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Decoding the 2020 Election

The primary documents of the 2020 elections.

Federal Courts vs. State Court Systems

How Cases Get to the Supreme Court

Federal Court Structure

Federal Court Structure

The Supreme Court

Article III of the U.S. Constitution created the Supreme Court and authorized Congress to pass laws establishing a system of lower courts. In the federal court system’s present form, 94 district-level trial courts and 13 courts of appeals sit below the Supreme Court.

Click here for more information on the courts and the constitution. 

How Federal Judges Are Selected

Selection of Federal Judges

Federal judges are selected a bit differently than state judges. The chart below illustrates how federal judges are selected. 

A chart illustrating how federal judges are selected. The link below the image will direct you to the alt-text description.