Editing Judiciary of Sanctaria (section)

==Federal court system==
Typically, federal courts in Sanctaria can usually be identified by the words "Federal", "Sanctarian" or "of Sanctaria" within their name. Federal courts are divided into three tiers: trial courts, appellate courts, and a court of last resort.

===Federal trial courts===
Trial courts are the courts of first instance and deal with both civil and criminal cases. Only federal crimes, disputes between residents of different states, or questions of federal law can be heard by these courts. Cases heard by federal trial courts, which are organised by district, can be appealed to the appellate court that covers that district. Federal trial courts are usually organised geographically for ease of use and access, but some districts may be split to accommodate civil, criminal or other divisions depending on workload and population.{{efn|Each state has a separate district court for minors who commit federal offences.}}

The federal trial courts within Sanctaria are:{{efn|Listed by state alphabetically.}}

'''Aquitanium'''
*Federal District Court for the First District of [[Aquitanium]] (the Archipelago) 
*Federal District Court for the Second District of [[Aquitanium]] (Mainland North - Civil)
*Federal District Court for the Third District of [[Aquitanium]] (Mainland North - Criminal)
*Federal District Court for the Fourth District of [[Aquitanium]] (Mainland South - Civil)
*Federal District Court for the Fifth District of [[Aquitanium]] (Mainland South - Criminal)
*Federal District Court for the Sixth District of [[Aquitanium]] (Children)

'''Corpus'''
*Federal District Court for the First District of [[Corpus]] (East)
*Federal District Court for the Second District of [[Corpus]] (South)
*Federal District Court for the Third District of [[Corpus]] (West)
*Federal District Court for the Fourth District of [[Corpus]] (Children)

'''Galvium'''
*Federal District Court for the First District of [[Galvium]] (North - Civil)
*Federal District Court for the Second District of [[Galvium]] (North - Criminal)
*Federal District Court for the Third District of [[Galvium]] ([[Nicene]])
*Federal District Court for the Fourth District of [[Galvium]] (South - Civil)
*Federal District Court for the Fifth District of [[Galvium]] (South - Criminal)
*Federal District Court for the Sixth District of [[Galvium]] (Children)

'''Glorionis'''
*Federal District Court for the First District of [[Glorionis]] (East)
*Federal District Court for the Second District of [[Glorionis]] (North)
*Federal District Court for the Third District of [[Glorionis]] (South - Civil)
*Federal District Court for the Fourth District of [[Glorionis]] (South - Criminal)
*Federal District Court for the Fifth District of [[Glorionis]] (West)
*Federal District Court for the Sixth District of [[Glorionis]] (Children)

'''Haven'''
*Federal District Court for the First District of [[Haven]] (East)
*Federal District Court for the Second District of [[Haven]] (West)
*Federal District Court for the Third District of [[Haven]] (Children)

'''Novum Aeternum'''
*Federal District Court for the First District of [[Novum Aeternum]] (Central)
*Federal District Court for the Second District of [[Novum Aeternum]] (East)
*Federal District Court for the Third District of [[Novum Aeternum]] ([[Foris]])
*Federal District Court for the Fourth District of [[Novum Aeternum]] (North)
*Federal District Court for the Fifth District of [[Novum Aeternum]] (South)
*Federal District Court for the Sixth District of [[Novum Aeternum]] (West)
*Federal District Court for the Seventh District of [[Novum Aeternum]] (Children)

'''Novum Limium'''
*Federal District Court for the First District of [[Novum Limium]] (East)
*Federal District Court for the Second District of [[Novum Limium]] (South - Civil)
*Federal District Court for the Third District of [[Novum Limium]] (South - Criminal)
*Federal District Court for the Fourth District of [[Novum Limium]] (West - Civil)
*Federal District Court for the Fifth District of [[Novum Limium]] (West - Criminal)
*Federal District Court for the Sixth District of [[Novum Limium]] (Children)

'''Sanctus'''
*Federal District Court for the First District of [[Sanctus]] (City - Civil)
*Federal District Court for the Second District of [[Sanctus]] (City - Criminal)
*Federal District Court for the Third District of [[Sanctus]] (East)
*Federal District Court for the Fourth District of [[Sanctus]] (West)
*Federal District Court for the Fifth District of [[Sanctus]] (Children)

'''Terra Monticolarum'''
*Federal District Court for the First District of [[Terra Monticolarum]] ([[Cristi]])
*Federal District Court for the Second District of [[Terra Monticolarum]] (North)
*Federal District Court for the Third District of [[Terra Monticolarum]] (South)
*Federal District Court for the Fourth District of [[Terra Monticolarum]] (West - Civil)
*Federal District Court for the Fifth District of [[Terra Monticolarum]] (West - Criminal)
*Federal District Court for the Sixth District of [[Terra Monticolarum]] (Children)

===Federal appellate courts===
The Sanctarian courts of appeals are the appellate courts of the federal court system. These appellate courts do not have discretion over their dockets, unlike the court of last resort, and so they must hear all appeals made from the federal trial courts. Unlike the trial courts which may be split to accommodate, for example, civil and criminal cases courts of appeals are not similarly split, and hears appeals from all branches. Judges on the courts of appeal are called "justices" and sit ''en banc'', i.e. as a panel, to hear cases. There are no juries in these appellate courts.

As federal law retains primacy over state law, the federal appellate courts may also hear appeals from the various state courts of last resort to determine if a state law is not compatible with federal statute. These courts of appeals do have the power to create precedent from their decisions and their judicial review, particularly in cases where further attempts to appeal to the Supreme Court, i.e. the federal court of last resort, are not taken up by the body.

Each appellate court covers three states and are responsible from hearing appeals from the federal district courts contained therein. There are three courts of appeal:

*'''Sanctarian Court of Appeals for the Eastern Riding''': This court of appeals covers the trial courts within Haven, Novum Aeternum, and Terra Monticolarum.
*'''Sanctarian Court of Appeals for the Central Riding''': This court of appeals covers the trial courts within Glorionis, Novum Limium, and Sanctus.
*'''Sanctarian Court of Appeals for the Western Riding''': This court of appeals covers the trial courts within Aquitanium, Corpus, and Galvium.

===Federal court of last resort===
:''{{Main|Supreme Court of Sanctaria}}''
The highest court in Sanctaria, and court of last resort, is the [[Supreme Court of Sanctaria|Supreme Court]]. Unlike the courts of appeal, the Supreme Court does not operate under a system of mandatory review, meaning it chooses which appeals to hear. There are some instances where the Supreme Court is also the court of first instance, and so does not have discretion over accepting the case; one is example is where bills are referred directly to the Supreme Court by the [[President of Sanctaria]] to test their constitutionality before signing them into law, and another is where there are lawsuits between state governments, or between the federal government and a state government.

In instances where the Supreme Court declines to hear a case from a court of appeals, the court of appeals' decision stands and is considered the precedent on the matter. Otherwise, the Supreme Court is the ultimate authority on statute and common law with the country and has the power, through judicial review, to strike down both federal law and state law. As with the courts of appeals, the Supreme Court sits ''en banc'' as a panel of nine justices; the [[Chief Justice of Sanctaria]], and eight [[Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Sanctaria|associate justices]], each with a life tenure.