Most federal cases start at the U.S. ____ courts.?

Can you help me with this crossword question? It has eight letters and the second letter is probably ';i';.Most federal cases start at the U.S. ____ courts.?
DISTRICTMost federal cases start at the U.S. ____ courts.?
Ummm, the Circuit Courts ARE the Appeals courts...Federal cases begin in the US District Courts or, in rare cases, the US Magistrate Courts.
Circuit Court, Then US Court of Appeals, then Supreme Court.