United States District Court for the District of ColumbiaJudiciary

The United States District Court for the District of Columbia is a federal trial court that hears civil and criminal cases arising under United States federal law and the Constitution within Washington, D.C. Because of its seat in the nation's capital, it possesses a unique mandate frequently involving high-profile litigation against federal administrative agencies, presidential actions, and congressional disputes. Originally established in 1863 as the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia to replace an earlier circuit court, it handled both federal and local municipal trials until local matters were transferred to the D.C. Superior Court under court reforms in 1970.