ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Courts of the United States

Let's start by understanding what a court is. A court is a place where people go when they have a problem they can't solve on their own. For example, if someone breaks a law, they might have to go to court to be punished.

The United States has many different courts, but the most important ones are called federal courts. These courts help to enforce the laws that were made by the United States government.

There are three main types of federal courts:

1. District Courts: District courts are the lowest level of federal courts. They are located all over the country and handle most of the cases that come through the federal courts. They are like the first stop for people who want to bring a case to court.

2. Circuit Courts of Appeals: Circuit courts of appeals are the next level up from district courts. If a person disagrees with a decision made in a district court, they can appeal to a circuit court of appeals. These courts hear cases in groups of three judges, and they are located in different parts of the country.

3. Supreme Court: The Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States. It is located in Washington, D.C. The job of the Supreme Court is to make sure that the Constitution is being followed correctly. If a person disagrees with a decision made in a circuit court of appeals, they can appeal to the Supreme Court.

In all of these courts, judges are the people who make decisions. They listen to both sides of the argument and then make a decision based on the law. Judges are very important, because they help to make sure that the laws in our country are being followed correctly.