United States Court of Appeals

United States Court of Appeals. The United States Courts of Appeals are the intermediate appellate courts of the federal judiciary. They were created by the Judiciary Act of 1891 to relieve the caseload burden on the Supreme Court of the United States. These courts have mandatory appellate jurisdiction over all final decisions from the United States district courts, as well as review of actions by many federal administrative agencies. Their decisions are binding precedent only within their respective judicial circuits, unless adopted by the Supreme Court.

Organization and jurisdiction

The courts are organized into thirteen circuits: eleven numbered circuits, the District of Columbia Circuit, and the Federal Circuit. Each circuit, except the Federal Circuit, covers a specific geographic region, such as the Ninth Circuit encompassing the West Coast and Pacific territories. The Federal Circuit has nationwide jurisdiction over specialized subject matter, including patent appeals and claims against the federal government under the Tucker Act. Jurisdiction primarily stems from appeals from the United States district courts within the circuit, as well as from decisions of federal administrative bodies like the National Labor Relations Board and the Environmental Protection Agency. Each circuit is administered from a circuit clerk's office, typically located in the circuit's main headquarters city, such as New York City for the Second Circuit.

Procedure and operation

Cases are typically heard by randomly selected three-judge panels, though they may be heard *en banc* by a larger group of judges in the circuit for matters of exceptional importance. The process begins with the filing of a notice of appeal and briefs from the appellant and appellee, often followed by oral arguments before the panel. Decisions are issued as written opinions, which may be designated as precedential or non-precedential. The Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure, promulgated by the Judicial Conference of the United States, govern the process. Unlike trial courts, these courts do not hear witness testimony or empanel juries; their review is generally limited to the record established in the lower court or agency, assessing questions of law rather than fact.

Judges and appointments

Judges are Article III judges who are nominated by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate. They hold office during "good behavior," effectively meaning life tenure. Each circuit has a chief judge, who is the judge with the longest service under the age of 65 among those appointed to the court. The number of judges per circuit is set by Congress and varies significantly, from six in the First Circuit to twenty-nine in the Ninth Circuit. Notable past judges include Learned Hand of the Second Circuit and John J. Parker of the Fourth Circuit. The American Bar Association often evaluates nominees, and confirmation hearings are held by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

History and development

The system originated with the Judiciary Act of 1789, which established three circuit courts primarily staffed by Supreme Court justices "riding circuit." The burdensome travel led to the Judiciary Act of 1891 (the Evarts Act), which created the modern Courts of Appeals. The District of Columbia Circuit was added in 1893. Major restructuring occurred with the creation of the Tenth Circuit in 1929 and the Eleventh Circuit in 1981. The specialized Federal Circuit was established by the Federal Courts Improvement Act of 1982, merging the former United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals and the appellate division of the United States Court of Claims. Landmark legislation affecting the courts includes the Judges' Bill of 1925, which expanded their discretionary review powers.

Comparison with other courts

Unlike district courts, which are trial courts, the Courts of Appeals are purely appellate bodies. Their decisions are subject to discretionary review by the Supreme Court of the United States via certiorari, unlike the mandatory review some state supreme courts exercise. The Federal Circuit is distinct from the regional circuits, as its jurisdiction is defined by subject matter rather than geography, similar to the former Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces. Compared to the highest courts of states like the New York Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court of California, the federal circuits generally have mandatory jurisdiction over appeals and cover multiple states. Their structure differs from that of the International Court of Justice or the European Court of Human Rights, as they are integral to a single national judiciary.

Category:United States federal courts Category:1891 establishments in the United States