

responsibility of the Congress. Nor do the courts

have the power to enforce the laws. That is the 

role of the President and the many executive

branch departments and agencies. But the judicial

branch has the authority to interpret and decide 

the constitutionality of federal laws and to resolve

other disputes over federal laws.

The framers of the Constitution considered 

an independent federal judiciary essential to ensure

fairness and equal justice to all citizens of the

United States. The Constitution they drafted 

promotes judicial independence in two principal

ways. First, federal judges appointed under Article

III of the Constitution can serve for life, and they

can be removed from office only through impeachment and conviction by Congress of “Treason,

Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.”

Second, the Constitution provides that the compensation of Article III federal judges “shall not 

be diminished during their Continuance in Office,”

which means that neither the President nor

Congress can reduce the salaries of most federal

judges. These two protections help an independent

judiciary to decide cases free from popular passion

and political influence.

U.S. Constitution, Article III

The judicial Power of the United

States, shall be vested in one

supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may

from time to time ordain and

establish. The Judges, both of

the supreme and inferior Courts,

shall hold their Offices during

good Behaviour, and shall, at

stated Times, receive for their

Services, a Compensation, which

shall not be diminished during

their Continuance In Office. 
10

THE ROLE OF THE 

FEDERAL COUR TS IN 

AMERICAN GOVERNMENT THE FEDERAL COUR TS 

AND CONGRESS

Congress has three basic responsibilities under the

Constitution that determine how the federal courts

will operate. 

First, it authorizes the creation of all federal

courts below the Supreme Court, defines the 

jurisdiction of the courts, and decides how many

judges there should be for each court. 

Second, through the confirmation process, the

Senate determines which of the President’s judicial

nominees ultimately become federal judges. 

Third, Congress approves the federal courts’

budget and appropriates money for the judiciary 

to operate. The judiciary’s budget is a very small

part—about two-tenths of one percent—of the 

entire federal budget.

THE FEDERAL COUR TS AND

THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH

Under the Constitution, the President nominates

Article III constitutional judges to a lifetime

appointment, subject to approval by majority 

vote of the Senate. The President usually consults

senators or other elected officials concerning

potential candidates for vacancies on the 

federal courts.

The President’s power to appoint new federal

judges is not the judiciary’s only interaction with

the executive branch. The Department of Justice,

which is responsible for prosecuting federal

crimes and for representing the government in

civil cases, is the most frequent litigator in the

federal court system. Several other executive

branch agencies are involved with court operations. The United States Marshals Service, for

example, provides security for federal courthouses
11

and judges, and the General Services Administration builds and maintains federal courthouses.

Within the executive branch there are military

courts and a number of other specialized subjectmatter tribunals and administrative agencies that

adjudicate disputes in the first instance involving

specific federal laws and benefits programs, such 

as the tax laws, patent and copyright laws, labor

laws, social security statutes and regulations,

approval of radio and TV licenses, and the like.

Although these executive branch bodies are not

part of the judiciary established under Article III

of the Constitution, appeals of their final decisions

typically may be taken to the Article III courts.

THE FEDERAL COUR TS 

AND THE PUBLIC

With certain very limited exceptions, each step 

of the federal judicial process is open to the public.

Federal courthouses are designed to inspire in the

public a respect for the tradition and purpose of the

American judicial process, and many courthouses

are historic buildings. 

A citizen who wishes to observe a court in 

session may go to a federal courthouse, check the

court calendar, which is posted on a bulletin board

or television monitor, and watch any proceeding.

Anyone may review the file and papers in a case 

by going to the clerk of court’s office and asking 

to review or copy the appropriate case file.

Increasingly, court schedules, dockets, judgments,

opinions, and pleadings are being made available 

to the public in electronic format through the

Internet. Unlike most of the state courts, however,

the federal courts do not permit television or radio

coverage of trial court proceedings.

The right of public access to court proceedings 

is partly derived from the Constitution and partly

from court and common-law tradition. By conducting their judicial work in public view, judges

enhance public confidence in the courts, and they

allow citizens to learn first-hand how our judicial

system works.

In a few, limited situations the public may 

not have full access to court records and court 

proceedings. In a high-profile trial, for example,

there may not be enough space in the courtroom 

to accommodate everyone who would like to

observe. Access to the courtroom also may be

restricted for security or privacy reasons, such 

as the protection of a juvenile or a confidential 

informant. Finally, certain documents may be

placed under seal by the judge, meaning that they 

are not available to the public. Examples of sealed

information include certain types of confidential

business records, certain law enforcement reports,

juvenile records, and cases involving national 

security issues.
12

Two special trial courts within the federal 

judicial branch have nationwide jurisdiction over

certain types of cases. The Court of International

Trade addresses cases involving international trade

and customs issues. The United States Court 

of Federal Claims has jurisdiction over disputes

involving federal contracts, the taking of private

property by the federal government, and a variety

of other monetary claims against the United States.

Trial court proceedings are conducted by 

a single judge, sitting alone or with a jury of citizens as finders of fact. The Constitution provides

for a right to trial by a jury in many categories 

of cases, including: (1) all serious criminal prosecutions; (2) those civil cases in which the right to 

a jury trial applied under English law at the time

of American independence; and (3) cases in which

the United States Congress has expressly provided

for the right to trial by jury. 

APELLA TE COUR T S

The 94 judicial districts are organized into 

12 regional circuits, each of which has a United

States court of appeals. A court of appeals hears

appeals from the district courts located within 

its circuit, as well as appeals from certain federal

administrative agencies. 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 Court of International Trade and

the Court of Federal Claims. 

There is a right of appeal in every federal case 

in which a district court enters a final judgment.

The courts of appeals typically sit in panels of

three judges. They are not courts of cassation, and

they may review a case only if one or more parties

files a timely appeal from the decision of a lower

THE STRUCTURE OF 

THE FEDERAL COUR T S

With certain notable exceptions, the federal courts

have jurisdiction to hear a broad variety of cases.

The same federal judges handle both civil and

criminal cases, public law and private law disputes,

cases involving individuals and cases involving 

corporations and government entities, appeals from

administrative agency decisions, and law and equity matters. There are no separate constitutional

courts, because all federal courts and judges may

decide issues regarding the constitutionality of 

federal laws and other governmental actions that

arise in the cases they hear.

TRIAL COUR T S

The United States district courts are the principal

trial courts in the federal court system. The district

courts have jurisdiction to hear nearly all categories

of federal cases. There are 94 federal judicial 

districts, including one or more in each state, the

District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the overseas

territories.

Each federal judicial district includes a United

States bankruptcy court operating as a unit of the

district court. The bankruptcy court has nationwide jurisdiction over almost all matters involving

insolvency cases except criminal issues. Once 

a case is filed in a bankruptcy court, related matters 

pending in other federal and state courts can be

removed to the bankruptcy court. The bankruptcy

courts are administratively managed by the bankruptcy judges.
13

court or administrative agency. When an appeal 

is filed, a court of appeals reviews the decision 

and record of proceedings in the lower court or

administrative agency. The court of appeals does

not hear additional evidence, and generally must

accept the factual findings of the trial judge. 

If additional fact-finding is necessary, the court 

of appeals may remand the case to the trial court 

or administrative agency. Remand is unnecessary

in most cases, however, and the court of appeals

either affirms or reverses the lower court or agency

decision in a written order or written opinion.

In cases of unusual importance, a court of

appeals may sit en banc—that is, with all the

appellate judges in the circuit present—to review

the decisions of a three-judge panel. The full 

court may affirm or reverse the panel decision.

THE UNITED ST A TES 

SUPREME COUR T

The United States Supreme Court is the highest

court in the federal judiciary. It consists of the

Chief Justice of the United States and eight 

associate justices. The court always sits en banc,

with all nine justices hearing and deciding all cases

together. The jurisdiction of the Supreme Court

is almost completely discretionary, and, to be 

exercised, requires the agreement of at least four

justices to hear a case. (In a small number of special cases, such as boundary disputes between the

states, the Supreme Court acts either as the court

of first instance or exercises mandatory appellate

review). As a general rule, the Court only agrees 

to decide cases where there is a split of opinion

among the courts of appeals or where there is an

important constitutional question or issue of federal law that needs to be clarified.

Supreme Court

Appellate courts

Trial courts

Other federal tribunals that are

not within the judicial branch 

The United States 

Federal Courts

United States District Courts

(94 judicial districts and the

United States Bankruptcy Courts)

Court of International Trade 

Court of Federal Claims 

Military Courts (trial and appellate)

United States Court 

of Veterans Appeals 

United States Tax Court

Administrative agency 

offices and boards 

United States Courts of Appeals

(12 Regional Courts of Appeals

and the Court of Appeals for the

Federal Circuit)

United States Supreme Court
14

WASHINGTON 

WESTERN

WASHINGTON

EASTERN

OREGON

NEVADA

CALIFORNIA

EASTERN

CALIFORNIA

NORTHERN

CALIFORNIA CENTRAL

CALIFORNIA

SOUTHERN

ARIZONA

MONTANA

IDAHO

MISSOURI

WESTERN

MISSOURI

EASTERN

ARKANSAS

EASTERN

ARKANSAS

WESTERN

IOWA SOUTHERN

IOWA NORTHERN

NEBRASKA

SOUTH DAKOTA 

NORTH DAKOTA

MINNESOTA

8

5

TEXAS NORTHERN

TEXAS WESTERN

TEXAS 

SOUTHERN

TEXAS

EASTERN LOUISANA

WESTERN

MISSISSIPPI

NORTHERN

MISSISSIPPI

SOUTHERN

LOUISANA

MIDDLE

LOUISANA

EASTERN

9

10

COLORADO

UTAH

WYOMING

NEW MEXICO

KANSAS

OKLAHOMA

WESTERN

OKLAHOMA

NORTHERN

OKLAHOMA

EASTERN

9

ALASKA

HAWAII

NORTHERN 

MARIANA

ISLANDS

GUAM 9

GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES OF THE

UNITED ST A TES COUR TS OF APPEALS

AND THE UNITED ST A TES DISTRICT COUR T S
GEORGIA

MIDDLE

GEORGIA

NORTHERN

GEORGIA

SOUTHERN

ALABAMA

MIDDLE

FLORIDA NORTHERN

FLORIDA

MIDDLE

FLORID SOUTHERN

ALABAMA

NORTHERN

ALABAMA

SOUTHERN

11

WISCONSIN

WESTERN

7

WISCONSIN

EASTERN

ILLINOIS

NORTHERN

ILLINOIS

CENTRAL

INDIANA

NORTHERN

INDIANA

SOUTHERN

ILLINOIS

SOUTHERN

MICHIGAN WESTERN

6 KENTUCKY

EASTERN

OHIO SOUTHERN

KENTUCKY WESTERN

TENNESSEE

WESTERN

TENNESSE MIDDLE

TENNESSEE

EASTERN

OHIO NORTHERN

MICHIGAN

WESTERN

MICHIGAN

EASTERN

W. VIRGINIA

SOUTHERN

W.VIRGINIA

NORTHERN

VIRGINIA WESTERN

MIDDLE

NO. CAROLINA

WESTERN

NO. CAROLINA

EASTERN

VIRGINIA

EASTERN

MARYLAND

DISTRICT

OF COLUMBIA

SOUTH CAROLINA

4

PEN

W

N

E

S

S

Y

T

L

E

V

R

A

N

NIA 3

PENNSYLVANIA

MIDDLE

PENN

EASTERN NEW

JERSEY

DELAWARE

NEW YORK

WESTERN

NEW YORK

NORTHERN

VERMONT

CONNECTICUT RHODE

ISLAND

NEW YORK

EASTERN

NY SOUTH

2

1

MAINE

NEW

HAMPSHIRE

MASSACHUSETTS

15

PUERTO RICO

1

LEGEND

CIRCUIT BOUNDARIES

S T A TE BOUNDARIES

DISTRICT BOUNDARIES

VIRGIN ISLANDS

3

D.C CIRCUIT

W ASHINGTON, D.C

FEDERAL CIRCUIT

W ASHINGTON, D.C
16

In general, federal courts may decide cases 

that involve the United States government or its

officials, the United States Constitution or federal

laws, or controversies between states or between

the United States and foreign governments. 

A case also may be filed in federal court—even if

no question arising under federal law is involved—

if the litigants are citizens of different states or the

dispute arises between citizens of the United States

citizens and those of another country. 

In the initial stages of any lawsuit, the plaintiff

must assert the legal basis for the court’s jurisdiction over the case, and the court must make an

independent determination that it has jurisdiction

to address the case. If a case is filed initially 

in a federal court, but the court determines that 

it lacks jurisdiction to adjudicate, the case must 

be dismissed. Under certain circumstances, a case

that was improperly filed in federal court may 

be “remanded” to a state court that has jurisdiction

to hear the case. Conversely, a case that was filed

in a state court may, if certain conditions are met,

be “removed” to a federal court. 

The federal and state courts are required 

to extend “full faith and credit” to each other’s

respective judgments. Under the Supremacy

Clause of the Constitution, however, a federal law

preempts any state law that is in conflict with it.

