What is the highest federal court in the United States?

The highest federal court in the United States is the Supreme Court of the United States.

The Supreme Court is the head of the federal judiciary and the final appellate authority for federal cases. It can also review state-court decisions when they involve the U.S. Constitution, federal statutes, treaties, or other questions of federal law. Its rulings are binding on lower federal courts and, where federal issues are involved, on state courts as well.

The Court was established by the U.S. Constitution and began operating in 1790 under the Judiciary Act of 1789. It normally consists of the chief justice and eight associate justices, although Congress has authority to change the number. Justices are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate, and they generally serve for life under Article III’s good-behavior provision.

A common mix-up is confusing the Supreme Court with a state supreme court. Every state has its own highest court, but those courts are not part of the federal judiciary. The U.S. Supreme Court sits above the federal courts of appeals and federal district courts.