Courts & rulings
United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois
Article III courtTrial courtAppointed
One of 3 federal trial courts in Illinois; jurisdiction is split by county.
Appointed, President nominates, Senate confirms.
Appellate path
Covers 38 counties in Illinois.
Precedent & authority
Bound by its own circuit and the Supreme Court. Decisions of other district courts, even within the same circuit, are only persuasive.