TYPES OF CASES THA T MA Y

BE FILED IN THE FEDERAL

AND ST A TE COUR T S

The table to the right gives some examples of the

cases that may be addressed exclusively in the

state courts or in the federal courts, as well as some

examples of concurrent jurisdiction (cases that may

be heard in either state or federal court). 

RELA TIONSHIP BETWEEN 

THE ST A TE COUR TS AND 

THE FEDERAL COUR T S

Although federal courts are located in every state,

they are not the only forum available to litigants. 

In fact, the great majority of legal disputes in American courts are addressed in the separate state court

systems established in each of the 50 states. Most

state court systems, like the federal judiciary, have

trial courts of general jurisdiction, intermediate

appellate courts, and a state supreme court. They

may also have specialized lower-level courts, county courts, municipal courts, small claims courts, 

or justices of the peace to handle minor matters.

The state courts have jurisdiction over a wider

variety of disputes than the federal courts. State

courts, for example, have jurisdiction over virtually

all divorce and child custody matters, probate 

and inheritance issues, real estate questions, and 

juvenile matters, and they handle most criminal

cases, contract disputes, traffic violations, and 

personal injury cases.

THE JURISDICTION OF 

THE FEDERAL COUR T S
17

State Courts

crimes under state legislation

state constitutional issues 

and cases involving state laws 

or regulations

family law issues

real property issues 

landlord and tenant disputes

most private contract disputes 

(except those resolved under 

bankruptcy law)

most issues involving the regulation of

trades and professions

most professional malpractice issues

most issues involving the internal 

governance of business associations 

such as partnerships and corporations

most personal injury lawsuits

most workers’ injury claims

probate and inheritance matters

most traffic violations and 

registration of motor vehicles

EXAMPLES OF JURISDICTION IN THE FEDERAL AND ST A TE COUR T S

Federal Courts

crimes under statutes enacted 

by Congress

most cases involving federal laws or regulations (for example: tax, Social Security,

broadcasting, civil rights)

matters involving interstate and 

international commerce, including 

airline and railroad regulation

cases involving securities and 

commodities regulation, including 

takeovers of publicly held \

corporations

admiralty cases

international trade law matters

patent, copyright, and other 

intellectual property issues

cases involving rights under treaties, 

foreign states, and foreign nationals

state law disputes when "diversity

of citizenship" exists

bankruptcy matters

disputes between states

habeas corpus actions 

traffic violations and other misdmeanors

occurring on certain federal property

State or Federal 

Courts

crimes punishable under both 

federal or state law

federal constitutional issues

certain civil rights claims

"class action" cases

environmental regulation

certain disputes involving 

federal law
18

APPOINTMENT OF JUDGES

A R TICLE III JUDGES

Justices of the Supreme Court, judges of the 

courts of appeals and the district courts, and judges

of the Court of International Trade, are appointed

under Article III of the Constitution. They are 

nominated and appointed by the President of the

United States and must be confirmed by a majority

vote of the Senate. Article III judges are appointed

for life, and they can only be removed by the

Congress through the impeachment process 

specified in the Constitution. The judiciary plays 

no role in the nomination or confirmation process.

The primary criterion for appointment to a federal judgeship is a person’s total career and academic

achievements. No examinations are administered 

to judicial candidates. Rather, a person seeking 

a judgeship is required to complete a lengthy set 

of forms that set forth in detail his or her personal

qualifications and career accomplishments, including

such matters as academic background, job experiences, public writings, intellectual pursuits, legal

cases handled, and outside activities. Candidates

also are subject to extensive interviews, background

investigations, and follow-up questioning.

Politics is an important factor in the appointment

of Article III judges. Candidates are normally selected by the President from a list of candidates provided by the Senators or other office holders from 

the President’s own party within the state in which 

the appointment is to be made. In addition, 

the President’s nominee must appear in person 

at a hearing before the Judiciary Committee of the

Senate, and the Senate must vote to confirm each

judge. Article III judges are usually nominated by

the President from among the ranks of prominent

UNITED 

S T A TES 

FEDERAL 

JUDGES
19

Constitution and may invalidate state laws that they

find inconsistent with the Constitution. State judges

are selected in several ways, according to state constitutions and statutes. Most are either elected by the

public in general elections or are appointed by the

governor of the state for an original term and may 

be retained for additional terms by popular vote in 

a general election.

FEDERAL JUDICIAL ETHICS

By statute, federal judges may not hear cases 

in which they have either personal knowledge of 

the disputed facts, a personal bias concerning a party

to the case, any earlier involvement in the case as 

a lawyer, or a financial interest in any party or subject

matter of the case. Federal judges also are subject 

to the Code of Conduct for United States Judges, 

a set of ethical principles and guidelines adopted 

by the Judicial Conference of the United States. The

Code of Conduct—and the opinions interpreting it—

provide guidance for judges on issues of judicial

integrity and independence, judicial diligence and

impartiality, permissible extra-judicial activities, and

the avoidance of impropriety or even its appearance.

Judges may receive guidance on ethical issues

through the Judicial Conference’s Codes of Conduct

Committee. That committee of judges is authorized

both to draft the codes of conduct and to render written advisory opinions to judges and court employees.

It also publishes selected advisory 

opinions based on the facts presented in a specific

request. The published opinions do not identify the

particular judge or judges requesting the advisory

opinion, and they are made available within the 

judiciary in both paper and electronic form.

In order to avoid financial conflicts of interest, 

a federal statute requires all judges—as well as other

high-level government officials—to file annual 

financial disclosure statements that list their assets,

practicing lawyers, lower federal court judges, state

court judges, or law professors who reside within 

the district or circuit where the court sits.

Each federal judge is appointed to fill a specific,

authorized judgeship in a specific district or circuit.

Judges have no authority to hear cases in other

courts unless they are formally designated to do 

so. Because of heavy caseloads in certain districts,

judges from other courts are often asked to hear

cases in these districts.

OTHER FEDERAL JUDGES

Bankruptcy judges and magistrate judges are 

judicial officers of the district courts, but they are

not Article III judges. They are not appointed under 

a political process, and the President and Senate

play no role in their selection. Rather, they are

appointed by the courts of appeals and the district

courts, respectively, with the assistance of merit

selection panels composed of local lawyers and 

other citizens. 

Bankruptcy judges are appointed by the judges

of the courts of appeals for 14-year terms. Magistrate

judges are appointed by the judges of the district

court for eight-year terms. Before reappointing 

a bankruptcy judge or a magistrate judge to an 

additional term, the appointing court must publish 

a public notice seeking comments on the incumbent’s performance and convene a merit panel 

to recommend to the court whether the incumbent

should be reappointed.

Judges of the Court of Federal Claims are

appointed for terms of 15 years by the President,

subject to confirmation by a majority of the Senate.

S T A TE JUDGES

State judges handle most cases in the United States,

but they are not part of the federal court system.

Rather, they serve in the state court systems established by state governments. Like federal judges,

state judges are required to support the federal
20

liabilities, positions, gifts, and reimbursements 

(and those of their spouses and minor children).

The disclosure statements for federal judges and

certain judicial branch officials are maintained 

by the Administrative Office of the United States

Courts and are available to the public on request.

Judges may not engage in political activity, the

practice of law, or business activity (except investments). But they may devote time to public service

and educational activities. Indeed, federal judges

have a distinguished history of service to the legal

profession through their writing, speaking, and

teaching. This important role is recognized in the

Code of Conduct, which encourages judges to

engage in activities to improve the law, the legal

system, and the administration of justice. Income

from outside activities such as teaching is limited 

to approximately 15% of the judge’s salary. 

JUDGES’ COMPENSA TION

Federal judges receive salaries and benefits that 

are set by Congress. Judicial salaries and employment benefits are comparable to those received by

Members of Congress and other senior government

officials. The Constitution provides that the 

compensation of an Article III federal judge may

not be reduced during the judge’s service.

SENIOR AND RETIRED JUDGE S

Court of appeals, district court, and Court of

International Trade judges have life tenure under

the Constitution. They are, therefore, not required

to retire at any age. But they may elect voluntarily

to retire from active service on full salary if they 

are at least 65 years old and meet certain years-ofservice requirements. Most Article III judges who

retire continue to hear cases on a full or part-time

basis as “senior judges” without additional compensation. Retired bankruptcy judges, 

The Code of Conduct for

United States Judges 

· A judge should uphold the 

integrity and independence of

the judiciary.

· A judge should avoid impropriety and the appearance 

of impropriety in all activities.

· A judge should perform the 

duties of the office impartially 

and diligently.

· A judge may engage in extrajudicial activities to improve the

law, the legal system, and the

administration of justice.

· A judge should regulate extrajudicial activities to minimize the

risk of conflict with judicial

duties.

· A judge should regularly file

reports of compensation

received for law-related and

extra-judicial activities.

· A judge should refrain from 

political activity.
21

magistrate judges, and Court of Federal Claims

judges also may be “recalled” to active service.

Without the service donated by senior and retired

judges, the judiciary would need many more judges

to handle its cases. Senior judges, for example, 

typically handle about 15-20% of the total appellate

and district court workloads in the federal courts.

JUDICIAL EDUCA TION

The Federal Judicial Center, an organization 

within the judicial branch, is the principal research

and training resource for federal judges. It conducts 

a variety of educational programs for judges on 

substantive legal topics, the art of judging, and 

case management. In addition to attending an 

orientation training program shortly after they are

first appointed, all judges are invited periodically 

by the Center to attend workshops that focus on

new legislation, developments in case law, and 

specific judicial skills. The Center has also developed a number of special focus programs, often in

conjunction with law schools, that address specific

areas of the law in depth, such as intellectual 

property or the use of scientific evidence. In addition to live seminars and workshops, the Center 

produces a wide variety of videotapes, audiotapes,

manuals, and other publications to assist judges 

in performing their duties. 

The Administrative Office conducts training 

programs for judges on the use of computers, and 

on such administrative matters as pay and benefits, 

hiring staff, judicial branch organization and governance, judicial ethics, and personal security. The

Administrative Office also offers special orientation

programs on management and operational topics for

new chief judges of district courts, courts of appeals,

and bankruptcy courts.

The Federal Judicial Center, the Administrative

Office, and the United States Sentencing

Commission jointly operate a television network

that broadcasts daily education and information 

programs for judges and court staff. In addition, 

several individual courts conduct in-house 

orientation and mentoring programs for new judges,

as well as round-table discussions or other substantive programs for all judges.

JUDGES’ ST AFF

In addition to court-wide staff who are appointed 

by the court as a whole, each judge is allowed to 

hire a small personal staff, known as “chambers”

staff. Judges may hire a secretary to help them with

administrative matters and law clerks to help them

research legal issues and draft papers. Chambers

staff are subject to the ethical restrictions contained

in the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees.

The duties of chambers staff vary depending on

the particular work and management preferences of

each judge or court. Judges carefully supervise and

review the work of their chambers staff. By using

their staff to conduct legal research and other tasks

that do not involve exercising the discretionary powers of a judge, each judge is better able to perform

the tasks of judging. 
22

THE ADVERSAR Y SYSTEM

The litigation process in United States courts 

is referred to as an “adversary” system because 

it relies on the litigants to present their dispute

before a neutral fact-finder. According to American

legal tradition, inherited from the English common

law, the clash of adversaries before the court 

is thought most likely to allow the jury or judge 

to determine the truth and resolve the dispute. 

In some other legal systems, judges or magistrates

conduct investigations to find relevant evidence

or obtain testimony from witnesses. In the United

States, however, the work of collecting evidence

and preparing to present it to the court is accomplished by the litigants and their attorneys, normally

without assistance from the court. The essential 

role of the judge is to structure and regulate the

development of issues by the adversaries and to

make sure that the law is followed and that fairness

is achieved. 

THE COMMON LA W SYSTEM

The American judicial process is based largely 

on the English common law system. Common law

is law that is developed and interpreted by judges,

rather than a fixed body of legal rules such as the

codes of a civil law system. A basic feature of the

common law is the doctrine of “precedent,” under

which judges use the legal principles established

in earlier cases to decide new cases that have similar facts and raise similar legal issues. Judges of the

lower courts are required to follow the decisions

of the higher courts within their jurisdiction. 

In most areas of federal law, Congress in this

century has passed elaborately detailed statutes,

sometimes referred to as “codes,” that establish

fundamental legal principles in particular fields 

DISTINCTIVE FEA TURES 

OF THE AMERICAN 

JUDICIAL SYSTEM 
23

FEES AND COSTS 

OF LITIGA TION

Another characteristic of the American judicial 

system is that litigants typically pay their own costs

of litigation whether they win or lose. The federal

courts charge moderate fees that are mostly set 

by Congress. Other costs of litigation, such as 

attorneys’ and experts’ fees, are more substantial.

