District courts are the trial level of the federal court system.
Each district court has from 2 to 28 judges, depending on the amount of work they have to do. Usually only one judge sits on a case, but sometimes three do. The District of Columbia circuit court has exceptional prominence and influence in the federal court system, because it is in the nation's capital and hears disputes in which the federal government is a party. The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has nationwide jurisdiction in matters dealing with patents, contracts, international trade, and veterans matters. It also hears appeals where the United States is a party.