U.S. Court of Appeals

The United States courts of appeals are a system of 13 courts, divided geographically across the United States, the intermediate appellate courts of the federal court system. An appellate court is any court of law that can hear an appeal of a case from a lower court. Most judiciaries are divided into trial courts, appellate courts, and the Supreme Court.

The U.S. Courts of Appeal are perhaps the most powerful courts in the United States, frequently serving as the final arbiter since the U.S. Supreme Court hears fewer than 100 cases annually. The U.S. Court of Appeals has a powerful ability to set legal precedence in the nation.

The U.S. Court of Appeals is divided into 13 courts, eleven regions plus the District of Columbia and the Federal Court of Appeals. There are 179 judges that comprise the U.S. Courts of Appeals. All are appointed by the President, confirmed by the U.S. Senate, and serve lifetime appointments.

The various U.S. Courts are known as circuit courts. For example, one would be known as the "United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit." The Federal Circuit court consists of the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, the Court of Federal Claims, and the Court of International Trade. Appeals from trial courts are generally heard by a three member of panel of Circuit court judges, randomly selected from among the available justices.