Final answer:
The United States has established 13 appellate courts as intermediate court of appeals, covering 11 regional circuits, the D.C. Circuit, and the Federal Circuit with nationwide jurisdiction. All states are part of these circuits, with some circuits encompassing multiple states. Congress has the authority to create these courts, and has also established specialized courts like bankruptcy and military appellate courts.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the United States, the establishment of intermediate court of appeals (ICAs), also known as the U.S. courts of appeals or circuit courts, has been a critical part of the federal judiciary system. Presently, there are 13 appellate courts that fall into this category: eleven regional circuit courts, the D.C. Circuit, and the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which has nationwide jurisdiction. These courts serve to review the rulings of trial (district) courts within their respective jurisdictions and are considered intermediate because their decisions can be further appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.Each state falls under one of these circuits, and in some cases, a circuit might cover multiple states. For example, the 6th Circuit Court includes Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee, and it is located in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Congress has the authority to create and organize these appellate courts which they have enacted over time to include other special courts such as bankruptcy and immigration courts.Furthermore, there are also appellate courts within the military justice system, such as the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces (CAAF) and the respective Courts of Criminal Appeals for the Army, Navy-Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard. These specialized courts manage the appellate review process within the military legal framework.