Civil plaintiffs who cannot afford to pay court fees

may seek permission from the court to proceed

without paying those fees. In some categories of

civil cases, including certain civil rights violations, 

a winning plaintiff may recover attorney costs from

the defendant. In criminal cases the government

pays the costs of investigation and prosecution. The

government also provides a lawyer without cost for

any criminal defendant who is unable 

to afford one. 

EXECUTION OF JUDGMENTS

Execution and enforcement of judgments is the

responsibility of the parties to the litigation, not the

courts. In criminal cases, the United States marshal

(an employee of the Department of Justice) is

responsible for keeping a prisoner in custody. If the

court has ordered the payment of criminal fines, the

clerk of court is responsible for receiving money

and distributing it as directed by the court. The

Department of Justice is responsible, however, for

enforcement of the court’s order and collection of

money and assets if the defendant fails to pay the

required fines.

In civil cases, the parties themselves are responsible for executing court orders, although the 

courts maintain a record of all judgments for public

inspection. Many money judgments are covered 

by various forms of insurance, and in those cases

the insurance companies resolve the details of

enforcement of a civil judgment. A winning party

of law. These bodies of statutory law include, 

for example, the Bankruptcy Code, the Internal

Revenue Code, the Social Security Act, the

Securities Act, and the Securities Exchange Act. 

In addition, the individual states have adopted 

various comprehensive codes, such as the Uniform

Commercial Code. These statutes are often further

developed and interpreted by regulations adopted

by federal and state administrative agencies. 

Despite the growth of statutory law over the 

last century, however, American statutes and regulations, even when called “codes,” continue to 

be interpreted by the courts in common-law, or

“precedent” fashion. Thus, for example, a bankruptcy court applying the Bankruptcy Code will

consult relevant case law to determine whether

there are Supreme Court or court of appeals rulings

applying the particular code section in similar 

factual situations. Lawyers who argue the question

before the court will not only dispute whether the

situation is governed by a particular section of the

statute, but whether it should be governed by an

earlier court ruling in a purportedly similar case.

All judges in the United States, regardless 

of the level of the court in which they sit, exercise

the power of judicial review. While judges will 

normally presume the laws or actions that they are

reviewing to be valid, they will invalidate statutes,

regulations, or executive actions that they find 

to be clearly inconsistent with the Constitution.

They are required to abide by a hierarchy of the

laws that places the United States Constitution

above all other laws. Judges will therefore not only

abide by precedent in interpreting statutes, regulations, and actions by members of the executive

branch, but will seek to interpret them consistently

with the Constitution. 
24

may obtain the assistance of the court in examining

the debtor and taking certain actions to protect

property in the debtor’s possession. A winning

party may also apply to a state court for assistance

in enforcing a federal court judgment through state

law remedies such as garnishing the wages or

attaching the assets of the losing party. In general, 

a civil judgment becomes a lien attached to any 

real property of the losing party, and the judgment

earns interest at a specified rate of return until 

it is collected. 

PROCEDURAL RULES FOR

CONDUCTING LITIGA TION

In accordance with the Rules Enabling Act of 1934,

the federal judiciary itself is responsible for issuing

the rules of procedure and evidence that govern 

all federal court proceedings. Under this authority,

the judiciary has established federal rules of 

evidence, and rules of civil, criminal, bankruptcy

and appellate procedure. The rules are designed 

to promote simplicity, fairness, and the just determination of litigation, and to eliminate unjustifiable

expense and delay. They are drafted by committees 

of judges, lawyers, and professors appointed by 

the Chief Justice. They are published widely 

by the Administrative Office for public comment,

approved by the Judicial Conference of the United

States, and promulgated by the Supreme Court.

The rules become law unless the Congress votes 

to reject or modify them.

REPOR TING OF 

JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS

All trial and pretrial proceedings conducted in 

open court are written down by a court reporter or

recorded by sound equipment. The court reporter

is a person specially trained to record all testimony

and produce a word-for-word account called a transcript. A written, word-for-word transcript may be

prepared if necessary for an appeal of a court’s

decision, or upon a request by one of the litigants

or another person.

PUBLICA TION OF 

COUR T OPINIONS

Because common law courts rely on judicial precedent in interpreting and applying the law, it is vital

for judicial opinions on current legal issues to 

be readily available to courts and lawyers facing

similar issues. With the advance of technology 

in the federal courts, most court orders and 

opinions are now prepared on personal computers

using standard word processing software. Virtually

all opinions and orders are on the public record 

and are available for review and copying at the

courthouse. Some opinions are formally published. 

The production of published opinions for the court

is usually accomplished by a private company. 

In addition, private lawbook publishing companies

and computerized legal research services, such 

as Westlaw and Lexis/Nexis, make court opinions,

statutes, and other legal materials available to 

the bar and public on a commercial basis.

Most courts now have their own Internet site

and make their opinions available electronically 

on the Internet. In addition, some law schools 

have begun to collect court opinions, mainly from 

the courts of appeals, and to make them available 

on the Internet. Examples of collections of

Supreme Court and Courts of Appeals opinions

includethe following sites:

http://vls.law.vill.edu/Locator/fedcourt.html

http://www.law.emory.edu/FEDCTS

http://www.law.cornell.edu 
25

THE FEDERAL JUDICIAL

PROCESS IN BRIEF CIVIL CASES

A federal civil case involves a legal dispute

between two or more parties. To begin a civil 

lawsuit in a federal court, the plaintiff files 

a document called a “complaint” with the court

and “serves” a copy of the complaint on the 

defendant. The complaint is a short statement

that describes the plaintiff’s injury or other legal

claim, explains how the defendant caused the

injury, and asks the court to order relief. A plaintiff

may seek money to compensate for the injury 

or ask the court to order the defendant to stop 

the conduct that is causing the harm. The court

may also order other types of relief, such as

a declaration of the legal rights of the plaintiff 

in a particular situation.

To prepare a case for trial, the litigants may 

conduct “discovery.” In discovery, the litigants 

must provide information to each other about 

the subject matter of the case, such as the identity 

of witnesses, the expected testimony of the witnesses, and copies of any documents related to the

case. The purpose of discovery is to prepare for

trial, and to prevent surprise at trial, by requiring

the litigants to assemble their evidence and 

prepare to call witnesses, before the trial begins. 

The scope of discovery is broad, and discovery 

is conducted by the parties themselves under the

procedural rules of the courts. Judges are involved

only to the extent necessary to oversee the process

and to resolve disputes brought to their attention

by the parties. 

One common method of discovery is the 

“deposition.” In a deposition, a witness is required

to answer under oath questions about the case

asked by the lawyers in the presence of a court

reporter. A second method of discovery is the

“interrogatory,” which is a written question from
26

one party to another that must be answered under

oath. A third method allows a party to require

another party to produce documents and other

materials within its custody or control, or to enter

on another party’s property for inspection or other

purposes relating to the litigation.

Each side may file requests, or “motions,” with

the court seeking rulings on various legal issues.

Some motions ask for a ruling that determines

whether the case may proceed as a matter of law. 

A “motion to dismiss,” for example, may argue 

that the plaintiff has not stated a claim under

which relief may be granted under the law, or that

the court does not have jurisdiction over the parties

or the claim at issue, and therefore lacks the power

to adjudicate. A “motion for summary judgment”

argues that there are no disputed factual issues 

for a jury to resolve, and urges the judge to decide

the case based solely on the legal issues. Other

motions focus on the discovery process, addressing

disputes over what information is subject to the

discovery rules, protecting the private or privileged

nature of certain information, or urging the court 

to preserve evidence for use at trial. Other motions

address procedural issues such as the proper venue

for the case, the schedule for discovery or trial, 

or the procedures to be followed at trial.

To avoid the expense and delay of having 

a trial, judges encourage the litigants to reach 

an agreement resolving their dispute. Most judges

conduct settlement conferences with the parties,

and they may refer a case to a trained mediator or

arbitrator to facilitate an agreement. As a result, 

litigants often decide to resolve a civil lawsuit with

an agreement known as a “settlement.” Most civil

cases are terminated by settlement or dismissal

without a trial.

If a case is not settled, the court will proceed 

to a trial. In a wide variety of civil cases, either side

is entitled under the Constitution to request 

a jury trial. If the parties waive their right to a jury,

the case will be heard by a judge without a jury.

If a trial is conducted, witnesses testify 

under oath and respond to questions asked by 

the attorneys. Testimony is conducted under 

the supervision of the judge, and it must comply 

with formal rules of evidence designed to assure 

fairness, reliability, and the accuracy of testimony

and documents. At the conclusion of the evidence,

each side gives a closing argument. If a case is

tried before a jury, the judge will instruct the jury

on what the law is and will tell the jury what facts

and issues it must resolve. If the case is tried by 

a judge without a jury, the judge will decide both

the facts and the law in the case. In a civil case, 

the burden of proof lies with the plaintiff, who

must convince the jury (or the judge if there is no

jury) by a “preponderance of the evidence,” i.e.,

that it is more likely than not that the defendant is

legally responsible for any harm that the plaintiff

has suffered. 

CRIMINAL CASES

The judicial process in a criminal case differs 

from a civil case in several important ways. The

parties in the case are the United States attorney

(the prosecutor representing the Department of

Justice) and the defendant or defendants. Criminal

investigations are conducted by the Department 

of Justice and other law enforcement agencies,

which are both part of the executive branch. 

The court plays no role in criminal investigations. 

Its role in the criminal justice process is to apply

the law and make legal and factual decisions.

Three main levels of federal criminal offenses

have been defined by Congress. Felony offenses

are the most serious crimes and may be punished

by more than one year in prison. Misdemeanor
27

offenses are less serious and may be punished 

by up to one year in prison. The least serious

offenses, known as petty offenses, may be punished by up to six months imprisonment. Most

petty offenses are addressed through fines rather

than a prison sentence. 

After a person is arrested, a pretrial services 

officer or probation officer of the court immediately

interviews the defendant and conducts an investigation of the defendant’s background. The information

obtained by the pretrial services officer or probation

officer will be used to help a judge decide whether

to release the defendant into the community before

trial and whether to impose conditions of release. 

At an initial appearance, a judge (normally 

a magistrate judge) advises the defendant of 

the charges filed, considers whether the defendant

should be held in custody until trial, and determines

whether there is “probable cause” to believe that

an offense has been committed and the defendant

has committed it. Defendants who are unable 

to hire their own attorney are advised of their right

to a court-appointed attorney. Each district court,

by statute, is required to have in place a plan for

providing competent attorneys to represent 

defendants who cannot afford their own attorneys. 

The court may appoint a federal public defender 

(a full-time federal official appointed by the 

court of appeals), a community public defender 

(a member of a community-based legal aid organization funded by a grant from the judiciary), 

or a private attorney who has agreed to accept such

appointments from the court. In all these types 

of appointments, the attorney who represents the

defendant is paid by the court from funds appropriated to the judiciary by Congress. Defendants

released into the community before trial may be

required to obey certain restrictions, such as home

confinement or drug testing, and to make periodic

reports to a pretrial services officer to ensure

appearance at trial.

Under the Constitution, a felony criminal case

may only proceed beyond the initial stages if the

defendant is indicted by a grand jury. The grand

jury reviews evidence presented to it by the United

States attorney and decides whether there is sufficient evidence to require a defendant to stand trial. 

The defendant enters a plea to the charges

brought by the United States attorney at a hearing

known as an arraignment. Most defendants—

more than 90%—plead guilty rather than go to 

trial. If a defendant pleads guilty in return for the 

government agreeing to drop certain charges or to

recommend a less severe sentence, the agreement

often is called a “plea bargain.” If the defendant

pleads guilty, the judge may impose a sentence 

at that time, but more commonly will schedule 

a hearing to determine the sentence at a later date.

If the defendant pleads not guilty, the judge will

proceed to schedule a trial.

Criminal cases include a limited amount 

of pretrial discovery proceedings similar to those 

in civil cases, with substantial restrictions to protect

the identity of government informants and to prevent intimidation of witnesses. The attorneys also

may file motions, which are requests for rulings 

by the court before the trial. For example, defense

attorneys often file a motion to suppress evidence,

which asks the court to exclude from the trial 

evidence that the defendant believes was obtained

by the government in violation of the defendant’s

constitutional rights. 

In a criminal trial, the burden of proof is on the

government. Defendants do not have to prove 

their innocence. Instead, the government must 

provide evidence to convince the jury of the defendant’s guilt. The standard of proof in a criminal 

trial is much higher than in a civil case. It must be
28

beyond a reasonable doubt,” which means the 

evidence must be so strong that there is no reasonable doubt that the defendant committed the

crime. The judge instructs the jury on the law 

and the decisions that the jury must make. 

If a defendant is found not guilty, the defendant

is released and the government may not appeal.

Nor can the person be charged again with the same

crime in a federal court. The Constitution prohibits

“double jeopardy,” or being tried twice for the

same offense.

