district courts

Each state is comprised of one or more federal judicial districts, and in each district there is a district court. 28 U.S.C.A. No. 81 et seq.

The United States district courts are the trial courts with general Federal jurisdiction over cases involving federal laws or offenses and actions between citizens of different states. Each State has at least one district court, though many have several judicial districts (e.g. northern, southern, middle districts) or divisions. There is also a United States district court in the District of Columbia.

In addition, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico has a United States district court with jurisdiction corresponding to that of district courts in the various States. Only one judge is usually required to hear and decide a case in a district court, but in some kinds of cases it is required that three judges be called together to comprise the court (28 U.S.C.A. No. 2284). In districts with more than one judge, the judge senior in commission who has not reached his seventieth birthday acts as the chief judge.

See diversity of citizenship

- federal question jurisdiction.

Also, name for inferior state courts of record having general jurisdiction