Final answer:
An appeal of a trial court ruling can next be made to a U.S. Court of Appeals, which is the intermediate appellate court in the federal system, before potentially reaching the U.S. Supreme Court if granted a writ of certiorari.
Step-by-step explanation:
An appeal of a trial court ruling can next be made to a U.S. Court of Appeals. After a case is heard in federal district courts, the losing party has the opportunity to appeal to the U.S. Courts of Appeals, also known as the circuit courts. These courts serve as the intermediate appellate courts of the federal system. In the event of further appeal, and if granted a writ of certiorari, a case may be reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court, which is the final court of appeal. It's important to note that state court systems operate similarly; a case might be appealed to a state appellate court and ultimately reach the state's supreme court.