What Percentage of Cases Are in State and Local Courts?

Most court cases in the United States are handled by state courts, including local courts that operate within state judicial systems. A commonly cited estimate is that state courts handle about 98% of the nation’s cases, while the federal judiciary handles roughly 2%. The precise share varies with the year, the kinds of cases counted, and gaps in national reporting. The basic picture is clear: state and local courts resolve the overwhelming majority of everyday legal disputes.

The Short Answer: About 98% of Cases Are in State Courts

For a broad overview, about 98% of U.S. court cases are handled in state courts, and about 2% are handled in federal courts. This is a widely used estimate, not a fixed annual measurement produced by a single national case-counting system. State courts handle far more filings overall because they have authority over most criminal prosecutions and many common civil matters.

The estimate should be read as a general comparison of state and federal court activity, rather than a precise tally for every case type. Courts use different reporting systems, and their statistics may count filings, cases disposed of, or matters pending at a particular time. Some reports also cover only selected jurisdictions or case categories.

“State and local courts” generally refers to courts established under state law. A local trial court is usually part of its state’s judicial system, not a separate federal-style court system. Court names differ by state: a local court may be called a district, county, superior, municipal, circuit, or justice court.

Why State Courts Handle So Many Cases

State courts have broad authority over legal issues that arise in daily life. Their responsibilities include most violations of state criminal law and many disputes between individuals, businesses, and government agencies. Federal courts, by contrast, have jurisdiction limited by the U.S. Constitution and federal statutes.

State and local courts commonly hear:

• Criminal cases under state law, including traffic offenses, misdemeanors, and felonies.
• Family matters, such as divorce, child custody, child support, and adoption.
• Housing and property disputes, including eviction proceedings and landlord-tenant claims.
• Small claims and other civil disputes, such as disagreements over contracts, debt, or property damage.
• Probate and guardianship matters, involving estates and decisions for people who need legal protection.
• Local ordinance cases, such as certain parking, code, or municipal violations.

Many of these matters affect large numbers of people but do not ordinarily raise a federal question. A disagreement over a state contract, for example, usually belongs in state court unless a specific basis for federal jurisdiction applies.

What Federal Courts Handle

Federal courts hear cases authorized by the Constitution and federal law. Common categories include prosecutions for federal crimes, lawsuits involving the U.S. Constitution or federal statutes, bankruptcy cases, and certain disputes between citizens of different states when the legal requirements for diversity jurisdiction are met.

Federal courts also hear some cases involving the United States as a party, federal agencies, and particular maritime or intellectual-property issues. Not every case involving a federal law begins in federal court; Congress and jurisdictional rules determine where a claim may be filed. Some issues can be heard in either state or federal court, while others are assigned exclusively to one system.

The federal judiciary includes U.S. district courts, courts of appeals, and the Supreme Court, as well as specialized courts. Federal cases are fewer in number than state cases, but they can have broad consequences because they may resolve questions about federal statutes, constitutional rights, or national policy.

Why There Is No Exact, Current National Percentage

The 98% estimate is useful, but the United States does not maintain one comprehensive, real-time database that counts every state, local, and federal court matter on identical terms. State court systems collect and publish data independently. Their reporting schedules, case definitions, and levels of detail are not fully uniform.

Even the word “case” can mean different things in different datasets. A court might report a new filing, a case disposition, a pending case, or an individual charge. One criminal case may include multiple defendants or counts. A single civil dispute may generate more than one filing, and appeals may be counted separately from the original trial-court case.

Coverage also changes the result. A national report may include only states that submitted data for a particular year, or may exclude certain specialized courts. Federal statistics may count bankruptcy filings separately from district-court matters. Comparing totals without checking what each dataset includes can create a misleading percentage.

For those reasons, figures such as “98%” are best understood as an approximate measure of how strongly case volume is concentrated in state courts, not as a precise, universally agreed annual ratio.