In determining the defendant’s sentence, 

the judge must follow special federal sentencing

guidelines issued by the United States Sentencing

Commission, an organization within the judicial

branch. The sentencing guidelines are designed to:

· incorporate the purposes of sentencing (i.e., just

punishment, deterrence, incapacitation, and 

rehabilitation);

· provide certainty and fairness in sentencing by

avoiding unwarranted disparity among offenders

with similar characteristics convicted of similar

criminal conduct, while permitting some judicial

flexibility to take into account relevant aggravating

and mitigating factors;

· reflect, to the extent practicable, advancement

in the knowledge of human behavior as it relates

to the criminal justice process.

The sentencing guidelines provide federal

judges with consistent sentencing ranges that take

into account both the seriousness of the criminal

conduct and the defendant’s criminal record. Based

on the severity of the offense, the guidelines

assign most federal crimes to one of 43 “offense

levels.” Each offender is also assigned to one 

of six “criminal history categories” based upon the

extent and recency of his or her past misconduct.

The point at which the offense level and criminal

history category intersect on the Commission’s 

sentencing table determines an offender's guideline range. In order to provide flexibility, the top 

of each guideline range exceeds the bottom by 

six months or 25 percent (whichever is greater).

Ordinarily, the judge must choose a sentence

from within the guideline range unless the court

identifies a factor that the Sentencing Commission

failed to consider that should result in a different

sentence. However, the judge must in all cases 

provide the reasons for the sentence. Sentences

outside the guideline range are subject to review

by the courts of appeals for an abuse of discretion,

and all sentences can be reviewed for incorrect

application of the relevant guidelines or law.

In most felony cases the judge waits for the

results of a presentence investigation report, 

prepared by the court’s probation office, before

imposing sentence. The presentence investigation

report summarizes for the court the background

information needed to determine the appropriate

sentence, including a thorough exploration of the

circumstances of the offense and the defendant's

criminal background and characteristics. The report

applies the sentencing guidelines to the individual

defendant and the crimes for which he or she has

been found guilty. During sentencing, the court may

consider not only the evidence produced at trial, but

all relevant information that may be provided by the

pretrial services officer, the United States attorney,

and the defense attorney. In unusual circumstances,

the court may depart from the sentence calculated

according to the sentencing guidelines.

A sentence may include time in prison, a fine 

to be paid to the government, community service,

and restitution to be paid to crime victims. If the

convicted defendant is released, the court’s 

probation officers assist the court in enforcing any

conditions that are imposed as part of a criminal

sentence. The supervision of offenders also may
29

involve services such as substance abuse testing

and treatment programs, job counseling, and 

alternative detention options.

JUR Y SER VICE

Perhaps the most important way individual citizens

become involved in the federal judicial process is by

serving as jurors. There are two types of juries serving distinct functions in the federal trial courts: trial

juries (also known as petit juries), and grand juries. 

A civil trial jury typically consists of 6 to 12 

persons. In a civil case, the role of the jury is to 

listen to the evidence presented at a trial, to decide

whether the defendant injured the plaintiff or otherwise failed to fulfill a legal duty to the plaintiff, and

to determine what the compensation or penalty

should be. A criminal trial jury is usually made 

up of 12 members. Criminal juries decide whether 

the defendant committed the crime as charged.

The sentence usually is set by a judge. Verdicts 

in both civil and criminal cases must be unanimous,

although the parties in a civil case may agree 

to a non-unanimous verdict. A jury’s deliberations

are conducted in private, out of sight and hearing

of the judge, litigants, witnesses, and others in the

courtroom. 

A grand jury, which normally consists of 16 to 

23 members, has a more specialized function. The

United States attorney, the prosecutor in federal

criminal cases, presents evidence to the grand jury

for them to determine whether there is “probable

cause” to believe that an individual has committed

a crime and should be put on trial. If the grand jury

decides there is enough evidence, it will issue 

an indictment against the defendant. Grand jury

proceedings are not open for public observation.

Potential jurors are selected from any source

that will yield a representative sample of the 

population at large. Most often jurors are chosen

from a jury pool generated by random selection 

of citizens’ names from lists of registered voters, 

or combined lists of voters and people with drivers

licenses, in the judicial district. The potential

jurors complete questionnaires to help determine

whether they are qualified to serve on a jury. After

reviewing the questionnaires, the court randomly

selects individuals to be summoned to appear 

for jury duty. These selection methods help ensure

that jurors represent a cross section of the community, without regard to race, gender, national origin, 

age or political affiliation. Jurors receive modest 

compensation and expenses from the court for

their service.

Being summoned for jury service does not 

guarantee that an individual actually will serve 

on a jury. When a jury is needed for a trial, the

group of qualified jurors is taken to the courtroom

where the trial will take place. The judge and the

attorneys then ask the potential jurors questions 

to determine their suitability to serve on the jury, 

a process called voir dire. The purpose of voir dire

is to exclude from the jury people who may not 

be able to decide the case fairly. Members of the

panel who know any person involved in the case,

who have information about the case, or who may

have strong prejudices about the people or issues

involved in the case, typically will be excused 

by the judge. The attorneys also may exclude 

a certain number of jurors without giving a reason.
30

JUROR QUALIFICA TIONS

AND EXEMPTIONS

Qualifications to be a Juror:

· United States citizen

· at least 18 years of age

· reside in the judicial district for one year

· adequate proficiency in English

· no disqualifying mental or physical condition

· not currently subject to felony charges

· never convicted of a felony (unless civil rights

have been legally restored)

Exemptions from Service:

· active duty members of the armed forces

· members of police and fire departments

· certain public officials

· others based on individual court rules (such 

as members of voluntary emergency service

organizations, and people who recently have

served on a jury)

Excuse from Service:

· may be granted at the court’s discretion on 

the grounds of “undue hardship or extreme

inconvenience”

TERMS OF JUR Y SER VICE

Length of Service:

· trial jury service varies by court

· some courts require service for one day or for

the duration of one trial; others require service

for a fixed term

· grand jury service may be up to 18 months

Payment:

· $40 per day; in some instances jurors may 

also receive meal and travel allowances

Employment Protections:

· By law, employers must allow employees time

off (paid or unpaid) for jury service. The law

also forbids any employer from firing, intimidating, or coercing any permanent employee

because of his or her federal jury service
31

B A N K R U P T C Y C A S E S

Federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction over 

bankruptcy cases. This means that a bankruptcy 

case cannot be filed in a state court. The bankruptcy

courts have been established by Congress to operate

within the district courts and presided over by 

bankruptcy judges.

The primary purposes of the law of bankruptcy

are: (1) to give an honest debtor a “fresh start” in life

by relieving the debtor of most debts; (2) to repay

creditors in a fair and orderly manner to the extent

that the debtor has property available for payment;

(3) to reorganize a failing business by restructuring

debt or the business entity itself, or, alternatively, 

to provide a framework for the orderly liquidation 

of the failed enterprise; and (4) to deter and remedy

dishonest actions by debtors or creditors that would

have the effect of undermining the purposes of

bankruptcy law.

Bankruptcy law creates predictability and 

harmony in the marketplace by providing the risk

parameters for creditors in extending credit to

debtors. Further, the bankruptcy courts provide 

commercial dispute resolution options between

debtors and creditors once problems arise in their

relationship, providing stability to the marketplace.

Lastly, bankruptcy promotes entrepreneuralism 

since it allows a fresh start for those who start new 

businesses, but fail for some reason beyond their

control. 

In the United States, unlike many other 

countries, bankruptcy usually is voluntary. In other

words, it is initiated by a debtor for protection

against creditors, rather than by creditors to facilitate

the collection of their claims from a common debtor.

A voluntary bankruptcy case normally begins when

the debtor files a petition with the bankruptcy 

court. A petition may be filed by an individual, by 

a husband and wife together, or by a corporation, 

partnership, or other business entity.
32

the property and distributes it to creditors according

to a schedule of priorities established by the Code.

The trustee is also responsible for challenging 

unjustified claims by creditors, investigating possible

misconduct by the debtor before and during the

bankruptcy, and for recovering claims that the 

bankruptcy estate may have against third parties,

including parties who may have received fraudulent

transfers or preferential payments from the debtor

during the period immediately before bankruptcy. 

At the end of the liquidation process individual

debtors normally receive a “discharge” of all prebankruptcy claims against them, except for certain

categories of claims, such as for support of dependents or for taxes, that may not be discharged.

Any party in interest, including creditors and the

trustee in bankruptcy, may object to the discharge 

of a particular claim or to the debtor’s general 

discharge, on grounds such as fraud by the debtor. 

If a timely objection is made, the bank-ruptcy court

will hold a hearing and rule on whether discharge 

of a challenged claim, or a general discharge of debts,

is allowable under the law. Litigation may also occur

in a bankruptcy case over such matters as who 

owns certain property, how it should be used, what

the property is worth, how much is owed on a debt, 

or how much money should be paid to lawyers,

accountants, auctioneers, or other professionals.

Litigation in the bankruptcy court is conducted in

much the same way that civil cases are handled in

the district court. There may be discovery, pretrial

proceedings, settlement efforts, and a trial.

In most liquidation cases involving debtors who

are consumers, there is little or no property in the

bankruptcy estate to pay creditors. In these cases,

the debtor will normally receive a discharge routinely, with little or no litigation.Bankruptcy cases 

may also be filed to allow a debtor to reorganize 

and establish a plan to repay creditors. Under

Creditors also may file involuntary bankruptcy 

petitions against debtors who are not paying their

debts. Involuntary petitions are comparatively rare in

the United States system, where more than 99% of

all bankruptcy cases are commenced voluntarily. A

debtor who contests such a petition may not be

placed into bankruptcy involuntarily unless creditors

can show that certain statutory requirements are met,

including standing by the creditors to file the petition, and that the debtor is not generally paying

debts as they become due.

A debtor, whether voluntary or involuntary, 

is required to file statements listing assets, income,

liabilities, and the names and addresses of all 

creditors and how much they are owed. The filing 

of a bankruptcy petition automatically prevents, 

or “stays,” virtually all collection actions against the

debtor and the debtor’s property (with some notable

exceptions specified by the Bankruptcy Code such

as criminal actions against the debtor). As long 

as the stay remains in effect, creditors cannot bring 

or continue lawsuits, garnish wages or seize property

subject to mortgages or other security interests, 

or even make demands for payment, without first

obtaining permission from the bankruptcy court.

Creditors receive notice from the clerk of court that

the debtor has filed a bankruptcy petition, and they

are required to file proofs of claim in order to receive

any share of a distribution from the debtor’s property.

More than 70% of bankruptcy cases are filed

under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code, which

involves liquidation of the debtor’s property. 

In these cases, the United States trustee, a Justice

Department officer appointed to supervise the

administration of the bankruptcy process in most

federal court districts, appoints a trustee in bankruptcy who takes control of substantially all property of the debtor except for some categories that are

exempt from seizure. The trustee then liquidates
33

The Bankruptcy Code 

provides three basic types of

bankruptcy proceedings:

· Liquidation of the debtor’s

property (except for certain

exempt property) and distribution of the proceeds, if any, to 

creditors. (Chapter 7)

· Debt adjustment by an individual debtor or husband and wife

that allows them to repay their

creditors, in whole or in part, 

over a period of up to five years

in accordance with a detailed

plan approved by the court. 

(Chapter 13)

· Reorganization of the financial

affairs of a debtor, usually a business, through a plan that is submitted for approval by both creditors and the court. (Chapter 11)

Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code, financially troubled businesses may obtain court approval of 

a plan to repay their creditors without immediately

liquidating their assets. Unlike “compositions” 

or other types of non-liquidation creditor arrangements in other countries, Chapter 11 is part of

United States bankruptcy law and occurs under 

the supervision of a bankruptcy court. A trustee 

is not normally appointed in Chapter 11 proceedings. Instead, the debtor continues to operate its

business, subject to court supervision. 

The ultimate purpose of Chapter 11 is to confirm

a plan of reorganization for the debtor. The U.S.

trustee appoints at least one committee of creditors

to monitor the debtor and to negotiate a plan of

reorganization. All plans must be submitted to the

bankruptcy court, along with proposed disclosure

statements explaining to parties in interest what

their rights will be under each plan. If the court 

confirms the plan, the reorganized entity emerges

from Chapter 11, with the obligations established 

by the plan replacing its pre-bankruptcy obligations.

If no plan is confirmed, or if a party in interest persuades the court that a reorganization would not be

practicable, the court may dismiss the reorganization

case or convert it to a liquidation under Chapter 7.

Chapter 13 of the Bankruptcy Code creates 

a simpler kind of reorganization for individuals with

continuing incomes, subject to certain maximum

limits on amount of debt. Under Chapter 13, the

debtor proposes a plan for repaying debt from future

earnings rather than through liquidation of the

debtor’s property. Plans of this kind typically provide

that all the debtor’s disposable income fora period 

of three to five years will be devoted to repaying

creditors. If the court finds that the plan is proposed

in good faith, it may confirm the plan even over 

the objections of creditors. A trustee is appointed 

to supervise the execution of the plan. The debtor
34

will pay everything required under the plan 

to the trustee, who in turn will pay creditors in 

the amounts required by the plan. If the debtor 

satisfactorily completes the plan’s requirements, 

he or she will then receive a discharge from all

obligations other than those specifically excepted

from discharge by the Code.

