When may a federal court hear a case? Solution Federal Court will hear a case as an when their is a: 1) Maritime law cases 2) Patent , Bankruptcy or copyright cases 3) In case their is a controversy between two citizens belonging to two different states and the amount involved is more than $75,000. 4) When united states is one of the party then these cases are out of the juridiction of state courts and are undertaken by federal court. 5) When their is a case of violation of federal laws or US constitution..