Which federal court has appellate jurisdiction only?

The U.S. Courts of Appeals serve a specific role in the federal judicial system, which is to hear cases that have been appealed from lower courts, such as the U.S. District Courts. These appellate courts do not have original jurisdiction, meaning they do not hear cases for the first time; instead, they review decisions made by these lower courts to determine whether legal errors were made that could have affected the outcome of the case.

This confined function of appellate jurisdiction distinguishes the Courts of Appeals from other federal courts. The U.S. Supreme Court, while primarily an appellate court, also has original jurisdiction in certain cases, such as those involving ambassadors or disputes between states. The U.S. District Courts, on the other hand, are trial courts and have original jurisdiction, where cases are first filed and tried. The U.S. Circuit Courts, while they may reference regional jurisdictions, do not typically refer to distinct courts within the current federal structure.

Therefore, the unique role of the U.S. Courts of Appeals as solely appellate jurisdictions clearly makes them the correct answer in this context.