Cases are written decisions issued from a court. They are commonly referred to as decisions or judicial opinions. Court systems at the state and federal level are tremendously complex. Yet the hierarchical organization is fairly standard between them, beginning with trial courts, followed by appellate court, then the highest court. The highest federal court is the U. S. Supreme Court. The federal appellate courts are called U. S. Courts of Appeal, and are divided into thirteen circuits.  In addition, federal trial courts are called U. S. District Courts.

Federal Courts:

The Supreme Court of the United States: The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the nation for all cases and controversies arising under the Constitution or the laws of the United States. 

United States Courts of Appeals: The United States Courts of Appeal, sometimes referred to as federal Circuit Courts, are intermediate appellate federal courts. They are comprised of thirteen circuits; the 1st - 11th Circuits, the District of Columbia Circuit Court, and the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. These courts hear appeals from decisions rendered by the U.S. District Courts, as well as from other federal courts and agencies.

United States District Courts: The nation’s 94 district or trial courts are called U.S. District Courts. District courts resolve disputes by determining the facts and applying legal principles to decide who is right.  There is at least one district court in each state, and the District of Columbia. There are four U.S. District Courts in Texas. Each district includes a U.S. bankruptcy court. Four territories of the United States have U.S. district courts that hear federal cases, including bankruptcy cases: Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Texas State Courts:

Texas State Courts: This website provides information about the courts in Texas and how to obtain legal documents on cases. Researchers needing information on the structure of the courts in Texas may click here. And About Texas Courts provides ample information on various aspects of the courts in Texas, including maps of jurisdictions, a directory of judges, and statistics.