District Court System

There are 94 U.S. district courts in the 50 United States, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Visit the Federal Judiciary website for a list of U.S. district courts.

There are also two special trial courts within the federal district court system that have nationwide jurisdiction over certain types of cases. The Court of International Trade addresses cases involving international trade and customs issues. The United States Court of Federal Claims has jurisdiction over most claims for money damages against the United States, disputes over federal contracts, and unlawful "takings" of private property by the federal government, and a variety of other claims against the United States.

Federal district courts have jurisdiction over bankruptcy cases. Each of the 94 federal judicial districts handles bankruptcy matters. The primary purposes of the bankruptcy code are:

• To give an honest debtor a "fresh start" by relieving the debtor of most debts, and
  
• To repay creditors in an orderly manner to the extent that the debtor has property available for payment
  

Edited by Michael Dennis, author of "Credit and Collection Handbook" available at the NACM Bookstore.