United States Court of Appeals

The United States courts of appeals are the intermediate appellate courts of the U.S. federal judiciary. They hear appeals in cases from the U.S. district courts and from certain federal administrative agencies. Their decisions may be reviewed by the Supreme Court of the United States. The courts of appeals are organized into 13 "circuits". Eleven circuits, numbered "First" through "Eleventh", cover geographic areas of the United States and hear appeals from the U.S. district courts within their jurisdiction. The District of Columbia Circuit covers only Washington, DC. The Federal Circuit has nationwide jurisdiction over appeals in certain specialized areas of law.