The twelve regional federal circuit courts and ninety-four district courts are part of one national judiciary. At the same time, each court has regional and local ties and characteristics that result in variations in practices and policies. This dual national/local quality traces its roots all the way back to the debates about the role and structure of the federal judiciary in the Constitutional Convention and in the first Congress. Adding to this diversity are the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the Court of International Trade, and the Court of Federal Claims.