Federal civil caseload by district
268,242 civil cases were commenced across 94 U.S. district courts in fiscal year 2024. Ranked by volume — open a district to see what kinds of cases it handles and the government-vs-private split.
Source: AOUSC Judicial Business, Table C-3 (civil cases commenced by nature of suit, FY2024). The total above is the sum of all 94 districts' commenced civil cases in Table C-3 (it excludes the circuit subtotals). Docket volume — not court quality, wait times, or legal advice.
Central District of California 16,458 Northern District of Illinois 13,859 District of New Jersey 12,961 Southern District of New York 9,758 Northern District of California 9,275 Eastern District of Pennsylvania 9,070 Eastern District of New York 8,930 Middle District of Florida 8,915 Southern District of Florida 8,769 District of South Carolina 7,299 Northern District of Georgia 7,007 Southern District of Texas 6,761 Northern District of Texas 5,736 Southern District of Ohio 5,312 Eastern District of California 5,196 District of Arizona 4,706 District of Minnesota 4,651 Western District of Texas 4,537 Eastern District of Virginia 4,105 District of Maryland 3,931 Eastern District of Texas 3,716 District of District of Columbia 3,641 District of Colorado 3,626 District of Massachusetts 3,593 Eastern District of Michigan 3,489 Southern District of Indiana 3,452 Western District of Washington 3,154 Northern District of Ohio 3,132 District of Nevada 2,962 Western District of Pennsylvania 2,761 Southern District of Illinois 2,760 Eastern District of North Carolina 2,733 Southern District of California 2,630 Middle District of Pennsylvania 2,351 Eastern District of Louisiana 2,239 Northern District of Florida 2,239 District of Oregon 2,171 Western District of New York 2,131 District of Connecticut 2,130 Northern District of Indiana 2,110 Eastern District of Missouri 2,044 Western District of Louisiana 1,853 Northern District of Alabama 1,844 Northern District of New York 1,813 Middle District of Tennessee 1,781 Eastern District of Wisconsin 1,723 Western District of North Carolina 1,679 Western District of Missouri 1,679 Western District of Michigan 1,651 Eastern District of Arkansas 1,622 Southern District of Mississippi 1,607 District of Vermont 1,505 District of Delaware 1,483 Central District of Illinois 1,473 Western District of Oklahoma 1,396 Western District of Virginia 1,345 District of New Mexico 1,304 Western District of Tennessee 1,302 Western District of Kentucky 1,255 District of Utah 1,246 District of Kansas 1,231 Eastern District of Tennessee 1,168 Middle District of Georgia 1,167 Middle District of North Carolina 1,130 Middle District of Louisiana 1,070 Eastern District of Kentucky 1,057 Southern District of Georgia 997 Western District of Wisconsin 955 Western District of Arkansas 889 Middle District of Alabama 889 Eastern District of Washington 848 Southern District of West Virginia 786 District of Montana 760 Northern District of Mississippi 759 District of Nebraska 747 District of Idaho 642 Northern District of Oklahoma 640 District of Hawaii 638 District of Puerto Rico 610 Northern District of West Virginia 585 Southern District of Iowa 578 District of Rhode Island 566 Eastern District of Oklahoma 514 Southern District of Alabama 492 District of Maine 458 Northern District of Iowa 403 District of New Hampshire 383 District of South Dakota 371 District of Alaska 351 District of Wyoming 278 District of North Dakota 262 District of the Virgin Islands 113 District of Guam 27 District of the Northern Mariana Islands 17