Federal Overview

Federal courts are an essential part of America’s system of checks and balances. Created under Article III of the U.S. Constitution, they are one of three branches of the federal government.  

Our nation’s founders explicitly intended courts to protect the rights of Americans by ensuring that Congress and the executive branch adhered to the Constitution. Unlike lawmakers, the courts were to be accountable to the law, and not to special interests or politics.

To learn about threats facing federal courts today, see Federal Court Issues.

Also see: The Founders & Our Courts, and America's Courts: A Primer.