Encyclopedia > United States federal judicial district
For purposes of the federal judicial system, Congress has divided the United States into judicial districts. There is at least one district in each state, and many states are divided into more than one. Some districts are further divided into divisions, and some districts and some divisions have more than one place where the federal district court holds trials. The breakdown of what is in each judicial district is at 28 U.S.C. §81 - §131.
Each district has its own United States district court (with a bankruptcy court under its authority), including judges, clerks, court reporters, and other support personnel, all employed by the judicial branch of the government and overseen by the Administrative Office of the Courts in Washington, D.C.. There is also a United States Attorney in each district, who acts as the federal government's lawyer in the district, both prosecuting federal criminal cases and defending the government (and its employees) in civil suits against them; the U.S. Attorney is not employed by the judicial branch but by the U.S. Department of Justice, part of the executive branch. There is also a Federal Public Defender who represents people charged with federal crimes who cannot afford to hire their own lawyers; some FPDs cover more than one judicial district. Each district also has a United States Marshal who serves the court system.
The federal judicial districts and the places where the court "sits" (= holds trial) in each district are (places denoted in bold are those where the permanent headquarters of such court are located):
Alabama
Northern District
Florence
Huntsville & Decatur
Birmingham
Anniston
Tuscaloosa
Gadsden
Jasper
Middle District
Montgomery
Dothan
Opelika
Southern District
Selma
Mobile
Alaska
Anchorage
Fairbanks
Juneau
Ketchikan
Nome
Arizona
Globe
Phoenix
Prescott
Tucson
Arkansas
Eastern District
Helena
Little Rock
Pine Bluff
Batesville
Jonesboro
Western District
Texarkana
El Dorado
Fort Smith
Harrison
Fayetteville
Hot Springs
California
Northern District
Eureka
Oakland
San Francisco
San Jose
Eastern District
Fresno
Redding
Sacramento
Central District
Riverside or San Bernardino
Los Angeles
Santa Ana
Southern District
San Diego
Colorado
Boulder
Denver
Durango
Grand Junction
Montrose
Pueblo
Sterling
Connecticut
Bridgeport
Hartford
New Haven
New London
Waterbury
Delaware
Wilmington
District of Columbia
Washington
Florida
Northern District
Gainesville
Marianna
Panama City
Pensacola
Tallahassee
Middle District
Fernandina
Fort Myers
Jacksonville
Live Oak
Ocala
Orlando
Saint Petersburg
Tampa
Southern District
Fort Lauderdale
Fort Pierce
Key West
Miami
West Palm Beach
Georgia
Northern District
Gainesville
Atlanta
Rome
Newnan
Middle District
Athens
Macon
Columbus
Americus
Albany
Valdosta
Thomasville
Southern District
Augusta
Dublin
Savannah
Waycross
Brunswick
Statesboro
Guam
Hagåtña
Hawaii
Honolulu
Idaho
Boise
Coeur d'Alene
Moscow
Pocatello
Illinois
Northern District
Chicago & Wheaton
Freeport & Rockford
Central District
Champaign/Urbana
Danville
Peoria
Quincy
Rock Island
Springfield
Southern District
Alton
Benton
Cairo
East Saint Louis
Indiana
Northern District
Fort Wayne
South Bend
Hammond & Lafayette
Southern District
Indianapolis & Richmond
Terre Haute
Evansville
New Albany
Iowa
Northern District
Cedar Rapids
Dubuque & Waterloo
Sioux City
Fort Dodge & Mason City
Southern District
Des Moines
Keokuk
Council Bluffs
Creston
Davenport
Ottumwa
Kansas
Kansas City
Lawrence
Leavenworth
Salina
Topeka
Hutchinson
Wichita
Dodge City
Fort Scott
Kentucky
Eastern District
Ashland
Catlettsburg
Covington
Frankfort
Jackson
Lexington
London
Pikeville
Richmond
Western District
Bowling Green
Louisville
Owensboro
Paducah
Louisiana
Eastern District
New Orleans
Houma
Middle District
Baton Rouge
Western District
Alexandria
Lafayette
Lake Charles
Monroe
Opelousas
Shreveport
Maryland
Baltimore & Cumberland & Denton
Montgomery County or Prince George's County
Massachusetts
Boston
New Bedford
Springfield
Worcester
Michigan
Eastern District
Ann Arbor & Detroit & Flint & Port Huron
Bay City
Western District
Grand Rapids & Kalamazoo & Lansing & Traverse City
Some districts are further divided into divisions, and some districts and some divisions have more than one place where the federaldistrict court holds trials.
The breakdown of what is in each judicialdistrict is at 28 U.S.C. Federaljudicialdistricts have also been established in the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
There is also a Federal Public Defender who represents people charged with federal crimes who cannot afford to hire their own lawyers; some FPDs cover more than one judicialdistrict.
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