District of Columbia

The United States District Court for the District of Columbia, headquartered at the E. Barrett Prettyman United States Courthouse on Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C., is unique in the federal system for its extraordinary concentration of national and international significance cases. The court hears challenges to virtually every major federal agency action and regulatory decision, making it arguably the most influential trial court in the country on questions of federal law. With 15 authorized judgeships, it handles Freedom of Information Act cases, executive branch litigation, and major criminal prosecutions of government officials.