2. Court System

2. 法院体系

There are 51 separate court systems in the United States of America.

在美国有51个独立的法院体制：

In addition to the federal court system, each state has a separate system under its own constitution and laws.

1个联邦法院体制以及50个州依据其宪法和法律建立独立的法院体制。

Each of the 50 states in the United States has, within its borders, both a state court system and a federal court system.

在50个州中的每个州内，都存在两种体制：联邦法院体制和州法院体制。

Federal and state courts e xist virtually side-by-side in every state, and review both civil and criminal cases.

在各州，联邦法院和州法院同时并存，均负责审理民事案件和刑事案件。

There are large areas where the jurisdiction of federal and state courts overlaps.

事实上在许多领域联邦法院和州法院的管辖权相互重叠。

The parties may, at their discretion, decide on the court where they initiate a lawsuit.

当事人可以自行确定其提起诉讼的法院。

And there is a choice for the disputes between them as to which of the two systems they should be in.

他们可以选择他们之间的纠纷适用哪一种法院体制。

2.1 Jurisdiction of the Federal Courts

2.1 联邦法院的管辖权

Federal courts are not courts of general jurisdiction but rather more limited jurisdiction as prescribed by the US Congress.

联邦法院不具有一般管辖权，但具有美国国会赋予的特定管辖权。

The United States Constitution established the Supreme Court and vests certain original and appellate jurisdiction in it.

《美国宪法》设立了最高法院并赋予其一定的初审权和上诉审权。

The courts in the federal court system include Supreme Court, courts of appeals, district courts, courts of claims,

联邦法院体制中有最高法院、上诉法院、地区法院、索赔法院、

courts of customs and patent appeals, customs courts, tax courts and courts of military appeals.

关税及专利上诉法院、海关法院、税务法院以及军事上诉法院。

The Supreme Court is the highest appellate review for either federal courts or state courts.

最高法院对联邦法院和州法院的案件有最终的上诉复审权。

It also has the original jurisdiction in those cases affecting ambassadors, ministers and consuls and those cases to which a state is a party.

除此之外，它对涉及大使，部长和领事的案件及州作为一方当事人的案件有初审管辖权。