United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Court name	United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Abbreviation	5th Cir.
Established	0 1891
Jurisdiction	United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana, United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi, United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, United States District Court for the Western District of Texas
Headquarters	John Minor Wisdom United States Court of Appeals Building, New Orleans, Louisiana
Appeals from	United States district courts within its circuit
Appeals to	Supreme Court of the United States
Terms	Judges appointed for life
Positions	17
Chiefjudgetitle	Chief Judge
Chiefjudgename	Priscilla Richman
Website	http://www.ca5.uscourts.gov

United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit is a federal appellate court with jurisdiction over one of the largest and most consequential judicial circuits in the nation. Headquartered in the historic John Minor Wisdom United States Court of Appeals Building in New Orleans, it hears appeals from United States district courts in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. The court is renowned for its influential and often controversial rulings on issues ranging from immigration law to administrative law, shaping American jurisprudence across the Gulf Coast and beyond.

History

The court was established by the Judiciary Act of 1891, which created the modern United States courts of appeals system. Its original jurisdiction was vast, encompassing Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. The court played a central role during the Civil Rights Movement, issuing landmark decisions in cases like United States v. Louisiana (1963) and Meredith v. Fair that enforced desegregation orders. In 1981, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Reorganization Act divided the circuit, creating the new United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit for Alabama, Georgia, and Florida, leaving the current three-state jurisdiction.

Jurisdiction

The Fifth Circuit exercises appellate jurisdiction over all final decisions and certain interlocutory orders from the United States district courts within its three-state region. This includes districts such as the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas and the United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi. It also reviews decisions from federal administrative agencies like the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the National Labor Relations Board arising within the circuit. Certain case types, including those involving patent law or claims against the federal government, may be appealed directly to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

Current composition of the court

As authorized by Congress, the court currently comprises seventeen authorized Article III judgeships. The bench includes a mix of appointees from various presidential administrations, including those of Donald Trump, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton. The current chief judge is Priscilla Richman, appointed by George W. Bush. Other active judges include notable figures like James C. Ho and Cory T. Wilson. Judges maintain their official chambers in various cities across the circuit, including Houston, Jackson, Mississippi, and Austin, Texas.

Notable cases

The Fifth Circuit has decided numerous high-profile cases that have had national impact. Key rulings include Whole Woman's Health v. Jackson (2021), which addressed the enforcement mechanism of Texas Senate Bill 8, and United States v. Texas (2016), concerning the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans immigration program. The court's decisions on Affordable Care Act provisions and Environmental Protection Agency regulations, such as in Texas v. United States Environmental Protection Agency, are frequently scrutinized by the Supreme Court of the United States. Its jurisprudence is often characterized as one of the most conservative among the federal appellate courts.

Courthouses

The court's primary headquarters is the John Minor Wisdom United States Court of Appeals Building in New Orleans, a Beaux-Arts structure listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The court also regularly sits in other federal courthouses across the circuit for oral arguments, including the Earle Cabell Federal Building and United States Courthouse in Dallas, the Bob Casey United States Courthouse in Houston, and the James O. Eastland United States Courthouse in Jackson, Mississippi. These sittings are intended to increase public access to the appellate process.

Chief judges

The position of chief judge is held by the active judge with the greatest seniority who is under the age of 65, as stipulated by the United States Code. Notable past chief judges include John R. Brown, a pivotal figure in civil rights jurisprudence, and Carolyn Dineen King. The chief judge oversees the administrative functions of the court, including case assignment and representing the circuit on the Judicial Conference of the United States. The role has been held by appointees of presidents from both major political parties throughout the court's history.

Category:United States courts of appeals Category:1891 establishments in the United States Category:Courthouses on the National Register of Historic Places in Louisiana