Federal Appellate Courts comprise how many Courts of Appeals?

The federal appellate court system comprises 12 Courts of Appeals. This includes 11 regional appellate courts, which are designated by numbered circuits (for instance, the First Circuit through the Eleventh Circuit), and one Federal Circuit, which has specialized jurisdiction over specific types of cases, such as those involving patent law and other specific federal claims.

This structure allows for appellate review of district court decisions within various geographical regions, ensuring that there are multiple avenues for legal interpretation and that rulings can be uniformly applied within each circuit. Understanding how many of these courts exist helps clarify the organization of the judicial system and reinforces the tiered nature of the U.S. court structure.

The other choices suggest numbers that do not accurately reflect the current federal appellate court system, further highlighting the importance of knowing the correct structure and composition of these courts.