Legal Definitions - Article III Court

An Article III Court is a type of federal court that has the authority to hear cases that involve the Constitution, federal laws and treaties, cases where the United States is a party, and cases between citizens of different states or between states themselves. This type of court gets its name from Article III, Section 2 of the United States Constitution, which outlines its jurisdiction.

• A case involving a dispute between two citizens from different states over a contract would be heard in an Article III Court.
• A case involving a challenge to a federal law would also be heard in an Article III Court.
• However, a case involving a dispute over a tax refund would be heard in an Article I Court, which is a different type of federal court that has more limited jurisdiction.

These examples illustrate how an Article III Court has the authority to hear a wide range of cases that involve federal law and the Constitution. This type of court is an important part of the federal judiciary and plays a crucial role in interpreting and enforcing the law at the highest level.