Courts of the United States
Two parallel systems, federal and state, side by side. The US Supreme Court can hear appeals from both when a question of federal law is involved.
Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
Federal courts
State courts (50 systems)
Specialised federal courts
Worth knowing
- Most cases, including most crimes, contracts and family disputes, are decided in state courts under state law.
- There is no separate constitutional court: any court can decide constitutional questions, and the Supreme Court has the last word.
- Federal and state courts follow their own procedures, but the Supreme Court can review a state decision on a question of federal law.
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Sources
Other systems
African Court on Human and Peoples' RightsArgentinaAustraliaAustriaBangladeshBelgiumBrazilCanadaChileChinaColombiaCzechiaDenmarkEgyptEngland and WalesEuropean Court of Human RightsEuropean UnionFinlandFranceGermanyGhanaGreeceHong KongIndiaIndonesiaInter-American Court of Human RightsInternational Court of JusticeInternational Criminal CourtIranIrelandIsraelItalyJapanKenyaMalaysiaMexicoNetherlandsNew ZealandNigeriaNorwayPakistanPeruPhilippinesPolandPortugalRomaniaRussiaSaudi ArabiaScotlandSingaporeSouth AfricaSouth KoreaSpainSri LankaSwedenSwitzerlandTaiwanThailandTurkeyUnited Arab EmiratesVietnam
TheLawToKnow Tools’s court-structure diagrams are simplified on purpose and are not legal advice. Report a mistake.
