Federal Courts Where We Practice

By Elizabeth Franklin-Best, Esq., and Christopher Zoukis, JD, MBA

Federal criminal cases are not confined to one place. A person can be charged in any of the ninety-four federal judicial districts in the country, and an appeal can travel to any of the federal courts of appeals. For a defendant or a family deciding who should handle a federal case, one of the first questions is reach — whether a firm can actually appear in the court where the case is pending.

This hub explains the federal courts where the firm practices and how its nationwide reach works. Elizabeth Franklin-Best, P.C., handles federal criminal defense, including federal appeals and post-conviction matters, across the country. Elizabeth Franklin-Best is admitted to the Supreme Court of the United States and to all twelve regional U.S. Courts of Appeals, is admitted to practice before seven U.S. District Courts, and represents federal defendants in district courts nationwide through admission pro hac vice. This page links to an individually researched guide for each circuit and district.

If you are facing a federal charge or considering a federal appeal — regardless of where the case is located — the firm offers a paid, one-hour initial consultation to review the matter and the specific court where it sits.

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Conceptual Illustration Of Nationwide Federal Criminal Defense Practice Across The U.s. Court System
The Firm Represents Federal Defendants In District And Appellate Courts Nationwide.

Quick Answer: Federal Courts

QuestionAnswer
How many federal courts are there?There are 94 U.S. District Courts at the trial level and 13 U.S. Courts of Appeals — 12 regional circuits that hear criminal appeals, plus the Federal Circuit — with the Supreme Court at the top.
Where does a federal criminal case start?In a U.S. District Court — the district where the charges are filed. That is where pretrial litigation, trial, and sentencing occur.
Can a lawyer handle a case outside their home district?Yes. Through pro hac vice admission, a qualified attorney can be admitted to appear in a specific case in another district. It is a routine part of federal practice.
What courts is the firm admitted to?Elizabeth Franklin-Best is admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court and all twelve circuits, practices before seven U.S. District Courts, and appears in other districts pro hac vice.
Does the firm handle cases nationwide?Yes. The firm handles federal criminal defense, appeals, and post-conviction matters in district and circuit courts across the country.
What is the first step?A paid, one-hour initial consultation in which we identify your court and circuit and outline the strategy the venue calls for.

Key Takeaways

  • The federal court system has three levels: 94 district courts, the courts of appeals organized into circuits, and the Supreme Court.
  • A federal criminal case begins in the U.S. District Court for the district where charges are filed.
  • Twelve regional circuits hear federal criminal appeals; each has its own guide on this site.
  • Elizabeth Franklin-Best is licensed at the state level in South Carolina and New York.
  • Separately, she is admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court and all twelve federal circuits, and she practices before seven U.S. District Courts.
  • Federal-court admission is distinct from state licensure — they are separate systems.
  • Pro hac vice admission is the routine mechanism that allows qualified counsel to appear in federal district courts where they do not hold full bar membership.
  • The firm’s center of gravity is appellate and post-conviction work, which travels well because federal law is national in scope.
  • Each circuit guide covers criminal appeals in that circuit; each district guide covers defense and post-conviction practice in that district.
  • The firm handles federal cases nationwide, in district and circuit courts across the country.

How the Federal Court System Is Organized

The federal court system has three main levels, and understanding them makes the geography of a federal case much clearer.

At the trial level are the U.S. District Courts — ninety-four of them, spread across the fifty states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories. A federal criminal case begins in a district court: that is where charges are filed, pretrial litigation and trial occur, and sentencing takes place. Larger states are divided into multiple districts — for example, New York and Texas each have four — while smaller states have a single district covering the whole state.

Above the district courts are the U.S. Courts of Appeals, organized into circuits. Twelve regional circuits each cover a defined group of states and territories — the First through Eleventh Circuits and the D.C. Circuit — and a thirteenth, the Federal Circuit, hears specialized appeals rather than criminal cases. A defendant who is convicted in a district court has the right to appeal to the court of appeals for the circuit that covers that district. Those twelve regional circuits are the courts that decide federal criminal appeals, and each has its own guide on this site.

At the top is the Supreme Court of the United States, which reviews a small number of cases each year, generally at its discretion through the writ of certiorari. The firm’s guide to petitioning the Supreme Court explains that process.

The practical takeaway is that a federal case has a geography. The district court is set by where the case is charged; the circuit is set by which district that is. Knowing both is the starting point for understanding where a case will be heard and who can appear in it.

The Firm’s Nationwide Reach

Elizabeth Franklin-Best, P.C., is built for nationwide federal practice, and it is important to accurately describe its reach.

