Third Circuit
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| Third Circuit | |
|---|---|
| Name | United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit |
| Established | 1891 |
| Country | United States |
| Location | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Appealsfrom | District of Delaware, District of New Jersey, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Pennsylvania |
| Judges | 14 (authorized) |
| Chief | (varies) |
Third Circuit
The Third Circuit is a federal appellate court that sits in Philadelphia, adjudicating appeals from trial courts in parts of the Northeastern United States and shaping doctrine on matters arising under statutes such as the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996. It has produced influential opinions that interacted with decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States, influenced administrative law through interaction with agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency, and addressed high-profile disputes involving entities such as Johnson & Johnson, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., and PPL Corporation.
Overview
The court serves as one of twelve regional United States courts of appeals created under the Judiciary Act of 1891 and operates within the framework established by the United States Constitution and federal statutes. Its courthouse in Philadelphia City Hall is proximate to institutions such as the University of Pennsylvania, Temple University and the University of Delaware law faculties, which supply clerks and scholarship engaging with the court’s output. The court’s docket historically mixes commercial disputes involving corporations like ExxonMobil and Merck & Co. with civil rights litigation tied to organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union and veterans’ claims that involve statutes administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Jurisdiction and Organization
The Third Circuit exercises appellate jurisdiction over final decisions of the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, the District of New Jersey, and the three federal districts in Pennsylvania: the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the Middle District of Pennsylvania, and the Western District of Pennsylvania. It interprets federal statutes including the Bankruptcy Code in complex reorganizations involving companies like TWA and adjudicates patent disputes stemming from inventors and firms such as DuPont and Bristol-Myers Squibb. Administrative appeals from agencies like the Social Security Administration and the Federal Trade Commission also reach the court. The court is composed of a panel system of active and senior judges, with en banc review governed by rules similar to those of other circuits under the supervision of the Judicial Conference of the United States.
Notable Judges and Personnel
Prominent judges who have served on the court include appointees who later advanced to the Supreme Court of the United States or influenced national jurisprudence through opinions that engaged with doctrines developed in cases such as Brown v. Board of Education and Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc.. Several judges previously held posts in state judiciaries like the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and served in executive roles under administrations of presidents such as Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, and Barack Obama. The court’s clerkships attract graduates from institutions like Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, Columbia Law School, and the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, and some clerks have moved on to clerking for justices on the Supreme Court of the United States or to faculty positions at schools such as Georgetown University Law Center and NYU School of Law.
Landmark Decisions
The court has authored influential opinions on securities regulation interpreted against precedents such as Erie Railroad Co. v. Tompkins and the Securities Act of 1933. Its rulings in cases involving employment discrimination have applied frameworks associated with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and have been cited alongside decisions from the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Bankruptcy precedents from the court have guided restructurings involving firms like Kmart and engaged with statutory amendments from the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978. Criminal law opinions from the court have interacted with doctrines from Miranda v. Arizona and appellate practice norms framed by the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure.
Procedural Practices and Influences
The Third Circuit employs panel adjudication, motions practices, and calendaring procedures that reflect rules promulgated by the Administrative Office of the United States Courts and are influenced by scholarship appearing in reviews such as the Harvard Law Review and the Pennsylvania Law Review. Its en banc practices, citation norms, and opinion issuance rhythms have been the subjects of commentary in publications like the Yale Law Journal and the Columbia Law Review. The court’s approach to interlocutory appeals, mandamus petitions, and stays has affected litigation strategy for parties from corporations like Bank of America and advocacy organizations such as Public Citizen. Oral argument traditions have included participation by advocates who previously litigated before the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit or the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
History and Establishment
Established by legislation enacted in the late nineteenth century under the Judiciary Act of 1891, the circuit’s creation paralleled reforms that produced circuits serving geographic clusters of states, following precedents set by earlier statutes such as the Evarts Act. Over time, seats and caseload shifted in response to industrialization in cities like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, wartime mobilizations during World War I and World War II, and statutory expansions like amendments to the Judicial Code and subsequent reauthorization acts passed by the United States Congress. The court’s historical roster includes judges who participated in landmark eras tied to the New Deal and the civil rights movement, engaging with landmark legislation and national institutions during periods of legal transformation.