United States Courts

What United States Courts does

The United States Courts is the judicial branch of the U.S. federal government, established under Article III of the Constitution in 1789 and administered by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts headquartered at One Columbus Circle NE, Washington, D.C. The system comprises 13 Courts of Appeals (plus the Federal Circuit), 94 U.S. District Courts, U.S. Bankruptcy Courts, and specialized tribunals including the Court of Federal Claims and the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation, with a workforce of 10,000+ including federal judges, probation and pretrial services officers, court reporters, interpreters, and administrative staff. Core digital infrastructure includes CM/ECF for electronic case filing by attorneys, PACER for public access to federal court records, the eVoucher system for Criminal Justice Act payment processing, and the NCID Gateway for interpreter scheduling.

The federal judiciary is funded primarily through Congressional appropriations submitted via the Judicial Conference budget request, with secondary revenue from published fee schedules covering court filings, bankruptcy noticing, PACER electronic access, and transcript services. It serves multiple user constituencies: litigants and defendants in civil, criminal, and bankruptcy matters; indigent defendants entitled to court-appointed counsel under the Criminal Justice Act; attorneys and legal professionals filing cases and accessing records; jurors performing civic duty at $50 per day for the first 30 days of service; and the general public attending proceedings or utilizing educational resources. Operational scale is substantial: the judiciary operates courthouses across all 50 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, and U.S. territories, published its 2025 Judicial Business Report documenting an 11.9 percent increase in bankruptcy filings, and faces rising security demands as documented threats against federal judges grew from 403 in 2022 to 564 in 2025. The General Services Administration allocated 43 percent of its major repair budget to judiciary facilities over the past four years — a point of ongoing institutional friction as the judiciary pursues independent courthouse management authority.

Name

United States Courts

Legal name

United States Courts

Website

https://uscourts.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1789

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

The United States Courts is the judicial branch of the U.S. federal government, administering federal justice through 94 district courts, 13 appeals courts, bankruptcy courts, and specialized tribunals nationwide, serving litigants, attorneys, jurors, and indigent defendants via CM/ECF, PACER, and the eVoucher system.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Federal Judicial Services

NAICS

Courts (922110), Courts (92211), Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities (922), Other Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities (922190)

akta.pro primary industry

Judicial Courts & Court Administration (BPAIAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Court Services & Operations (Clerks, Records, Jury, Interpreters) (BPAIAFAH), State/Provincial Courts & Judicial Administration (BPAIABAE), Litigation & Dispute Resolution (BPAHAAAB)

Keywords

• Federal court services
• Judicial administration
• Electronic case filing
• Public court records
• Criminal justice programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Congressional Appropriations: Primary funding for the federal judiciary comes from Congressional appropriations through the Judicial Conference budget request, covering operations, defender services, and courthouse maintenance
2. Court Filing and Miscellaneous Fees: Fees charged for specific court services including filing fees, bankruptcy noticing, electronic public access (PACER fees), and transcript fees. Fee schedules are published for each court type including Court of Appeals, District Court, and Bankruptcy Court

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The United States Courts is the judicial branch of the U.S. federal government that administers federal justice through trial and appellate courts. It provides electronic case filing via CM/ECF, public access to court records via PACER, court-appointed legal representation for indigent defendants under the Criminal Justice Act, probation and pretrial services, bankruptcy case management, and federal jury service administration across 94 district courts, 13 circuit courts of appeals, bankruptcy courts, and specialized tribunals.

Product overview

The United States Courts operates uscourts.gov as an informational portal for the federal judiciary, providing public access to court records via PACER, electronic filing through CM/ECF, and the eVoucher system for Criminal Justice Act payments. The site offers standardized court forms across multiple categories (CJA Forms, Criminal Forms, Court Reporter Forms, Human Resources Forms, Pretrial Detention Forms) and manages court programs including Bankruptcy, Jury Service, Federal Court Interpreters, and Probation/Pretrial Services. The organization is structured as a government service rather than a commercial product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) Public access system that allows users to locate and view federal court case information and documents online. Used by attorneys, litigants, researchers, journalists, and members of the public.
• CM/ECF (Case Management/Electronic Case Files) Electronic case filing system enabling attorneys and other filers to submit documents to federal courts electronically, supporting appellate, district, and bankruptcy court case management.
• eVoucher System Electronic voucher system that allows CJA panel attorneys and service providers to submit and manage payment claims for court-appointed representation under the Criminal Justice Act.
• Federal Defender Services Program Program providing court-appointed legal representation to financially eligible federal criminal defendants through federal public and community defender organizations and CJA panel attorneys, including expert witnesses, investigators, and other ancillary services.
• Jury Service Program Administration of federal jury service including qualification, summons, selection process, juror compensation, and education for citizens summoned to serve on federal grand, petit, and multi-district juries.
• Probation and Pretrial Services Program Program providing presentence investigations, pretrial services, post-conviction supervision, and evidence-based practices to protect communities and support the federal courts in managing defendants and offenders.
• Federal Court Interpreter Services Program providing court interpreting services for non-English speakers and individuals with hearing impairments to ensure fair and accessible federal court proceedings.
• Bankruptcy Programs Program that supports federal bankruptcy case management by providing information on bankruptcy basics, self-filing without an attorney, credit counseling and debtor education, trustees, noticing, and unclaimed funds.
• uscourts.gov Official Website Official government website of the United States federal courts, providing public access to court information, educational resources, judicial news, forms, federal rules of practice and procedure, and access to PACER and CM/ECF systems.
• Federal Court Reporting Program Program in which federal court reporters record court proceedings and produce official transcripts used by the courts, attorneys, and litigants.

