The first federal court to hear a criminal case is the district court, as it serves as the trial court for federal matters. The circuit courts review these cases, while the Supreme Court handles significant constitutional appeals. This hierarchy is essential to understanding how federal criminal cases are processed in the U.S. judicial system.
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The first federal court to hear a criminal case is the district court, which handles federal law matters including criminal trials. Circuit courts, or Courts of Appeals, review cases but do not conduct trials, while the Supreme Court addresses only a limited number of significant cases. Understanding this hierarchy is crucial for grasping the federal judicial process. ;