The judicial branch of the United States meets in a layered network of courthouses: the Supreme Court sits in a single building in Washington, D.C.; the rest of the federal judiciary occupies roughly 775 government-owned and leased buildings spread across 94 district courts and 13 appellate courts; and each state runs its own separate system, from a state supreme court down to county courthouses and municipal courtrooms. Where any given case is heard depends on whether it belongs in federal or state court and on venue rules that tie the dispute to a geographic area.
The Supreme Court
The nation’s highest court meets at 1 First Street, NE, in Washington, D.C., across from the U.S. Capitol and next to the Library of Congress.1Supreme Court of the United States. Hours and Directions Nine justices sit on the Court by statute, with any six forming a quorum.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1 – Number of Justices; Quorum The building was completed in 1935 and designed by Cass Gilbert in a classical Corinthian style meant to echo the nearby congressional buildings.3Supreme Court of the United States. Building History
Oral arguments and opinion announcements take place in the main courtroom. Deliberation happens elsewhere in the building, in a conference room closed to everyone but the justices themselves. The Court’s term begins by statute on the first Monday in October and typically runs through late June or early July.4Supreme Court of the United States. The Court and Its Procedures
The building is open to the public Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and closed on weekends and federal holidays.5Supreme Court of the United States. The Supreme Court Building Seats for oral arguments are first-come, first-seated, with a line forming on the sidewalk along East Capitol Street before sessions begin at 10 a.m.6Supreme Court of the United States. Courtroom Seating A dedicated Supreme Court Police force screens everyone who enters, and recording of any kind inside the courtroom is prohibited.7Supreme Court of the United States. Supreme Court Police
Federal District and Appellate Courts
Below the Supreme Court, the federal judiciary runs 94 U.S. District Courts grouped into 12 regional circuits, each with its own court of appeals. A 13th appellate court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, has nationwide jurisdiction over specialized matters like patent cases.8United States Courts. About the U.S. Courts of Appeals These courts sit in federal courthouses across all 50 states and the territories. Every district has at least one courthouse, and larger districts have several.
The judiciary occupies about 396 government-owned buildings and 379 leased spaces, managed as the judiciary’s landlord by the General Services Administration.9United States Courts. Judiciary Says Courthouses Are in Crisis, Seeks Real Property Authority These buildings are entirely separate from state and local government facilities and are built around courtrooms designed for jury trials, grand jury proceedings, and bench hearings.
Which courthouse hears a case comes down to venue. A civil dispute, for example, is generally assigned to the federal district where one of the parties lives or where the events giving rise to the claim occurred. Appellate courts each have a headquarters city but will occasionally sit in other cities within their circuit.
Specialized Federal Courts
Several federal courts sit outside the standard district-and-appeals structure, in their own locations.
- The U.S. Tax Court is headquartered at 400 Second Street NW in Washington, D.C., and hears disputes between taxpayers and the IRS. It also travels: the court publishes seasonal trial calendars for cities around the country, many without a permanent courtroom, and conducts remote proceedings by video.10United States Tax Court. Places of Trial
- The U.S. Court of Federal Claims sits at the Howard T. Markey National Courts Building, 717 Madison Place NW, on Lafayette Square across from the White House. It hears monetary claims against the federal government, including contract disputes and certain tax refund cases.11United States Court of Federal Claims. Court Location / Hours
- The U.S. Court of International Trade is based at One Federal Plaza in New York City and handles customs, trade, and import disputes.12United States Court of International Trade. About the Court
- The U.S. Bankruptcy Courts function as units of the district courts and generally share space in the same federal courthouses. Every judicial district has one.
- The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court operates in Washington, D.C., where one of its 11 judges is on duty each week to review government surveillance applications. Proceedings are closed to the public.13Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. About the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court
State Courts
State courts handle most of the legal matters Americans actually encounter, including criminal prosecutions, divorces, custody, probate, personal injury suits, and landlord-tenant cases. Each state runs its own system, entirely separate from the federal one, and meeting places fall into three general tiers.
State Supreme Courts
A state’s highest court usually meets in the state capital, either in a dedicated supreme court building or within the state capitol complex. These courts mainly review lower court decisions and settle questions of state law rather than conduct trials.
Trial Courts
Trial-level courts carry different names in different states: superior courts, circuit courts, district courts, or courts of common pleas. They meet in county courthouses, typically in the county seat. The county courthouse is where filings get processed by the clerk’s office, where records are kept, and where most trials and hearings are held.
Municipal and Limited-Jurisdiction Courts
At the most local level, municipal courts and similar limited-jurisdiction courts handle minor matters like traffic infractions, petty offenses, and violations of local ordinances.14USAGov. Federal, State, Territory, County, and Municipal Courts They sit in city halls, dedicated justice centers, or shared government office buildings. Rules vary by state, but these are the courts closest to ordinary residents.
Tribal Courts
Tribal courts are a separate system, operating on tribal lands and administered by tribal governments rather than federal or state authorities. They hear disputes arising within reservation boundaries, including criminal misdemeanors involving tribal members and a broad range of civil matters. Cases are heard in courthouses or government buildings on the reservation. Non-tribal members involved in disputes on tribal land may need to exhaust tribal court remedies before seeking federal review.
Virtual and Remote Proceedings
The pandemic pushed courts at every level into video and telephone hearings, and some of that access has stuck. In September 2023, the Judicial Conference adopted a revised policy allowing federal judges in civil and bankruptcy cases to provide live remote audio access for non-trial proceedings that do not involve witness testimony. That was a permanent expansion over pre-pandemic rules, but narrower than the broad virtual access of the emergency period.15United States Courts. Judicial Conference Revises Policy to Expand Remote Audio Access Over Its Pre-COVID Policy
Federal criminal proceedings largely returned to in-person requirements after the temporary authority granted under the CARES Act expired in May 2023. In civil cases, witnesses can testify remotely by phone or video under federal rules, but only when the judge finds good cause. Many federal proceedings still require physical attendance.16United States Courts. Access to Court Proceedings State courts have set their own policies, and some rely heavily on virtual hearings for routine matters like status conferences and arraignments. If you have a court date and are not sure whether you need to appear in person, check with the clerk’s office rather than assume remote access is available.
Visiting a Federal Courthouse
Most federal court proceedings are open to the public. Security at federal courthouses is handled by Court Security Officers under the U.S. Marshals Service. Visitors pass through metal detectors and have bags X-rayed. Weapons are prohibited, as are cameras, recording devices, and anything that could disrupt a proceeding. Courthouses generally offer no storage, so anyone carrying prohibited items has to leave the building to store them.17U.S. Marshals Service. What To Expect When Visiting a Courthouse