What are the four types of federal cases?

Asked by: Annabelle Reichel  |  Last update: February 17, 2026
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Based on the United States Courts and federal legal definitions, the primary types of federal cases handled by the federal court system are criminal cases, civil cases, bankruptcy cases, and appeals.

What are the different types of federal cases?

More specifically, federal courts hear criminal, civil, and bankruptcy cases. And once a case is decided, it can often be appealed.

What are the four major types of federal jurisdiction?

jurisdiction

  • in personam jurisdiction.
  • in rem jurisdiction.
  • quasi in rem jurisdiction.

What are the types of federal crimes?

Property crimes: This federal crime category includes arson, auto theft, burglary and larceny, among other types of property crimes. White collar crimes: This category includes insider trading, fraud, deceit, violations of odometer laws, embezzlement, forgery, extortion, bribery, money laundering and tax offenses.

What four categories did federal courts handle?

In addition to civil and criminal matters, federal courts handle bankruptcy, intellectual property disputes, and civil rights cases.

Every Level of the US Federal Court System Explained

35 related questions found

What are four kinds of special federal courts?

  • United States Courts of Special Jurisdiction. ...
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces. ...
  • U.S. Court of Federal Claims. ...
  • U.S. Court of International Trade. ...
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. ...
  • U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation. ...
  • U.S. Tax Court.

What are common types of evidence?

Types of Evidence in Criminal + Civil Law

  • Direct Evidence.
  • Circumstantial Evidence.
  • Physical Evidence.
  • Exculpatory Evidence.
  • Prima Facie Evidence.
  • Testimonial Evidence.
  • Expert Witness Evidence.
  • Demonstrative Evidence.

What are the 4 classifications of crime?

Crimes are generally graded into four categories: felonies, misdemeanors, felony-misdemeanors, and infractions. Often the criminal intent element affects a crime's grading.

What are the top 5 federal crimes?

The top federal charges often involve Drug Trafficking, various forms of Fraud (mail, wire, bank), Immigration Violations, Firearms Offenses, and Cybercrimes, with white-collar crimes like theft and embezzlement also being very common, frequently accounting for the vast majority of federal cases, especially those involving drugs, immigration, firearms, and financial crimes. 

What are the most common federal court cases?

Common Federal Court Crimes

  • Drug Offenses:
  • White-Collar Crimes:
  • Firearms Offenses:
  • Violent Crimes:
  • Immigration Offenses:
  • Cybercrimes:
  • Terrorism Offenses:

What are the 4 main types of law?

The four main types of law, especially in the U.S. system, are Constitutional Law, Statutory Law, Administrative Law, and Case Law (Common Law), which derive from different governmental sources, from supreme foundational principles (Constitution) to laws passed by legislatures (Statutes), rules from agencies (Regulations), and judge-made precedents (Case Law). 

How does a case get to federal court?

To bring a state law claim in federal court, all of the plaintiffs must be located in different states than all of the defendants, and the “amount in controversy” must be more than $75,000.

What are the 4 types of subject matter jurisdiction?

Introduction to Federal Subject Matter Jurisdiction; II. Federal Question Jurisdiction; III. Diversity of Citizenship Jurisdiction; and IV. Supplemental Jurisdiction.

How many federal court cases are there?

Currently, federal district courts hear over 300,000 cases a year.

What are some examples of civil offenses?

Civil law covers disputes and cases where an individual, public body, or organization has violated the rights of another person. Examples include personal injury claims, contractual breaches, employment tribunals, or negligence.

What is an example of a federal criminal case?

While state laws govern many criminal activities, federal laws require careful consideration. Familiarizing yourself with common federal offenses, such as white-collar and drug crimes, cybercrimes, and other federal violations, can ensure that you can protect yourself, your assets, and your legacy.

Is a federal crime worse than a felony?

Is a federal felony worse than a state felony? Normally, federal felonies are held to be much more serious because of the very serious federal sentencing guidelines and infinite resources that are found within the federal legal system.

What are the 7 index crimes?

Crime classifications presently used in the index are: 1) murder, 2) rape, 3) robbery, 4) aggravated assault, 5) burglary, 6) larceny, and 7) motor vehicle theft.

What are the 8 types of cases heard in federal courts?

The U.S. Courts website lists the types of matters that federal courts hear as cases involving:

  • the constitutionality of a law;
  • laws and treaties of the United States;
  • ambassadors and public ministers;
  • disputes between two or more states;
  • admiralty law;
  • bankruptcy; and,
  • habeas corpus issues.

What are the 4 types of crime?

Many types of crime exist. Criminologists commonly group crimes into several major categories: (1) violent crime; (2) property crime; (3) white-collar crime; (4) organized crime; and (5) consensual or victimless crime.

What is a level 4 crime?

So, exactly what is a 4th Degree felony then? In states who apply this category of crimes, it is the least serious type of felony offense that a defendant can be charged with and is one step above the most serious level of misdemeanor offenses.

What are the four core crimes?

ICL outlines four main categories of international crimes: genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression.

What are the 4 types of evidence?

The four main types of evidence, especially in legal and academic contexts, are Testimonial (spoken/written statements), Documentary (written records), Physical/Real (tangible items), and Demonstrative (visual aids like charts/diagrams). Other categorizations exist, like evidence for arguments (anecdotal, descriptive, correlational, causal) or textual evidence (quoting, paraphrasing).
 

What is the 7 of evidence Act?

Facts which are the occasion, cause, or effect, immediate or otherwise, of relevant facts, or facts in issue, or which constitute the state of things under which they happened, or which afforded an opportunity for their occurrence or transaction, are relevant.

What evidence is not admissible in court?

Evidence not admissible in court typically includes illegally obtained evidence (violating the Fourth Amendment), hearsay (out-of-court statements used for their truth), irrelevant or speculative information, privileged communications (like psychotherapist-patient), and confessions obtained through coercion, with rules varying slightly by jurisdiction but generally focusing on reliability, legality, and relevance.