How State and Federal Caseloads Compare

Published court statistics illustrate the scale difference, though figures from different systems should not be combined without checking their definitions. The National Center for State Courts (NCSC) collects state-court caseload information, while the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts publishes statistics for the federal judiciary. These sources report on different jurisdictions and case categories.

Numbers may appear different across sources because one report counts only trial-court filings while another includes appellate or specialized matters. The soundest comparison uses the same year, similar definitions, and clearly stated coverage. When that is not possible, the broad estimate is more informative than an overly precise percentage.

What “Local Courts” Means in the United States

Local courts are not a single, separate national system. They are generally trial courts created or organized under state law, and their authority can be set by state constitution, state statutes, or local arrangements permitted by the state. A city court in one state may have a different name and jurisdiction from a similarly named court elsewhere.

Some local courts hear a narrow range of matters, such as municipal ordinance violations or lower-value civil claims. Other trial courts have broad authority over serious criminal and civil cases. In many states, a case can move through several levels: a local or general-jurisdiction trial court, an intermediate appellate court, and a state supreme court.

Because local courts are usually included in state judicial statistics, “state and local courts” can sound like two independent categories when they are often part of the same state system. This matters when interpreting a percentage: adding a separate local-court total to a state-court total could double-count cases.

Where a Case Is Filed Depends on Jurisdiction

The share of cases handled by state courts does not determine where a particular person’s case belongs. Jurisdiction depends on the facts, the claims, the parties, and applicable statutes. A state court may have authority over a dispute even when federal law is relevant, while some claims must be brought in federal court.

For example, a state-law personal injury claim between residents of the same state will generally proceed in state court. A federal prosecution for an offense defined by federal law belongs in federal court. A lawsuit involving a federal constitutional claim may be filed in federal court, though legal rules and the specific claim can affect the proper venue.

Some cases may qualify for either state or federal court. A civil dispute between citizens of different states may be eligible for federal court under diversity jurisdiction if the amount-in-controversy requirement and other rules are satisfied. In certain circumstances, a defendant may ask to move a case from state court to federal court through removal. These rules are technical, so the general 98% estimate cannot be used to decide an individual filing question.

How to Check Reliable Court Caseload Statistics

Readers seeking a specific figure should check what the statistic counts and which courts it covers. Two reliable starting points are the National Center for State Courts, which publishes state-court research and caseload resources, and the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, which releases federal judiciary statistics.

Before comparing totals, check:

• Reporting year: Court statistics may be published with a delay, and fiscal years may differ from calendar years.
• Case type: Criminal, civil, family, traffic, bankruptcy, and appellate cases may be reported separately.
• Measurement: Filings, dispositions, and pending cases are not interchangeable.
• Jurisdiction coverage: Confirm whether all states, territories, and court levels are included.
• Counting rules: Look for explanations of how charges, defendants, appeals, or related proceedings are counted.

A well-defined statistic might say, for example, that it counts state trial-court filings in reporting jurisdictions for a particular year. That description is more useful than a bare percentage because it lets readers understand what the number represents.

What the 98% Estimate Means in Practice

The main takeaway is that state courts are where most people encounter the U.S. justice system. Traffic and municipal matters, family disputes, state criminal cases, housing conflicts, and many civil claims are generally handled in state or local courts. Federal courts are essential, but their jurisdiction is narrower and their total caseload is much smaller.

The percentage is an overview of the national system, not a prediction about a person’s case or a measure of how important one court is compared with another. A federal case may affect national law, while a state-court ruling may be decisive for a family, business, or community. The systems have different roles, and both are central to the administration of justice.

Sources and Further Reading

• National Center for State Courts — research, court statistics, and information about state judicial systems.
• Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts — federal court statistics and annual reports.
• U.S. Courts: Court Role and Structure — an overview of the federal judiciary and its jurisdiction.
• U.S. Courts: Types of Cases — descriptions of matters handled in federal court.