The United States District Court is a federal trial court that has jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases in the United States. It is the general trial court of the federal court system, meaning it hears a wide range of cases, including those involving federal laws, constitutional issues, and disputes between states or residents of different states. Each state has at least one District Court, and larger states may have several. Cases decided in these courts can be appealed to the United States Court of Appeals, which reviews the decisions for legal errors.