Legal Definitions - district court

A district court is a type of court in the United States federal judicial system. There are 94 district courts throughout the country that handle both civil and criminal cases. Each state has at least one district court, and there are also district courts in the U.S. territories. District courts also have a bankruptcy unit.

Judges for district courts are appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. They serve for life terms.

At the state level, a district court may refer to the geographic area of a state trial court's jurisdiction. For example, in New York State, there are several judicial districts in the Fourth Department.

Example: A person is charged with a crime and goes to trial. The trial takes place in a district court.

Example: A company files for bankruptcy and their case is heard in the bankruptcy unit of a district court.

These examples illustrate how district courts handle both criminal and civil cases, as well as bankruptcy cases.