Page 132 - 6205

the supreme law of the land, at least for the exact circumstances of that
case.
The inferior courts in the federal system have somewhat less
political importance, since their principal duty is to settle routine cases
where no constitutional question is at stake. At the ground level are the
District Courts with about two hundred district judges scattered over the
United States. These courts handle both civil and criminal cases that come
under the jurisdiction of the Federal laws. By the Constitution they are
required to give a jury trial in all except civil cases involving less than
twenty dollars.
The District Courts have original jurisdiction in nearly all cases.
That is, they collect the facts. The district court is the only Federal court
where trials are held, juries are used, and witnesses are called. Criminal
cases are tried by a judge sitting with a jury whose duty is to hear the
evidence, the speeches of prosecuting and defending counsel, the remarks
of the judge and reach a unanimous decision as to whether the accused is
guilty or not of the crime he is charged with (of the crime charged to him).
(Under the common law, a trial by jury must consist of twelve persons and
their decision must be unanimous. The national government and many
states authorize trial by less than twelve in certain cases and a decision by
less than a unanimous vote. Generally the jury is to judge of the facts,
though some states permit the jury to determine the law and the
punishment as well as the facts.)
Each state has at least one district court; a few have as many as four.
District courts are also found in Washington, D.C., and the territories of
Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, and Panama Canal Zone. Each
court has from one to twenty four judges, depending on the volume of
business, but each judge holds court separately. Certain cases are heard by
a threejudge panel. All judges are appointed for life terms by the President
with the Senate's consent except those serving in territorial courts that
have eight years' term.
The bulk of judicial work in Federal courts is conducted by the
district courts. About 100,000 cases a year are tried, mostly civil cases
involving such matters as admiralty law, bankruptcy proceedings, civil
rights, and postal laws.
The parties may appeal the decision either on the ground that the
court made an error in concluding the trial, or on the ground that the law is

128