How does the Federal Court System Work?
The U.S. District Courts are courts of original jurisdiction. Cases involving disputes arising from federal law, or diversity jurisdiction (parties residing in different states) are initiated in the U.S. District Courts. All cases involving patents, copyrights, and federally registered trademarks are originally filed with the U.S. District Courts. The U.S. District Courts preside over geographical regions formed of a state or portions of a state. For example, Illinois is divided between the U.S. District Courts for the Northern District, Central District, and Southern District of Illinois.