Elizabeth Franklin-Best is licensed to practice law at the state level in South Carolina and New York. Separately from state licensure, she is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States and before all twelve regional U.S. Courts of Appeals — the First through Eleventh Circuits and the D.C. Circuit. She is also admitted to practice before seven U.S. District Courts: the District of South Carolina, the District of Maryland, the Southern District of Texas, the Northern District of Ohio, the Eastern District of Michigan, the Northern District of Illinois, and the District of the District of Columbia.

Admission to a federal court is distinct from state licensure. The two are separate systems, and a lawyer’s federal-court admissions describe where that lawyer may appear in federal cases, not where the lawyer is licensed to practice state law. Because the firm’s appellate admissions span every regional circuit, and because federal district courts routinely permit qualified out-of-district lawyers to appear through a process called pro hac vice admission, the firm is positioned to represent federal defendants in district courts throughout the country.

The firm team supporting that practice includes Elizabeth Franklin-Best, principal attorney; Christopher Zoukis, managing director; and LaDonna Falvey and Kimberly Zoukis in firm administration and operations. Christopher Zoukis is a federal prison and post-conviction authority and the author of published work in the field; he is not a practicing attorney at the firm. The combination supports a national federal practice grounded in appellate and post-conviction work.

Applied Insight: Families researching federal defense counsel often assume a lawyer must be “local” to the courthouse. In federal practice that is rarely the constraint it appears to be. Federal law is national, the rules of procedure are uniform, and out-of-district counsel routinely appear by pro hac vice admission. What matters far more than a local address is genuine federal experience.

How Pro Hac Vice Admission Works

Pro hac vice is a Latin phrase meaning, roughly, “for this occasion.” In practice, it is the mechanism by which a lawyer who is not a member of a particular district court’s bar is admitted to appear in a specific case before that court.

Every U.S. District Court has a procedure for pro hac vice admission. The details vary by district and are set out in each court’s local rules. Still, the framework is consistent: a qualified attorney in good standing applies for admission in the particular case, the application is presented to the court, and the court admits the attorney to appear. Many districts require local counsel, and each district’s local rules govern the specifics.

This is a routine and well-established part of federal practice. It is how experienced federal practitioners handle cases across district lines every day, and it is why a firm with deep federal experience can represent a defendant in a district where it does not hold full bar membership. Each district guide on this site describes the firm’s specific relationship to that court — whether through bar admission, prior pro hac vice appearances, or pro hac vice practice — using accurate, court-specific language.

Federal Appeals — The Firm’s Core Strength

While the firm handles federal cases at the trial level, its center of gravity is appellate and post-conviction work — and that focus is what makes its nationwide reach especially meaningful. It is also where the firm’s national recognition is anchored: Best Lawyers in America lists Elizabeth Franklin-Best among its 2026 “Best Lawyers” for Appellate Practice, and Chambers USA 2026 ranks her for Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations.

Elizabeth Franklin-Best is admitted to all twelve regional circuits, which means the firm can pursue a federal criminal appeal in any of them. Appellate practice rewards a particular set of skills — close record review, legal research, brief writing, and oral advocacy on questions of law — and it is the same discipline whether the appeal is heard in Boston, Atlanta, or San Francisco. Federal appellate procedure is governed by the uniform Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure, supplemented by each circuit’s local rules.

The firm’s post-conviction practice — Section 2255 motions, compassionate release, sentence-reduction litigation, and related matters — likewise reaches district courts across the country. Because post-conviction motions are filed in the district of conviction, and because that work draws on the same research-and-writing strengths as appellate practice, the firm can take on these matters wherever the conviction occurred. Each circuit guide below covers how appeals proceed in that circuit, and each district guide covers trial-level and post-conviction practice in that court.

Applied Insight: Appellate and post-conviction work travels well. A trial defense benefits from familiarity with a local courthouse’s rhythms, but an appeal turns on the written record and the law — and the law is national. That is why a circuit-spanning appellate practice can serve a client just as effectively in a distant circuit as in a home one.

Circuit and District Directory

The guides below are organized by circuit. Each circuit page covers federal criminal appeals in that circuit; each district page covers federal criminal defense and post-conviction practice in that district. Every page is individually researched and written for that specific court.

First Circuit

The First Circuit covers Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Puerto Rico. Our First Circuit district guides include:

Second Circuit

The Second Circuit covers Connecticut, New York, and Vermont. Our Second Circuit district guides include:

Third Circuit

The Third Circuit covers Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Our Third Circuit district guides include:

Fourth Circuit

The Fourth Circuit covers Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. Our Fourth Circuit district guides include:

Fifth Circuit

The Fifth Circuit covers Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. Our Fifth Circuit district guides include:

Sixth Circuit

The Sixth Circuit covers Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee. Our Sixth Circuit district guides include:

Seventh Circuit

The Seventh Circuit covers Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. Our Seventh Circuit district guides include:

Eighth Circuit

The Eighth Circuit covers Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Our Eighth Circuit district guides include:

Ninth Circuit

The Ninth Circuit covers Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Our Ninth Circuit district guides include:

Tenth Circuit

The Tenth Circuit covers Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah, and Wyoming. Our Tenth Circuit district guides include:

Eleventh Circuit

The Eleventh Circuit covers Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. Our Eleventh Circuit district guides include:

D.C. Circuit

The D.C. Circuit covers the District of Columbia. Our D.C. Circuit district guides include the District of the District of Columbia.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is the federal court system organized?

