556 该泛尔减，下6 PART SIX APPOINTED OFFICIALS 小度 The Supreme Court of the United States is at the top of the federal court hierarchy and functions mainly as an appellate court.As the Supreme Court has nearly complete freedom to decide which cases it will hear,it can concentrate on cases that involve significant legal issues. *In addition to the Supreme Court,the federal judiciary includes district courts which hold trials,and courts of appeal which hear appeals.These lower courts settle most federal legal cases and have substantial discretion in their actions-contrary to the popular belief that the Supreme Court is the only federal court of great consequence. *Each state has a court system of its own,which for the most part is independent of supervision ty the federal comrts.State courts,not federal courts,handle by far the larger proportion of legal cases that arise each year in the United States,and most of these state cases are not subject to appeal in federal courts. Political considerations are vitally important in the selection of federal judges and justices. Because of concern about future judicial performance,presidents have tended to choose persons of their own party and philosophy for nomination-to the federal bench. 公cR o sumr®nCts+iw sele The Supreme Court of the united States 之云及竟州 Codereed that the流i治bea separate and powerful branch of the federal government but were not certain what theextent of its case load would be.Each state already hadtsepe court system,and most legal disputes were expected to arise under state laws.A federal judiciary would be needed to resolve cases arising under federal law,but +eg Hew心w才’ The Supreme Court building is located across from the Capitol in Washington,D.C.The courtroom,the justices'offices, and the conference room are on the first floor.Administrative staff offices and the Court's records and reference materials occupy the other floors.(Dennis Brack/Black Star)