United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
Court name	United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
Caption	The Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Courthouse in Chicago
Established	16 June 1891
Jurisdiction	Illinois · Indiana · Wisconsin
Headquarters	Chicago, Illinois
Appeals from	District courts within the circuit
Authority	Article III of the U.S. Constitution
Chiefjudgetitle	Chief Judge
Chiefjudgename	Diane S. Sykes
Termstart	October 1, 2020

United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit is a federal appellate court with jurisdiction over three Midwestern states. It hears appeals from the district courts in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. The court is based at the Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Courthouse in Chicago and is known for its influential rulings on a wide range of legal issues.

History

The court was established by the Judiciary Act of 1891, which created the intermediate appellate courts to relieve the caseload of the Supreme Court of the United States. Initially, its jurisdiction also included Michigan and Ohio, but these states were moved to the newly created Sixth Circuit in 1929. Throughout its history, the court has been shaped by notable jurists such as John J. Parker, who served by designation, and later figures like Richard Posner and Frank H. Easterbrook. The court's docket has evolved with major national events, including cases arising from the labor movement and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Jurisdiction

The Seventh Circuit has appellate jurisdiction over all final decisions and certain interlocutory orders from the federal district courts within its circuit. This includes the Northern, Central, and Southern Districts of Illinois; the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana; and the Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin. The court also reviews decisions from federal administrative agencies such as the National Labor Relations Board and the Federal Trade Commission. Appeals from its rulings may be taken to the Supreme Court of the United States via writ of certiorari.

Current composition of the court

As of 2023, the court has 11 authorized judgeships. The chief judge is Diane S. Sykes, who succeeded Diane P. Wood. Active judges include Michael S. Kanne, Ilana Rovner, Frank H. Easterbrook, Kenneth F. Ripple, David F. Hamilton, Amy Coney Barrett (on leave following her appointment to the Supreme Court of the United States), Michael Y. Scudder, and Thomas L. Kirsch II. The court also utilizes senior judges like William J. Bauer and Joel Flaum, who continue to hear cases. Judges are appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate.

Notable cases

The Seventh Circuit has decided many precedent-setting cases. In *United States v. Microsoft Corp.*, the court addressed antitrust violations in software markets. The en banc decision in *Hively v. Ivy Tech Community College* held that discrimination based on sexual orientation violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In *Wisconsin v. Yoder*, the court's ruling on Amish education was later affirmed by the Supreme Court of the United States. Other significant cases include *Baskin v. Bogan*, which struck down same-sex marriage bans in Indiana and Wisconsin, and *Kyles v. Whitley*, which involved prosecutorial misconduct. The court is also known for influential opinions by judges like Richard Posner on law and economics.

Courthouse

The court sits primarily in the Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Courthouse, a 30-story building at 219 South Dearborn Street in Chicago designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and completed in 1964. Named for Everett Dirksen, the Senator from Illinois, the building is part of the Chicago Federal Center complex, which also includes the John C. Kluczynski Federal Building and the Chicago Post Office. The courthouse houses courtrooms, judges' chambers, and the clerk's office, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

List of former judges

Prominent former judges of the Seventh Circuit include John J. Parker, who also served on the Fourth Circuit and presided over the Nuremberg trials; Walter C. Lindley; and Luther M. Swygert. More recent influential alumni are Richard Posner, a leading figure in the law and economics movement; Frank H. Easterbrook, now a senior judge; and John L. Coffey. Other notable former judges are Harlington Wood Jr., Jesse E. Eschbach, and Michael S. Kanne, who served until his death in 2022. Several, like Amy Coney Barrett, have been elevated to the Supreme Court of the United States.

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