A frequently used provision is Bankruptcy

Code § 304, which authorizes the commencement

of a case ancillary to a foreign insolvency proceeding. In cases where a debtor who is the subject of 

an insolvency proceeding in another country has 

property in the United States, a representative 

of the foreign tribunal may commence a proceeding

in a United States bankruptcy court under § 304.

The bankruptcy court has authority to fashion

whatever relief is appropriate under the circumstances, including the granting of injunctions 

barring the commencement or continuation of 

proceedings in other United States courts against

the foreign debtor or its property. The court also

has authority, where appropriate, to order the

turnover of United States property of the foreign

debtor to the foreign representative.

THE APPEALS PROCESS

The losing party in a decision by a trial court in the

federal system is entitled as a matter of right to

appeal the decision to a federal court of appeals.

Similarly, a litigant who is not satisfied with a decision

made by a federal administrative agency in the executive branch usually may file a petition for review of

the agency decision by a court of appeals. Judicial

review in cases involving certain federal agencies or

programs—for example, disputes over Social Security

benefits—may be obtained first in a district court

rather than directly to a court of appeals. 

In a civil case either side may appeal the verdict.

In a criminal case, the defendant may appeal 

a guilty verdict, but the government may not appeal

if a defendant is found not guilty. Either side in a

criminal case may appeal with respect to the sentence that a judge imposes after a guilty verdict. 

In most bankruptcy courts, an appeal of a ruling

by a bankruptcy judge may be taken to the district

court. In several circuits, a Bankruptcy Appellate

Panel consisting of three bankruptcy judges has

been established to hear appeals directly from the

bankruptcy courts. In either situation, the party that

loses in the initial bankruptcy appeal may then

appeal further to the court of appeals. Most appeals

from decisions of magistrate judges are taken to 

a district judge. But when a magistrate judge tries 

a case on consent of the parties, an appeal may be

taken directly to the court of appeals.

A litigant who files an appeal, known as 

an “appellant,” must show that the trial court 

or administrative agency made a legal error that

affected the decision in the case. The court of

appeals makes its decision based on the record 

of the case established by the trial court or agency.

It does not receive additional evidence or hear 

witnesses. The court of appeals also may review

the factual findings of the trial court or agency, but

typically may only overturn a decision on factual

grounds if the findings were “clearly erroneous.”

The appellate court may not hear new evidence,

but may “remand” the case to the trial court for 

that purpose.

Appeals are decided by panels of three judges

working together. The appellant presents legal

arguments to the panel, in writing, in a document

called a “brief.” In the brief, the appellant tries 

to persuade the judges that the trial court made 

an error, and that its decision should be reversed.

On the other hand, the party defending against

the appeal, known as the “appellee,” tries in its 

brief to show why the trial court decision was 
35

important legal principle, or when two or more

federal appellate courts have interpreted a law 

differently. There are also a small number of 

special circumstances in which the Supreme Court

is required by law to hear a case or accept an

appeal directly from a federal trial court. When 

the Supreme Court hears a case, the parties are

required to file written briefs and the Court may

hear oral argument. Additionally, other parties 

with significant interests in the legal issues raised

by a case may ask permission to file briefs as

friends of the court (“amicus curiae”). The 

executive branch, acting through the Solicitor

General, will often file such briefs, which may 

help to define the issues and otherwise affect 

the outcome of a case.

The Supreme Court, like the lower courts,

usually explains the reasons for its decision 

on a case in a written opinion. Supreme Court 

opinions are precedent for all other courts in 

the United States. As with the courts of appeals, 

justices who disagree with the majority opinion

may write dissenting opinions. In some cases, 

justices who agree with the result in a case 

but not in the majority’s reasoning will file 

concurring opinions.

correct, or why any error made by the trial court

was notsignificant enough to affect the outcome 

of the case.

Although some cases are decided on the basis 

of the litigants’ briefs through short written 

decisions by the court, many cases are selected 

for an “oral argument” before the court. Oral 

argument in the court of appeals is a structured 

discussion between the appellate lawyers and 

the panel of judges focusing on the legal principles

in dispute. Each side is given a short time—usually

about 15 minutes—to present arguments to 

the court.

The court will usually state the reasons for its

decision in a written opinion. A judge on the panel

who disagrees with the majority opinion may write 

a separate dissenting opinion. The dissenting 

opinion may help the analysis of the issues if the

case is reviewed at a higher level.

The court of appeals decision usually will be

the final word in the case, unless it sends the case

back to the trial court for additional proceedings, 

or the parties ask the United States Supreme 

Court to review the case. In some cases the 

decision of the three-judge panel of the court may

be reviewed en banc, that is, by a larger group 

of judges (usually all) of the court of appeals 

for the circuit. 

A litigant who loses in a federal court 

of appeals, or in the highest court of a state court 

system, may petition the United States Supreme

Court to review the case. The Supreme Court,

however, does not have to grant review, except in

a very small number of cases governed by special

statutes. In a given year, the Court will typically

receive about 8,000 petitions for certiorari, and 

it will agree to hear only about 100 cases. 

The Supreme Court typically will agree 

to hear a case only when it involves an unusually
36

INDIVIDUAL COUR T S

The day-to-day responsibility for judicial administration rests largely with each individual court.

Each court is given the responsibility by statute

and administrative practice to appoint its own 

support staff and manage its own affairs. Under 

the judiciary’s budget decentralization program,

moreover, substantial budget and administrative

responsibility has been delegated to each court. 

Each court in the federal system has a chief

judge who, in addition to hearing cases, has 

administrative responsibilities relating to the 

operation of the court. The chief judge is normally

the judge who has served on the court the longest.

District court, court of appeals, and Court of

International Trade judges must be under age 

65 to become chief judge. They may serve as chief

judge for a maximum of seven years, and they 

may not serve as chief judge beyond the age of 70.

The chief judge of each court plays a key 

leadership role in overseeing the operations of 

the court, promoting its efficiency, and ensuring

accountability to the public. The court operates

as a collegial body, and important policy decisions

are made by all judges of the court working together under the leadership of the chief judge.

COUR T ST AFF

Judicial branch staff are not part of the executive

branch, and therefore are not part of the federal

civil service system. Instead, the Judicial

Conference and the Director of the Administrative

Office of the United States Courts have established

a separate personnel system for court officers and

employees that includes a flexible pay structure,

standard qualifications for certain positions, and an

employee dispute resolution procedure. Individual

courts have wide discretion, within the national

FEDERAL JUDICIAL

ADMINISTRA TION

Three of the essential 

characteristics of federal 

judicial administration 

are that:

· The federal judiciary is a 

separate, independent branch 

of the government that has been

given statutory authority to 

manage its own affairs, hire and

pay its own staff, and maintain 

its own separate budget.

· The management of the 

federal judiciary is largely 

decentralized. The Judicial

Conference of the United States

establishes national policies and

approves the budget for the 

judiciary, but each court has 

substantial local autonomy.

· Judges are in charge of the

judiciary at all levels and establish

the policies for management of

the courts. Court administrators

are hired by the judges and

report to the judges.
37

standards, to hire and pay their own employees.

Court staff are supervised by, and responsible 

to, the judges of their court, not the Administrative

Office of the United States Courts.

CLERK OF THE COUR T

In addition to their own personal chambers staff 

of law clerks and secretaries, judges rely on central

court support staff to assist in the work of the court. 

The primary administrative officer of each

court is the clerk of the court. The clerk manages

the court's non-judicial functions in accordance

with policies set by the court and reports directly

to the court through its chief judge. Among the

clerk’s many functions are:

· Maintaining the records and dockets of the court

· Operating the court’s computerized systems

· Keeping track of the court’s budget and 

expenditures

· Maintaining property and personnel records

· Paying all fees, fines, costs and other monies 

collected into the U.S. Treasury

· Administering the court’s jury system

· Providing interpreters and court reporters

· Sending official court notices and summons

· Providing courtroom support services

· Responding to inquiries from the bar and 

the public

OTHER CENTRAL 

COUR T ST AFF

Pretrial services officers and probation officers

interview defendants before trial; investigate

defendants’ backgrounds; file detailed reports 

to assist judges in deciding on conditions of release

or detention of defendants before trial and on 

sentencing of convicted defendants; and supervise

released defendants.

Court Support Staff 

In addition to their personal

chambers staff of law clerks 

and secretaries, judges rely on

central court support staff to

assist in the work of the court.

These staff include: 

Clerk

Circuit Executive

Court Reporter

Court Librarian

Staff Attorneys and 

Pro Se Law Clerks

Pretrial Services Officers and

Probation Officers
38

THE JUDICIAL CONFERENCE 

OF THE UNITED ST A TES

The Judicial Conference of the United States, 

established by statute in 1922, is the federal courts’

national policy-making body, and it speaks for 

the judicial branch as a whole. The Chief Justice 

of the United States presides over the Conference,

which consists of 26 other judges, including the

chief judge of each court of appeals, one district

court judge from each regional circuit, and the 

chief judge of the Court of International Trade.

The Judicial Conference works through 

committees established along subject matter lines 

to recommend national policies and legislation on 

all aspects of federal judicial administration. The

committees, all of which are appointed by the Chief

Justice, consist mostly of judges. Committees

address such matters as budget, rules of practice

and procedure, court administration and case management, criminal law, bankruptcy, judicial resources

(judgeships and personnel matters), auto-mation 

and technology, and codes of conduct. The main

responsibilities of the Judicial Conference are:

· approving the judiciary's annual budget request

(which is prepared by the Administrative Office 

and the Judicial Conference’s Budget Committee)

· proposing, reviewing, and commenting on

legislation that may affect the work load and 

procedures of the courts

· implementing legislation by promulgating national

regulations, guidelines, and policies

· supervising and directing the Administrative

Office in such matters as human resources,

accounting and finance, automation and technology,

statistics, and administrative support services 

· drafting and amending the general rules of 

practice and procedure for litigation in the federal

courts, subject to the formal approval of the

Supreme Court and Congress 

Staff attorneys and pro se law clerks assist the court

with research and drafting of opinions. 

Court reporters make a word-for-word record 

of court proceedings and prepare a transcript.

Court librarians maintain court libraries and

assist in meeting the information needs of the

judges and lawyers. 

THE CIRCUIT 

JUDICIAL COUNCILS

A judicial council in each geographic circuit 

oversees the administration of the courts located 

in the circuit. Each judicial council consists of the

chief circuit judge, who serves as the chair, and 

an equal number of other circuit (court of appeals)

judges and district (trial court) judges. Each 

judicial council appoints a circuit executive, 

who works closely with the chief circuit judge 

to coordinate a wide range of administrative 

matters in the circuit.

The judicial council assures accountability to 

the citizens through its broad authority to oversee

numerous aspects of court of appeals and district

court operations. The council is authorized by

statute to issue orders to individual judges and court 

personnel. As part of its responsibility to ensure that

individual courts are operating effectively, the judicial

council reviews local court policies and actions on

such matters as employment disputes, jury selection,

legal defense for indigent defendants, court backlogs

and local procedural rules for litigation. In addition,

the council has authority to approve courts’ requests

for exceptions to national guidelines on staffing,

resources, and expenses. And the judicial council

may be called upon to take action to solve 

problems that the chief judge or local court cannot

resolve on its own.
39

· promoting uniformity of court procedures 

and the expeditious conduct of court business

· exercising authority over codes of conduct,

ethics, and judicial discipline

· making recommendations to the Congress 

for additional judgeships

· reviewing space and facilities needs

THE ADMINISTRA TIVE 

OFFICE OF THE UNITED

S T A TES COUR T S

The Administrative Office provides a broad 

range of legislative, legal, financial, automation,

management, administrative, and program support

services to the federal courts. The Administrative

Office, an agency within the judicial branch 

established by statute in 1939, is supervised 

and directed by the Judicial Conference and is

responsible for carrying out Conference policies. 

The Director of the Administrative Office, who 

is appointed by the Chief Justice in consultation 

with the Judicial Conference, serves as the chief

administrative officer of the federal courts.

Congress has vested many of the judiciary's administrative responsibilities in the Director by statute. 