Quantifiable outcome

• Bankruptcies increased 11.9 percent in the reported period
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• General Services Administration (GSA)coreOthersGSA manages federal courthouse facilities including construction, renovation, and major repairs. GSA allocated 43 percent of its major repair and alterations budget to judiciary facilities over the past four years. The judiciary has sought independent authority to manage courthouses, which GSA has pushed back against.
• U.S. Marshals ServicecoreOthersProvides security for federal judges and courthouses. Reports on threats against federal judges showing increase from 403 threats in 2022 to 564 in 2025, with 2026 on pace to exceed last year by more than 40 percent.
• Federal Public and Community Defender OrganizationscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOrganizations providing legal representation to financially eligible defendants under the Criminal Justice Act. Operate under 18 U.S.C. 3006A(g) and receive periodic sustaining grants.
• CJA Panel AttorneyscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrivate attorneys appointed by courts to represent financially eligible defendants. Must be selected from panels designated or approved by courts. Compensation governed by CJA guidelines and statutory maximums.
• U.S. Department of StateminorOthersNegotiates prisoner transfer treaties with foreign countries. DOJ administers the International Prisoner Transfer Program while the judiciary conducts consent verification hearings.
• U.S. Department of JusticecoreOthersAdministers the International Prisoner Transfer Program. Federal prosecutors bring cases in federal courts. Coordinates on judicial security matters.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• California Courts (Judicial Branch of California): Operates the largest state court system in the United States, providing comparable case management, electronic filing, and public access functions at state level. Comparable as a general-jurisdiction court administrator, though it serves a state rather than federal jurisdiction.
• U.S. Marshals Service: Provides security for federal judges and courthouses, including the threat monitoring referenced in the data. Operates as a federal law enforcement agency with a direct operational relationship to the U.S. Courts.
• U.S. Department of Justice: Federal partner that prosecutes cases in federal courts, runs the International Prisoner Transfer Program, and coordinates on judicial security. As the primary federal counterpart in the justice system, it operates at comparable scale and shares institutional infrastructure.
• New York State Unified Court System: Manages one of the most active state court systems in the country, with comparable electronic filing infrastructure (NYSCEF) and a similar mix of trial and appellate courts. Relevant peer for state-level court administration practices.
• General Services Administration (GSA): Manages federal courthouse construction, renovation, and major repairs under an inter-agency arrangement. As the facilities partner with a 43% budget allocation to judiciary facilities, it is a meaningful operational peer in capital planning.

Others

• Tyler Technologies (Court Solutions): Provides Odyssey case management and e-filing software to a large share of U.S. state and county courts. Relevant as the dominant commercial technology supplier for court administration systems analogous to CM/ECF and PACER.
• Thomson Reuters (Westlaw / Practical Law): Provides legal research, court reporting analytics, and case management tools widely used in federal court practice. Relevant as a private-sector enabler of the federal court ecosystem through PACER-adjacent products and citation services.
• NCSC (National Center for State Courts): Provides research, consulting, and technology guidance to state court systems across the U.S. Operates as a court-administration peer in adjacent (state) jurisdictions and is a frequent collaborator on procedural and technological standards.

Direct peers

• Federal Judicial Center: The education and research arm of the federal judiciary, providing training for judges and court personnel. A direct internal peer in the federal court ecosystem with shared mission and governance.
• Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts: The internal administrative arm of the federal judiciary that provides budget, personnel, and program management to the U.S. Courts. While technically a division rather than an external peer, it is the most directly comparable operating entity in terms of mission and function.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/uscourts
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/uscourts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/us-courts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about United States Courts