What entities make up the federal judicial branch?

The federal judicial branch is composed of various levels of courts that interpret and apply the law at the national level. The correct choice identifies specifically the three primary types of courts in the federal system: the US Supreme Court, US Court of Appeals, and US District Court.

The US Supreme Court is the highest court in the country, responsible for making final decisions on important legal issues and resolving conflicts among the lowercase appeals. The US Court of Appeals serves as an intermediate appellate court that reviews decisions made by the US District Courts and ensures that the law is applied consistently across different jurisdictions. The US District Court serves as the trial courts of the federal system, where civil and criminal cases are initially filed and heard.

Other choices do not accurately reflect the structure of the federal judicial branch. For instance, the Senate and the House of Representatives are part of the legislative branch, while the Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Securities and Exchange Commission are components of the executive branch focusing on law enforcement and regulatory functions rather than serving as courts. Lastly, while District Courts exist, state and local courts are part of the state judicial systems, not the federal judicial branch.