Among its functions, the Administrative Office:

· provides staff support and advice to the Judicial

Conference and its committees

· provides management advice and assistance 

to the courts 

· develops and administers the judiciary’s budget

· allocates funds to each court

· audits court financial records

· manages the judiciary’s payroll and human

resources programs

· provides legal services to the judiciary

· collects and analyzes statistics to report on 

the business of the courts

· manages the judiciary’s automation and

Current Judicial Conference

Committees

· Administrative Office 

(oversight of)

· Automation and Technology

· Bankruptcy

· Budget

· Codes of Conduct

· Criminal Law

· Court Administration and 

Case Management

· Defender Services

· Federal-State Jurisdiction

· Financial Disclosure

· Intercircuit Assignments 

(of judges)

· International Judicial Relations

· Judicial Branch (judges’ 

pay and benefits)

· Judicial Resources (Article III 

judgeship and court staffing

requests, personnel matters)

· Magistrate Judges

· Review of Circuit Council 

Conduct and Disability Orders

· Rules of Practice and Procedure

· Security and Facilities
40

information technology programs

· conducts studies and reviews of programs and

operations

· develops new business methods for the courts

· issues manuals, guides, and other publications

· coordinates communications with the legislative

and executive branches

· provides public information on the work of the

judicial branch

Recognizing that the courts can often make 

better business decisions based on local needs, 

the Director in the last few years has delegated 

the responsibility for many administrative matters

from the Administrative Office to the individual

courts. This concept, known as “decentralization,”

allows each court to operate with considerable

autonomy and sound management principlesin

accordance with policies and guidelines set at the

regional and national level. This relatively recent

decentralization of administrative authority 

has been shown to benefit both the courts and 

the taxpayers because it encourages innovation 

and economy. In conjunction with the delegation 

of administrative responsibilities to the courts, the

Administrative Office provides them with considerable guidance, training, technical assistance 

and advice, and it performs audits and reviews. 

T HE FEDERAL 

JUDICIAL CENTER

The Federal Judicial Center, established in 1967,

is the primary research and education agency of

the federal judicial system. The Chief Justice of

the United States chairs the Center's Board, which

also includes the Director of the Administrative

Office and seven judges elected by the Judicial

Conference. The Board appoints the Center's

Director and Deputy Director. 

Among its functions, the Center:

· conducts and promotes education and training

for federal judges

· develops education and training programs 

for court personnel, such as those in clerks’ offices

and probation and pretrial services offices

· conducts and promotes research on federal judicial processes, court management, and other issues

affecting the judiciary

· produces publications, manuals, videotapes, 

and audiotapes for the federal judiciary on a broad

range of topics

· maintains a library of materials on judicial

administration

· develops programs relating to the history 

of the judicial branch and assists courts with their

own judicial history programs

· facilitates exchanges with court systems 

of other countries 

UNITED ST A TES 

SENTENCING COMMISSION

The United States Sentencing Commission 

establishes sentencing guidelines for the federal

criminal justice system. The Commission also

monitors the performance of probation officers

with regard to sentencing recommendations, and 

it has established a research program that includes

a clearinghouse and information center on federal

sentencing practices. The Sentencing Commission

consists of a chairman and six other voting 

commissioners who are appointed for six-year

terms by the President, subject to approval by the

Senate. 

THE JUDICIAR Y’S BUDGET

In recognition of the constitutional separation 

of powers among the three branches of the federal

government, Congress has given the judiciary

authority to prepare and execute its own budget.
41

The Administrative Office, in consultation with the

courts and with various Judicial Conference committees, prepares a proposed budget for 

the judiciary for each fiscal year. The proposed 

budget is based in large part on workload 

staffing and resources formulas developed by the

Administrative Office in consultation with the

courts. Using these formulas, a budget proposal 

is developed that incorporates specific allocations 

for support staff and administrative services for

each court. The proposed budget also includes the

requests of various Judicial Conference committees

for funding new or expanded programs.

The proposal is first reviewed by the Judicial

Conference’s Budget Committee, then approved by

the Judicial Conference and submitted directly to

the Congress with detailed justifications. By law, the

President must include in his budget to Congress

the judiciary’s budget proposal without change.

The appropriation committees of the Congress

conduct hearings on the judiciary’s proposed 

budget at which judges and the Director of the

Administrative Office present and justify the 

judiciary’s projected expenditures. After Congress

enacts a budget for the judiciary, the Judicial

Conference Executive Committee approves plans to

spend the money, and the Administrative Office distributes funds directly to each court, operating unit,

and program in the judiciary.

The Administrative Office’s Director has 

delegated to the individual courts many statutory

administrative authorities. For this reason, individual courts have considerable authority and flexibility to conduct their work, establish budget priorities, make sound business decisions, hire staff, and

make purchases, consistent with policies and

spending limits. The judiciary’s budget includes

salaries for judges and court personnel, which 

typically account for over 60% of the total budget.

In recognition of the constitutional separation of powers among

the three branches of the federal

government, Congress has given

the judiciary authority to prepare

and execute its own budget. 

The proposal is first reviewed by

the Judicial Conference’s Budget

Committee, then approved by the

Judicial Conference and submitted directly to the Congress with

detailed justifications. By law, the

President must include in his budget to Congress the judiciary’s

budget proposal without change.
42

Another 20% of the budget is used to pay the

executive branch for rent on court buildingsand

facilities. The remaining 20% of the budget

includes such expenses as computers, travel, 

supplies, security for judges, compensation for

defense attorneys, and fees for jurors.

COUR THOUSE SP ACE,

F ACILITIES, AND SECURITY

The federal courts are located in over 750 separate

facilities across the United States that are either

government-owned or leased. As with most other

federal entities, the judiciary has no direct authority

to acquire facilities for its own use. By law, that

responsibility lies exclusively with the General

Services Administration (GSA), an executive branch

agency. As the landlord for the federal court system

(and almost all other government-owned buildings),

GSA is charged with providing space in either public buildings or leased facilities, and with providing

certain levels of services in these accommodations.

The Administrative Office also works with the GSA

to provide accommodations, including chambers

and courtrooms, to the courts.

In 1984, the Judicial Conference approved 

the United States Courts Design Guide and other

documents to provide guidelines and standards 

to GSA and to design architects for the construction and furnishing of federal courthouses. GSA

has adopted these standards and guidelines for 

the design, construction and furnishing of federal 

courthouses and works closely with the

Administrative Office. 

The United States Marshals Service, a bureau

of the Department of Justice, is responsible for 

providing security for judges wherever they 

are located. In the event of a threat to the judge 

or the judge’s family, the marshal will make 

arrangements to provide protection until the threat

can be neutralized. The Marshals Service is also

responsible for ensuring the safety of courthouses

and courtrooms. It accomplishes this task in two

ways: First, the U.S. marshal and deputy marshals 

in each judicial district work closely with the 

members of the court and court staff, as well as with

the Federal Bureau of Investigation and local law

enforcement, to ensure the security of judges and

court facilities. Second, the United States Marshals

Service, using funds provided to it by the judiciary,

hires private security firms to provide court security

officers to assist with routine security functions. 

INFORMA TION TECHNOLOGY 

IN THE JUDICIAL BRANCH

Since 1975, when the first computer was used in the

federal courts, the use of information technology has

increased rapidly. The judicial business of opinion

and order writing is currently performed almost

exclusively through word processing technologies.

The courts supplement their legal research with 

on-line computer services. The dockets of all courts

have been automated. Presentence investigation

reports in criminal cases are prepared using specially

designed computer programs. Nationwide software

applications facilitate the collection of judicial 

statistics. Automated systems help the courts 

manage their resources—such as personnel, funds,

or lawbooks—effectively and efficiently. The courts

are inter-connected by the nationwide installation 

of the Data Communications Network. The

Administrative Office and the Federal Judicial

Center provide information to the public electronically via the Internet. The Administrative Office 

has also established an internal (or “intranet”) web

site for disseminating publications, guides, memoranda, bulletins, and other documents to judges 

and judicial branch staff.

The information technology (IT) program for
43

the federal courts is guided by the Long Range

Plan for Information Technology in the Federal

Judiciary. The Plan is updated annually with input

from the courts and is approved by the Judicial

Conference on the recommendation of its

Committee on Automation and Technology.

Funding for IT is approved and expended in 

accordance with the Plan. Additionally, IT 

requirements in general and for specific IT 

projects are developed by court users to ensure

that the judiciary’s IT program continues to meet

the essential needs of the federal courts over time.

STRA TEGIC PLANNING AND

MANAGEMENT EFFICIENCY 

IN THE FEDERAL COUR T S

In recent years, strategic planning and management

efficiency have become increasingly important 

in preserving judicial branch autonomy and judicial

independence. Although the federal courts have 

little control over either their workload and 

the resources available to process the workload, 

the judiciary has through careful planning and 

management met the challenges of rising workloads

and tight budgets.

The Judicial Conference in 1995 approved 

the first comprehensive Long Range Plan for the

Federal Courts. The Plan’s broad scope covered 

the activities of the entire judiciary, including

detailed recommendations on aspects of jurisdiction, structure, procedures, and management of the 

federal courts. Ongoing responsibility for strategic

planning, and for implementing the recommendations contained in the Plan, rests with the Judicial

Conference committees responsible for the respective subject areas. The judiciary continuously

works to identify ways to accommodate more work,

contain costs, and improve services. Federal judges

enjoy secure tenure and complete decisional independence. Nevertheless, they and court personnel

are accountable to the public for performing their

duties in an ethical manner and for making legal

and effective use of funds and property provided

by the taxpayers. Most issues involving the 

conduct or performance of a judge or a member 

of the court’s staff are resolved informally by the

chief judge of the court or collegially by all the

judges of the court. But several other mechanisms

are also in place to assure accountability of judges

and court staff.
44

DISCIPLINAR Y MECHANISMS

Any person who believes that a judge has engaged 

in conduct prejudicial to the effective and expeditious administration of the business of the courts, 

or that a judge cannot discharge all the duties of the

office because of physical or mental disability, may

file a complaint with the clerk of the court of appeals

for the circuit where the judge sits.

The chief judge of the court of appeals is 

authorized to dismiss the complaint if it does not

allege conduct that meets the statutory definition 

of misconduct or disability, or if the complaint 

relates to the merits of a judicial decision, or if the

complaint is frivolous. The chief judge may also

dismiss the complaint if corrective action has been

taken or if intervening events have made further

action unnecessary. The great majority of complaints are in fact dismissed.

If the chief judge does not dismiss the complaint,

he or she is required to appoint a special investigatory committee of judges to examine the allegations

and prepare a written report and recommendations 

to the judicial council of the circuit. After consideration of the special committee’s report, the council 

ACCOUNT ABILITY is empowered to investigate the allegations further

or to take appropriate actions, including:

· requesting that a judge retire voluntarily,

· certifying the disability of the judge (thereby 

creating a vacancy on the court),

· ordering that no further cases be assigned 

to the judge for a temporary period,

· issuing a public or private reprimand 

of the judge, or

· taking any other action as appropriate.

If the judicial council determines that an Article III

judge may have engaged in criminal conduct or that

the complaint is not amenable to resolution by the

council, it must forward the matter to the Judicial

Conference of the United States. The Judicial

Conference may vote to refer the matter to the

Congress for possible impeachment and removal 

proceedings. In practice, impeachment and removal

from office is a rare event, and is generally reserved

for situations in which a judge has already been 

convicted of a serious criminal offense.

Court staff are not part of the government-wide

civil service system and may be disciplined or

removed without following the government-wide

civil service rules. Each court, however, has in place

an employee dispute resolution plan to protect

employees against arbitrary action and to provide

them with due process and reasonable redress for

their grievances. The chief judge of each court 

normally has the final word on personnel matters, 

but employees generally may file an appeal from 

a final decision of their court on an employee dispute 

to the judicial council of the circuit.

In any case where it appears that a potential

criminal violation may have been committed either 

by a judge or a member of the court’s staff, the 

matter is referred promptly to the Department 

of Justice for possible criminal prosecution.
45

general reviews of court operations. The Congress

itself, in appropriate cases, may conduct hearings 

or request background information on judicial 

operations as part of its responsibility of determining the judiciary’s need for appropriations and in

determining the need for changes in substantive

law.

INFORMAL MECHANISMS

Federal judges and court staff take enormous 

personal and collective pride in the federal judiciary

as a whole and in their own court. The federal

courts enjoy a national reputation for excellence 

and efficiency, and judges and their staff are vigilant 

in upholding that reputation. Peer pressure is very

important. It is, for example, a powerful incentive 

for judges to stay current in their caseloads. By

statute, the judges of each court are authorized 

collectively to divide up the caseload of the court, 

to determine where judges sit, and to determine

local operating procedures. Judges’ caseload statistics

are usually shared with their colleagues on a regular

basis, and the Administrative Office is required 

by law to publish some important information 

on individual judges’ backlogs. 

In addition, virtually all judicial decisions are 

subject to appeal, and federal judges’ decisions are

widely distributed to the bar and the public through

the media, lawbook publishers, and the Internet.

Their decisions are analyzed by the legaland academic communities, and judges are often “rated”

unofficially by bar polls and legal publications.

Finally, the role of the media in a democracy 

cannot be understated. Particularly in the current 

era of “investigative” journalism, every action 

of a court or an individual judge or court employee, 

is subject to potential media scrutiny and criticism.

OTHER FORMAL MECHANISMS

The Judicial Conference of the United States

approves the budget for the judiciary and establishes

guidelines as to what courts may spend for various

property and programs. Each court has been given

local budget authority, but the court must stay 

within the guidelines approved by the Judicial

Conference and follow pertinent statues and rules

governing the handling of money and the purchase

and maintenance of public property.

