District Court

(Amer. Law.) The U. States are divided and subdivided into districts, in each of which is a district court, which is to consist of one judge, who is to reside in the district for which he is appointed, and to hold annually 4 se ions. The jurisdiction of the circuit courts is either civil or criminal. Their civil jurisdiction, which originally included only admiralty and maritime causes, has been nece arily much enlarged. By Act ofAug. 23, 1842, they have current jurisdiction with the circuit courts of all crimes and offences against the U. States, the punishment of which is not capital. In general, a State constitutes a district. Some of the States, however, have been divided into two districts, as New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Georgia, Florida, Mi i ippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and California; and others into three, as Tenne ee and Iowa. [s. 293]