United States Courts

The U.S. Courts, located in courthouses across the nation, safeguard the constitutional rights and liberties of the public. Judges, court clerks, federal public defenders, law clerks, probation and pretrial services officers, technology specialists, human resources and budget specialists, administrative staff, and many others with a variety of skills and talents work in support of this mission. We invite you to learn more about us and join the people who work to help ensure equal justice under the law. About the Courts As Guardians of the Constitution, the U.S. Courts address cases and controversies that can impact the lives of all Americans. The U.S. Courts: - Help individuals and businesses who cannot pay their debts. - Resolve civil disputes involving failure to meet legal agreements. - Decide criminal cases alleging violations of federal criminal laws. - Conduct naturalization ceremonies for new U.S. citizens. - Work with criminal defendants and offenders in the probation and pretrial system. - Provide federal public defenders to those who cannot afford legal counsel. - Call those 18 years and older to serve on juries. - Call witnesses to testify in civil or criminal cases. The U.S. Courts System is comprised of the U.S. Supreme Court; 13 U.S. Courts of Appeals; 94 U.S. District Courts, which include U.S. Bankruptcy Courts; Courts of Special Jurisdiction; U.S. Probation and U.S. Pretrial Services Offices; Federal Public Defenders Offices; and several support agencies, including the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, the Federal Judicial Center, and the U.S. Sentencing Commission.