Nolo was born in 1971 as a publisher of self-help legal books. Guided by the motto “law for all,” our attorney authors and editors have been explaining the law to everyday people ever since. Learn more about our history and our editorial standards.
Each article that we publish has been written or reviewed by one of our editors, who together have over 100 years of experience practicing law. We strive to keep our information current as laws change. Learn more about our editorial standards.
1) in the federal court system, the entry-level trial court where most cases—civil and criminal—begin. Each federal district court sits in a "district," consisting of all or part of a state. For example, the state of Kansas is one federal judicial district. All federal trial courts sitting in Kansas are designated as a "United States District Court for the District of Kansas."
2) An entry-level trial court in some states. States may also group their appellate courts into districts—for example, the First District Court of Appeals.