In management matters, the chief judge of 

each court—acting on behalf of all the judges—

is responsible for overseeing court operations, 

supervising central court staff, and making sure that 

court funds are spent legally, wisely, and efficiently. 

The chief judge is expected to address and resolve

administrative problems and may involve the other

judges where necessary.

The Director of the Administrative Office, 

acting under the supervision of the Judicial

Conference, may withdraw a delegation of budget 

or administrative authority to a court if he finds

that the national spending guidelines or policies

established by the Conference have been exceeded

or if statutory or regulatory procedures have been

violated. 

The Director may also refer matters of concern 

to the judicial council of the circuit for appropriate

action. The judicial council has statutory power 

to exercise general oversight over administrative

matters within the circuit. It may order a court, 

or any judge or employee, to take appropriate

administrative or management actions.

The Administrative Office conducts regular

financial audits of all courts and court programs. 

It also provides management advice and conducts

on-site management reviews of court operations

on request. In addition, the General Accounting

Office, an audit arm of the Congress, may conduct
46

How is a criminal case filed?

Individuals may not file criminal charges in 

federal courts. A criminal proceeding may only 

be initiated by the government, usually through the

U.S. attorney’s office in coordination with a law

enforcement agency. A magistrate judge or other

judge may order the arrest of an accused person

upon the filing of a complaint and accompanying

affidavits sworn by the United States attorney 

or law enforcement agents that set forth sufficient

facts to establish “probable cause” that a federal

offense has been committed and that the accused

has committed it. A felony case, however, may not

proceed beyond the initial stages unless a federal

grand jury indicts the defendant.

How does one file for bankruptcy protection? 

Is there a charge?

A bankruptcy case is begun by the filing of 

a petition with a bankruptcy court. There is a range

of filing fees for bankruptcy cases, depending on

the chapter of the Bankruptcy Code under which

the case is filed. Chapter 7, the most common type

filed by individuals, involves an almost complete

liquidation of the assets of the debtor, as well as 

a discharge of most debts.

How does one find a lawyer?

Local bar associations usually offer lawyer referral

services, often without charge. The clerk’s office 

in each district court is usually able to help find 

a referral service. But personnel in the clerk’s office

and other federal court employees are prohibited

from providing legal advice to individual litigants.

Defendants in criminal proceedings have 

a constitutional right to a lawyer, and they are 

COMMONL Y ASKED 

QUESTIONS ABOUT 

THE FEDERAL 

JUDICIAL PROCESS 

How is a civil case filed? Is there a charge?

A civil action is begun by the filing of a complaint.

Parties beginning a civil action in a district court

are required to pay a filing fee set by statute. 

A plaintiff who is unable to pay the fee may file 

a request to proceed in forma pauperis. If the

request is granted by the court, the fees are

waived. Filing fees and other service fees constitute only a small percentage of the federal judiciary’s budget. Most fees charged by the courts are

deposited into the general treasury of the United

States. Congress, however, has authorized the

courts to retain certain fees, such as those charged

for providing electronic access to court records. 
47

entitled to have counsel appointed at government

expense if they are financially unable to obtain 

adequate representation by private counsel. The

Criminal Justice Act requires a court determination

that a person is financially eligible for court

appointed counsel. 

Although parties normally have the right to 

be represented by a lawyer of their choice in 

civil cases, there is no general right to free legal 

assistance in civil proceedings. Some litigants obtain

free or low-cost representation through local bar

association referrals, lawyers acting in recognition 

of their professional responsibility to provide some

representation pro bono publico, or through legal

services organizations. Litigants in civil cases may

also proceed pro se; that is, they may represent

themselves without the assistance of a lawyer.

Are litigants who do not speak English entitled

to a court-appointed interpreter?

A certified interpreter is appointed and paid for 

by the government for any criminal defendant 

who needs one, and for any defendant in a civil 

case in which the government is the plaintiff.

How are judges assigned to specific cases?

Judge assignment methods vary, but almost all

courts use a blind random drawing under which each

judge in a court receives roughly an equal caseload.

What is a U.S. Magistrate Judge?

Magistrate judges are judicial officers appointed

by the district court to serve for eight-year terms.

Their duties fall into four general categories: 

(1) conducting most of the initial proceedings 

in criminal cases (including search and arrest 

warrants, detention hearings, probable cause 

hearings, and appointment of attorneys); (2) trial 

of most criminal misdemeanor cases; (3) conducting

a wide variety of other proceedings referred 

to them by district judges (including deciding

motions, reviewing petitions filed by prisoners, 

and conducting pretrial and settlement 

conferences); and (4) trial of civil cases, if the

parties consent.

How does one check on the status of a case?

The clerk’s office responds without charge to 

most inquiries on the status of a case. A fee may

be charged, however, to conduct certain searches 

and retrieve some types of information, and 

to make copies of court documents. Most federal

courts have automated systems that allow for 

the search and retrieval of case-related information 

at the public counters in the courthouse, and 

electronically from other locations. In many 

bankruptcy and appellate courts, telephone 

information systems enable callers to obtain case

information by touch-tone phone. Court dockets

and opinions may also be available on the Internet.

The federal judiciary’s Internet homepage,

www.uscourts.gov, includes links to individual

court websites, as well as a directory of court 

electronic public access services.

How quickly does a court reach a decision 

in a particular case? 

All cases are handled as expeditiously as possible.

The Speedy Trial Act of 1974 establishes 

special time requirements for the prosecution 

and disposition of criminal cases in district courts. 

As a result, courts must give the scheduling 

of criminal cases a higher priority than civil 

cases. The Act normally allows 70 days from 

a defendant’s arrest to the beginning of the trial.

There is no similar law governing civil trial

scheduling, but on average the courts are able 

to resolve most civil cases in less than a year.
48

Statistically, the national median time from filing 

to disposition of civil cases in the federal courts

is about eight to nine months. Depending on 

its complexity, a particular case may require more 

or less time to address. There are numerous 

reasons why the progress of a particular case may 

be delayed, many of which are outside the court's

control. Cases may be delayed because settlement

negotiations are in progress, or because there are

shortages of judges or available courtrooms. 

How are staff hired in the federal courts? 

The Judicial Conference, with the assistance 

of the Administrative Office, establishes general

qualifications and pay scales for court employees.

The federal court system's personnel decisions 

are decentralized. Each court conducts its own 

advertising and hiring for job positions. Judges 

select and hire their own chambers staff. The clerk

of court and certain other central court staff are hired

by the court as a whole. Other court staff are hired

by the clerk of court, who acts under the supervision

of the court. Some employment opportunities 

are listed on the judiciary’s Internet homepage,

www.uscourts.gov, but often the clerk's office 

or Internet website of a particular court is the best

source for a complete listing. The federal judiciary 

is committed to the national policy of ensuring equal

employment opportunity to all persons. 
49

COMMON LEGAL TERMS aacquittal: Judgment that a criminal defendant has

not been proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

In other words, a verdict of “not guilty.” Under

the Double Jeopardy clause of the Constitution,

the defendant may never be tried again criminally

for the same offense.

administrative law judge: An officer in a 

regulatory or social service agency, such as the

Securities and Exchange Commission or the Social

Security Administration, who decides disputes

under the law and regulations administered by his

agency, subject to appeals to the Article III courts.

affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed

by the oath of the party making it, before a notary

or officer having authority to administer oaths. 

alternative dispute resolution: Methods of 

resolving a legal dispute without conducting a trial,

including mediation and arbitration.

answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting

forth the grounds for his or her defense. 

appeal: A request made after a trial by a party that

has lost on one or more issues that a higher court

(appellate court) review the trial court’s decision to

determine if it was correct. To make such a request

is “to appeal” or “to take an appeal.” One who

appeals is called the “appellant. ” The other party

is the “appellee.” 

arraignment: A proceeding in which an individual

who is accused of committing a crime is brought

into court, told of the charges, and asked to plead

guilty, not guilty, or nolo contendere (no contest). 
50

c

bbankruptcy: A legal process —over which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction—by which

persons or businesses unable to pay their debts can

seek the assistance of the court in liquidating and

reorganizing their assets and liabilities. Under the

protection of the bankruptcy court, debtors may

discharge their debts. Bankruptcy judges preside

over these proceedings. 

bench trial: Trial by a judge without a jury 

in which a judge decides which party prevails. 

brief: A written statement submitted by a party 

in a case that asserts the legal and factual reasons

why the party believes the court should decide the

case, or particular issues in a case, in that party’s

favor. 

chambers: A judge's office, typically including

work space for the judge’s law clerks and secretary. 

case law: The law as reflected in the written 

decisions of the courts. 

case ancillary to a foreign proceeding: A case

commenced under Bankruptcy Code § 304 by the

representative of a foreign tribunal to protect the

U.S. property of a debtor subject to an insolvency

proceeding in another country.

chief judge: The judge who has primary responsibility for the administration of a court. Chief judges

are determined by seniority. 

clerk of court: An administrative officer appointed

by the judges of the court to assist in managing 

the flow of cases through the court, maintain court

records, handle financial matters, and provide other

administrative support to the court. 

common law: The legal system that originated 

in England and is still in use in the United States

that relies on the articulation of legal principles 

in a historical succession of judicial decisions.

Common law principles can be changed by legislation, but legislation is subject to interpretation by

common law methodology. Many areas of the law,

such as bankruptcy, are now codified in detailed

statutes, but these statutes are applied according 

to their interpretations by successive precedents

established by the courts. 

complaint: A written statement filed by the plaintiff that initiates a civil case, stating the jurisdiction

of the court to resolve the legal dispute, the wrongs

allegedly committed by the defendant, and the

requested relief. 

contract: An agreement between two or more 

persons that creates an obligation to do or not 

to do a particular thing. 

conviction: A judgment of guilt against a criminal

defendant. 

court: Government entity presided over by judges

and authorized by statute to resolve legal disputes.

Judges sometimes use “court” to refer to themselves in the third person, as in “the court has read

the briefs.” 

court reporter: A person who makes a word-forword record of what is said in court, generally by

using a stenographic machine, shorthand or audio

recording, and then produces a transcript of the

proceedings upon request.
51

f

e

d

Court of International Trade: An Article III court

established by Congress to hear cases involving

U.S. international trade law, including questions

concerning tariffs, dumping, countervailing duties,

and international intellectual property issues.

debtor: A person who is the subject of a 

bankruptcy case.

defendant: In a civil case, the person or organization against whom the plaintiff brings suit; in a

criminal case, the person accused of the crime. 

deposition: An oral statement made before an officer authorized by law to administer oaths. Such

statements are often taken to examine potential

witnesses, to obtain discovery, or to be used later 

in trial. 

discovery: The process by which lawyers learn

about their opponent’s case in preparation for 

trial. Typical tools of discovery include depositions,

interrogatories, requests for admissions, and

requests for documents. All these devices help 

the lawyer learn the relevant facts and collect 

and examine any relevant documents or other 

materials. 

docket: A log containing the complete history 

of each case in the form of brief chronological

entries summarizing all court proceedings. All 

federal court dockets are maintained in electronic

form and are generally available to the public 

by computer. 

en banc: “In the bench” or “as a full bench.”

Refers to court sessions with the entire membership of a court participating rather than the usual

number. United States circuit courts of appeals

usually sit in panels of three judges, but all the

judges in the court may decide certain matters

together. They are then said to be sitting “en

banc” (occasionally spelled “in banc”). 

equitable: 

Pertaining to civil suits in “equity” rather than in

“law.” In English legal history, the courts of “law”

could order the payment of damages and could

afford no other remedy. See “damages.” A separate court of “equity” could order someone to do

something or to cease to do something. See, e.g.,

“injunction.” In American jurisprudence, the 

federal courts have both legal and equitable power,

but the distinction is still an important one in certain respects. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in “law” cases but not in “equity” cases.

evidence: Information presented in testimony or

in documents that is used to persuade the fact

finder (judge or jury) to decide the case in favor of

one side or the other. The federal courts must follow the Federal Rules of Evidence. 

federal public defender: An attorney employed

by the federal courts on a full-time basis to provide legal defense to defendants who are unable to

afford counsel. The judiciary administers the federal defender program pursuant to the Criminal

Justice Act.

federal question jurisdiction: Jurisdiction given to

federal courts in cases involving the interpretation

and application of the United States Constitution,

acts of Congress, and treaties. 
52

j

i

h

g

felony: A serious crime carrying a penalty of more

than one year in prison. See also “misdemeanor.” 

file: (1) The act of placing a paper in the official 

custody of the clerk of court and entering it into

the file, or record, of a case; (2) the official record 

of a case. 

grand jury: 

A body of 16-23 citizens who listen to evidence 

of criminal allegations presented by the prosecutors,

and determine whether there is enough evidence 

to issue an indictment and conduct a trial. See also

“Indictment” and “U.S. Attorney.” 

habeas corpus: A writ (court order) that is usually

used to bring a prisoner before the court to determine the legality of his or her imprisonment.

Someone imprisoned in state court proceedings

may file a petition in federal court for a “writ of

habeas corpus,” seeking to have the federal court

review whether the state has violated his or her

rights under the United States Constitution.

