United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit

United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
Court name	United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
Established	16 June 1891
Location	John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse, Boston, Massachusetts
Authority	Article III of the U.S. Constitution
Appeals from	District of Maine, District of Massachusetts, District of New Hampshire, District of Puerto Rico, District of Rhode Island
Terms	Life tenure
Chiefjudge	David J. Barron
Website	http://www.ca1.uscourts.gov

United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit is a federal appellate court with jurisdiction over several New England districts and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Established by the Judiciary Act of 1891, it is one of the thirteen United States courts of appeals and hears appeals from the United States district courts within its circuit. The court is based in the John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse in Boston, Massachusetts, and its decisions may be reviewed only by the Supreme Court of the United States.

History

The court was created by the Evarts Act, which reorganized the federal judiciary and established the intermediate appellate court system. Initially, the First Circuit encompassed the districts of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. The United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico was added to its jurisdiction in 1966 following the establishment of the Commonwealth status for the island. Throughout its history, the court has been presided over by notable jurists, including Learned Hand, who served as a circuit judge here before his appointment to the Second Circuit. The court's operations were historically conducted through riding circuit, a practice largely ended by the Judicial Code of 1911.

Jurisdiction

The First Circuit has appellate jurisdiction over cases from the United States District Court for the District of Maine, the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire, the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, and the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island. It also reviews decisions from certain federal administrative agencies and the United States Bankruptcy Appellate Panel for the First Circuit. Unlike other circuits, its geographic scope includes a significant non-state jurisdiction in Puerto Rico, which brings unique questions of Federal law and Territorial clause interpretation before the court.

Current composition of the court

As of 2023, the court comprises six authorized Article III judgeships. The current active judges are Chief Judge David J. Barron, appointed by President Barack Obama, and Judges William J. Kayatta Jr., also an Obama appointee, and Gustavo A. Gelpí, appointed by President Joe Biden. The court also includes several senior judges, such as Bruce M. Selya, a renowned jurist appointed by President Ronald Reagan. Vacancies on the court are filled through the nomination process outlined in the Appointments Clause, with advice and consent from the United States Senate.

Former judges

Notable former judges of the First Circuit include Frank Coffin, a key figure in the development of modern federal appellate practice, and Juan R. Torruella, the first Puerto Rican to serve on a federal appellate court. Other distinguished alumni are Levin Hicks Campbell, who served as chief judge, and Sandra Lynch, the first woman to serve as chief judge of the circuit. The legacy of these jurists is evident in the court's extensive body of precedent on issues ranging from First Amendment rights to admiralty law.

Chief judges

The position of chief judge is held by the active judge with the longest service on the court who is under the age of 65, as stipulated by the Judicial Code. Notable past chief judges include Calvert Magruder, who presided during the mid-20th century, and Stephen Breyer, who later served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. The chief judge oversees the administration of the court, working in conjunction with the Judicial Conference of the United States and the Administrative Office of the United States Courts.

Succession of seats

The court's six seats are traditionally numbered and associated with the state of the appointing president, though judges are not representatives of specific states. Seat transitions often follow the political shifts of presidential administrations, with appointments by presidents like George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush shaping the court's composition. The succession history reflects the evolving judicial philosophies confirmed by the Senate Judiciary Committee over decades.

Notable cases

The First Circuit has decided several landmark cases. In United States v. Bayard, it addressed complex issues of extraterritorial jurisdiction. The case of Boston Stoker v. EPA involved significant environmental law and administrative law principles. More recently, cases concerning the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) and the constitutional status of Puerto Rico have been pivotal. The court's rulings on habeas corpus petitions from the Guantanamo Bay detention camp have also attracted national attention and subsequent review by the Roberts Court.

Category:United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit Category:1891 establishments in the United States Category:Courts and tribunals established in 1891