The federal court system has three main levels. At the trial level are 94 U.S. District Courts. Above them are the U.S. Courts of Appeals, organized into twelve regional circuits that hear criminal appeals. At the top is the Supreme Court of the United States.

Where does a federal criminal case take place?

A federal criminal case begins and is tried in a U.S. District Court — specifically, the district where the charges are filed. Pretrial litigation, trial, and sentencing all occur in that district court. An appeal then goes to the court of appeals for the circuit covering that district.

What is the difference between a district court and a circuit court?

A U.S. District Court is a federal trial court where a criminal case is charged, litigated, tried, and sentenced. A U.S. Court of Appeals — a circuit court — reviews decisions of the district courts within its circuit. There are 94 district courts and twelve regional circuits.

Can a lawyer represent me in a federal court in another state?

Yes. Federal law is national, and federal district courts have a process called pro hac vice admission that allows a qualified attorney to be admitted to appear in a specific case in a district where the attorney is not a full bar member. It is a routine and well-established part of federal practice.

What is pro hac vice admission?

Pro hac vice is the procedure by which an attorney who is not a member of a particular district court’s bar is admitted to appear in a specific case before that court. Each district has its own local rules governing the process, and many require local counsel to be involved.

What federal courts is the firm admitted to?

Elizabeth Franklin-Best is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States and all twelve U.S. Courts of Appeals. She is admitted to practice before seven U.S. District Courts — the District of South Carolina, District of Maryland, Southern District of Texas, Northern District of Ohio, Eastern District of Michigan, Northern District of Illinois, and the District of the District of Columbia. The firm appears in other districts through pro hac vice admission.

Is federal-court admission the same as a state law license?

No. Federal-court admission and state licensure are separate systems. A lawyer’s federal-court admissions describe where the lawyer may appear in federal cases. State licensure is a distinct matter. Elizabeth Franklin-Best is licensed at the state level in South Carolina and New York.

Does the firm handle cases nationwide?

Yes. The firm handles federal criminal defense, federal appeals, and post-conviction matters in district and circuit courts across the country, drawing on appellate admissions in every regional circuit and pro hac vice admission in the district courts.

Which circuit covers my case?

Your circuit is determined by which district court your case is in. Each of the twelve regional circuits covers a defined group of states and territories. The circuit and district directory on this page links to a guide for each circuit and district so that you can find yours.

Why does the firm focus on federal appeals?

Appellate and post-conviction work is the firm’s core strength. That work turns on close record review, legal research, and brief writing — skills that apply uniformly across the circuits because federal law is national. That focus is also what makes the firm’s nationwide reach genuinely effective.

Can the firm handle my federal appeal in any circuit?

Elizabeth Franklin-Best is admitted to all U.S. Courts of Appeals so that the firm can pursue a federal criminal appeal in any of them. Federal appellate procedure is governed by uniform rules, supplemented by each circuit’s local rules.

How do I find the guide for my federal court?

Use the circuit and district directory on this page. It is organized by circuit, with a link to each circuit’s appeals guide and to a guide for every district court within that circuit. Each guide is individually researched for that specific court.

How many federal district courts are there?

There are 94 federal judicial districts spread across the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories. Every state has at least one district, and the largest states are divided into as many as four. Each district court is the federal trial court where a criminal case is charged, litigated, and tried.

How many federal circuit courts are there?

There are 13 federal courts of appeals. Twelve are regional — the First through Eleventh Circuits plus the D.C. Circuit — and they hear federal criminal appeals from the district courts within their boundaries. The thirteenth, the Federal Circuit, hears specialized subject-matter appeals rather than criminal cases.

Talk With a Federal Criminal Defense Lawyer

Wherever in the country your federal case sits — in any district court or on appeal in any circuit — the firm is positioned to help. Elizabeth Franklin-Best, P.C., offers a paid, one-hour initial consultation to walk through your case, pinpoint the district and circuit it belongs to, and chart the path forward.

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Speak With Our Team

Discuss your federal matter in a confidential, one-hour initial consultation with Elizabeth Franklin-Best, P.C.

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Why WhiteCollar.net

A practitioner resource from Elizabeth Franklin-Best, P.C. — federal criminal defense, sentencing, appeals, and post-conviction representation in federal courts nationwide.

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