Federal prisoners may file habeas petitions as well.

A writ of habeas corpus may also be used to bring a

person in custody before the court to give testimony or to be prosecuted. 

hearsay: Statements by a witness who did not see

or hear the incident in question but heard about it

second-hand from someone else. Hearsay is usually

not admissible as evidence in court because it is not

as reliable as first-hand testimony, but there are

many exceptions to the hearsay rule. 

impeachment: (1) The process of calling a 

witness’s testimony into doubt. For example, 

if the attorney can show that the witness may have 

fabricated portions of his testimony, the witness 

is said to be “impeached.” (2) The constitutional

process whereby the House of Representatives 

may “impeach” (accuse of misconduct) high officers of the federal government, who are then tried 

by the Senate.

indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand

jury stating that there is enough evidence that the

defendant committed the crime to justify having 

a trial; it is used primarily for felonies. See also

“information.”

in forma pauperis: “In the manner of a pauper.”

Permission given by the court to a person to file 

a case without payment of the required court fees

because the person cannot pay them. 

injunction: A court order prohibiting a defendant

from performing a specific act, or compelling 

a defendant to perform a specific act.

interrogatories: Written questions sent by one

party in a lawsuit to an opposing party as part of

pretrial discovery in civil cases. The party receiving

the interrogatories is required to answer them in

writing under oath. 

issue: (1) A disputed point between parties in 

a lawsuit. (2) To send out officially, as in a court

issuing an order. 

judge: An official with statutory authority to

decide legal disputes according to the law. Used

generically, the term judge may refer to all judicial

officers, including Supreme Court justices, state

and federal judges, military judges, and executive

branch appointees who preside over tribunals and

other bodies that decide legal disputes.
53

p

o

m

l

opinion: A judge's written explanation of the 

decision of the court. Because a case may be heard 

by three or more judges in the court of appeals, 

the opinion in appellate decisions can take several

forms. If all the judges completely agree on the

result, one judge will write the opinion for all. 

If all the judges do not agree, the formal decision

will be based upon the view of the majority, and

one member of the majority will write the opinion.

The judges who did not agree with the majority

may write separately in dissenting or concurring

opinions to present their views. A dissenting opinion disagrees with the majority opinion because 

of the reasoning and/or the principles of law the

majority used to decide the case. A concurring

opinion agrees with the decision of the majority

opinion, but offers further comment or clarification

or even an entirely different reason for reaching 

the same result. Only the majority opinion can

serve as binding precedent in future cases. See also

“precedent.” 

oral argument: An opportunity for lawyers to summarize their position before the court and also to

answer the judges' questions. 

panel: (1) In appellate cases, a group of judges

(usually three) assigned to decide the case. (2) In

the jury selection process, the group of potential

jurors. (3) The list of attorneys who are both available and qualified to serve as court-appointed

counsel for criminal defendants who cannot afford

their own counsel. 

party: One of the litigants in a case. At the trial

level, the parties are typically referred to as the

plaintiff and defendant. On appeal, they are known

as the appellant and appellee, or, in some cases

involving administrative agencies, as the petitioner

and respondent. 

judgment: The official decision of a court finally

resolving the dispute between the parties to the

lawsuit. 

jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority or competence

of a court to hear and decide a case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to

decide cases. 

jury: The group of local citizens selected by the

court to hear the evidence in a trial and render a

verdict on matters of fact. See also “Grand Jury.”

jury instructions: A judge's directions to the jury

before it begins deliberations regarding the factual

questions it must answer and the legal rules that it

must apply. 

lawsuit: A legal action started by a plaintiff against

a defendant based on a complaint that the defendant failed to perform a legal duty which resulted

in harm to the plaintiff. 

litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit.

Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits

are called litigants. 

magistrate judge: A judicial officer of the U.S.

District Court who conducts initial proceedings in

criminal cases, decides criminal misdemeanor

cases, conducts many pretrial civil and criminal

matters on behalf of district judges, and decides

civil cases with the consent of the parties.

misdemeanor: An offense punishable by one year

of imprisonment or less. See also “felony.” 

motion: A request by a litigant to a judge for a

decision on an issue relating to the case. 
54

presentence investigation report: 

A report prepared by the court’s probation officer,

after a person has been convicted of an offense,

summarizing for the court the background 

information needed to determine the appropriate

sentence.

pretrial conference: A meeting of the judge and

lawyers to plan the trial, to discuss which matters

should be presented to the jury, to review proposed evidence and witnesses, and to set a trial

schedule. Typically, the judge and the parties also

discuss the possibility of settlement of the case.

pretrial services: 

A department of the district court that conducts an

investigation of a criminal defendant’s background

in order to help a judge decide whether to release

the defendant into the community before trial.

Pretrial services officers may also supervise defendants who are released from custody pending trial.

probation: (1) A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted

defendants under supervision of a probation officer, who makes certain that the defendant follows

certain rules (e.g., gets a job, gets drug counseling,

performs community service, etc.). (2) A department of the court that prepares a presentence

report.

probation officer: Officers of the probation office

of a court. Probation officer duties include conducting presentence investigations, preparing 

presentence reports on convicted defendants, and

supervising released defendants after conviction.

pro se: A Latin term meaning “on one's own

behalf”; in courts, it refers to persons who present

their own cases without lawyers. 

petit jury (or trial jury): A group of citizens who

hear the evidence presented by both sides at trial

and determine the facts in dispute. Federal criminal juries consist of 12 persons. Federal civil juries

consist of at least six persons. See also “jury” and

“grand jury.” 

petty offense: A federal misdemeanor punishable

by six months or less in prison.

plaintiff: The person who files the complaint 

in a civil lawsuit. 

plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement

pleading “guilty” or “not guilty” in answer to the

charges. 

pleadings: Written statements filed with the court

that describe a party’s legal or factual assertions

about the case.

precedent: A court decision in an earlier case with

facts and legal issues similar to a dispute currently

before a court. Judges —following the common-law

tradition—will generally “follow precedent.” They

use the principles established in earlier cases to

decide new cases that have similar facts and raise

similar legal issues. A judge will disregard precedent if a party can show that the earlier case was

wrongly decided, or that it differed in some significant way from the current case. Lower courts must

follow the decisions of higher courts. 

procedure: The rules for conducting a lawsuit.

There are rules of civil procedure, criminal 

procedure, evidence, bankruptcy, and appellate

procedure. 
55

t

s

r

sentencing guidelines: A set of rules and 

principles established by the U.S. Sentencing

Commission that trial judges use to determine 

the sentence for a convicted defendant. 

service of process: The delivery of case papers 

or summonses to the appropriate party. 

settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their 

dispute without having a trial. Settlements often

involve the payment of compensation by one party

in at least partial satisfaction of the other party's

claims, but usually do not include the admission 

of fault. 

statute: A law passed by the U.S. Congress or by 

a state legislature.

subpoena: A command, issued under authority 

of a court or other authorized government entity, 

to a witness to appear and give testimony or produce documents. 

summary judgment: A court decision made on 

the basis of statements and evidence presented for

the record without a trial. It is used when it is not

necessary to resolve any factual disputes in the

case. Summary judgment is granted when - on the

undisputed facts in the record - one party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. 

testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries. 

prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. 

A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the

government. 

record: A written account of the proceedings 

in a case, including all pleadings, evidence, and

exhibits submitted in the course of the case. 

remand: The act of an appellate court sending 

a case to a lower court for further proceedings. 

reorganization: The process by which a financially

troubled business may readjust its obligations to its

creditors under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy

Code. A business that files for Chapter 11 relief

continues to operate, subject to bankruptcy court

supervision, while it formulates a plan of reorganization. If the court confirms the plan, the debtor

emerges from reorganization with its pre-bankruptcy obligations replaced by its obligations under 

the plan.

reverse: The act of an appellate court setting aside

the decision of a trial court. A reversal is often

accompanied by a remand to the lower court for

further proceedings. 

rules of procedure: The federal rules of evidence,

and rules of civil, criminal, bankruptcy and appellate procedure that judges and attorneys must 

follow in the federal courts. Individual courts may

issue additional rules to supplement the federal

rules.

sentence: The punishment ordered by a court 

for a defendant convicted of a crime. 
56

w

v

u

United States Trustee: A Justice Department official appointed in most judicial districts to oversee

the bankruptcy process in his or her district. The

U.S. Trustee’s responsibilities include appointing

trustees in individual bankruptcy cases, and studies

to insure that the bankruptcy process is not being

abused.

venue: The geographical location in which a case

is tried. 

verdict: The decision of a trial jury or a judge that

determines the guilt or innocence of a criminal

defendant, or that determines the final outcome 

of a civil case. 

voir dire: The process by which judges and

lawyers select a trial jury from among those eligible

to serve, by questioning them to make certain that

they would fairly decide the case. “Voir dire”is 

a phrase meaning “to speak the truth.” 

witness: A person called upon by either side in 

a lawsuit to give testimony before the court or jury.

writ: A formal written command or order, issued 

by the court, requiring the performance of a specific act. 

writ of certiorari: An order issued by the United

States Supreme Court exercising its discretion 

to review a decision of a lower federal court or 

a state supreme court.

tort: A civil wrong or breach of a duty to another

person. The “victim” of a tort may be entitled 

to sue for the harm suffered. Victims of crimes may

also sue in tort for the wrongs done to them. Most

tort cases are handled in state court, except when

the tort occurs on federal property (e.g., a military

base), when the government is the defendant, 

or when there is diversity of citizenship between

the parties. 

transcript: A written, word-for-word record of what

was said, either in a proceeding such as a trial, 

or during some other formal conversation, such 

as a hearing or oral deposition. 

trustee: In a bankruptcy case, a person appointed

to represent the interests of the bankruptcy estate

and the unsecured creditors. The trustee's responsibilities may include liquidating the property 

of the estate, administering the estate or business

of the debtor, making distributions to creditors,

and bringing actions against creditors or the debtor

to recover property of the bankruptcy estate. 

United States Attorney: A lawyer appointed by

the President in each judicial district to prosecute

and defend cases for the federal government. 

The U.S. Attorney employs a staff of Assistant

U.S. Attorneys who appear as the government’s

attorneys in individual cases. 

United States Marshal: An officer appointed 

by the President in each judicial district to provide

security for judges, prosecutors, and others in the

justice system. The marshal is also responsible 

for the transport of prisoners and certain service 

of process and enforcement or court orders. 
57

This publication was developed by the Office 

of Judges Programs in the Administrative Office 

of the United States Courts. Created by an Act 

of Congress in 1939, the Administrative Office 

supports the work of the Judicial Branch of the

federal government. Its director, who serves as the

chief administrative officer for the federal courts, 

is appointed by the Chief Justice of the United

States in consultation with the Judicial Conference

of the United States. 

The Administrative Office provides staff 

support and counsel to the judiciary’s policymaking body, the Judicial Conference of theUnited

States, and its committees. It monitors and assesses

judiciary operations and emerging issues, makes

recommendations for new policies and programs,

and implements and promotes the Judicial

Conference’s policies. 

The Administrative Office develops programs,

systems and methods to support and improve 

judicial administration. It provides a broad array 

of administrative, legal, technical, communications,

and other services that support the operation 

of the federal appellate, district, and bankruptcy

courts, and the defender services and probation

and pretrial services programs. Among its many

functions, the Administrative Office develops 

and administers the judiciary’s budget; audits court

financial records; manages the judiciary’s payroll

and human resources programs; collects and 

analyzes statistics to report on the business of the

courts; manages the judiciary’s automation and

information technology programs; conducts studies

and reviews of programs and operations; develops

new business methods for the courts; issues 

manuals, directives, rules, and other publications;

ABOUT THE 

ADMINISTRA TIVE OFFICE

OF THE UNITED ST A TES

COUR T S

Sources of Additional

Information:

The Federal Courts and 

What They Do (Federal 

Judicial Center, 1997) 

Getting Started as 

a Federal Judge

(Administrative Office, 1997)

Long Range Plan for 

the Federal Courts

(Judicial Conference 

of the U.S., 1995)

Judiciary website addresses:

United States Supreme Court:

www.supremecourtus.gov 

Administrative Office of the

United States Courts:

www.uscourts.gov

Federal Judicial Center:

www.fjc.gov
58

fosters and coordinates communications with the

legislative and executive branches; and provides

public information.

The Administrative Office’s Director has 

delegated to the individual courts many statutory

administrative authorities. As a result, each court

can plan, organize and manage itsbusiness activities

and expenditures, consistent with policies and

spending limits, to meet its particular needs. 

This decentralization of administrative authority

benefits both the courts and the taxpayers because

it reduces bureaucracy and encourages innovation

and economy.

For additional copies, 

please contact:

Article III Judges Division

Administrative Office of the

United States Courts

Thurgood Marshall Federal

Judiciary Building

One Columbus Circle, N.E.

Washington, D.C. 20544

202-502-1860

202-502-1888 (fax)
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