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How many US Court of Appeals Circuit Courts are there and how many judges for each Circuit and total?
Wiki User
∙ 8y ago
General Information
The United States has many Courts of Appeal. Some are general jurisdiction courts; others deal with special subject matter such as Veterans' Claims or the Armed Forces. For the purpose of this question, we will talk only about the 13 Circuit Courts that are the primary source of cases reviewed by the US Supreme Court.
The US Court of Appeals Circuit Courts are the intermediate step in the judiciary process, above the District Courts (trial courts), but below the Supreme Court. Twelve of the Circuit Courts are responsible for cases heard in regional District Courts, while the thirteenth, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, is a national court that considers appeals from a variety of limited subject courts that are too small to have a dedicated appellate court.
The number of judges on a Circuit Court varies according to the population density and case load of the territory for which it's responsible (more below). Each Circuit has one Chief Justice and a variable combination of active-status (full-time) and senior (semi-retired, part-time) judges.
Generally, appeals cases are heard by panels of three judges that are randomly selected from the pool of all available judges (including those on senior and temporary assignment status), but under certain circumstances cases may be heard en banc (by the full court of active-status judges). This may occur if a majority of active-status judges vote that they need to consider the verdict as a group, to ensure uniform decisions on similar cases, or if the question is exceptionally important. The Courts also have the discretion to consider a petition for an en banc hearing from one of the parties in the case, if they believe the party's reason is compelling.
Regardless of the panel size, decisions are made by a simple majority of votes.
US Court of Appeals Judges
First Circuit:
06 Number of Active Seats Allocated
01 Vacancies
03 Senior judges
09 Total Seats
Second Circuit:
13 Number of Active Seats Allocated
04 Vacancies
12 Senior judges
25 Total Seats
Third Circuit:
14 Number of Active Seats Allocated
02 Vacancies
09 Senior judges
23 Total Seats
Fourth Circuit:
15 Number of Active Seats Allocated
05 Vacancies
03 Senior judges
18 Total Seats
Fifth Circuit:
17 Number of Active Seats Allocated
01 Vacancies
06 Senior judges
23 Total Seats
Sixth Circuit:
16 Number of Active Seats Allocated
01 Vacancies
10 Senior judges (An additional 4 on inactive status)
26 Total Seats
Seventh Circuit:
11 Number of Active Seats Allocated
01 Vacancies
05 Senior judges
16 Total Seats
Eighth Circuit:
13 Number of Active Seats Allocated
00 Vacancies
09 Senior judges
22 Total Seats
Ninth Circuit:*
29 Number of Active Seats Allocated
02 Vacancies
19 Senior judges
48 Total Seats
Tenth Circuit:
12 Number of Active Seats Allocated
00 Vacancies
10 Senior judges
22 Total Seats
Eleventh Circuit:
12 Number of Active Seats Allocated
01 Vacancies
06 Senior judges
18 Total Seats
D.C. Circuit:
11 Number of Active Seats Allocated (was reduced by one seat in 2007)
02 Vacancies
05 Senior judges
16 Total Seats
Federal Circuit:
12 Number of Active Seats Allocated
00 Vacancies (one vacancy is expected in October 2009)
04 Senior judges
16 Total Seats
Totals
181 Active-status Seats
020 Current Vacancies
101 Senior-status Judges
282 Total Available on August 18, 2009**
** Bear in mind this number can fluctuate, as senior judges go into full retirement or die, and if temporary assignment judges are added. Temporary assignment judges may come from other Circuits, from retired judges and justices, and from District Courts. Vacancies are counted as Active-Status Seats, despite being unfilled.
* Due to the size of the 9th Circuit, this Circuit uses a limited en banc panel of 11 judges.
You need to be more specific. Identify a locality and whether you're looking for a total number of courts or how many levels of appeals exist in that locality.
Please narrow the scope of your question a little please. There are several levels of state appeals courts - several levels of federal appeals courts - several tax appeals courts - etc - etc....
Wiki User
∙ 8y ago
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Who makes decisions in the United States Courts of Appeals?
The judges who are on the United States Courts of Appeals make the decisions. These judges are directly appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
Which court is known as the Court of Appeals The supreme or district or circuit?
The circuit level courts. E.g., "The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals"
Which court handles appeals from legislative courts?
The Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
What is another name for US Court of Appeals?
Another name for US Court of Appeals is circuit courts.Circuit CourtANSWER: The United States court of appeals, (otherwise known as circuit courts) are a part of the federal court system and serve as intermediate courts. These court of appeals handle cases that have appealed their case after losing in the district court and go to that court of appeals within the jurisdiction of that federal judicial circuit or in some cases these courts will handle such cases that have been assigned by other federal courts or administrative agencies. Besides the thirteen United States court of appeals there is also Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces which handles court martial cases. Of the U.S. court of appeals there are eleven numbered circuits such as the 6th circuit court of appeals or the 9th circuit court of appeals. The remaining two of those thirteen circuit courts are the Federal Circuit and the D.C. Circuit court of appeals.
Who decides the cases in the Virginia Court of Appeals?
The Court of Appeals of Virginia, is an eleven-judge body that hears appeals from decisions of Virginia's circuit courts and the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission. The Court sits in panels of at least three judges, and sometimes hears cases en banc (i.e.: ALL 11 judges). The Court of Appeals does not conduct jury trials. Appeals of the findings of the Court of Appeals go to the Supreme Court of Virginia.
What court has thirteen courts?
The US Court of Appeals Circuit Courts consist of thirteen courts, one for each circuit.
What is Maryland's four layers of courts?
The District Courts, the Circuit Courts, the Court of Special Appeals and the states's supreme court which is called the Court of Appeals.
What is appointed to the US Courts of Appeal?
The President appoints federal appellate judges to the US Court of Appeals Circuit Courts. These appointments are subject to approval from the Senate.
What branch will you find judges and courts?
The judicial branch consists of judges and courts such as district courts (thus district judges), appeals court and judges and the highest court in the USA, the Supreme Court and the 9 justices.
What is the number of US Court of Appeals Circuit Courts?
Thirteen.The US Courts of Appeals Circuit Courts are the thirteen intermediate appellate courts immediately below the US Supreme Court. Twelve of the Circuit Courts hear cases on appeal from US District Courts (trial) within their territorial jurisdiction; the thirteenth court, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, has national subject-matter jurisdiction over cases initially held in the US Court of Claims, as well as appeals of patent, copyright, and a few other classes of cases.Each Supreme Court justice has responsibility for handling emergency petitions for one or more of the Circuit Courts, which is a remnant of the "circuit riding" tradition, in which the Supreme Court justices traveled the circuits throughout the year, hearing cases in local forums.US Court of Appeals for the First CircuitUS Court of Appeals for the Second CircuitUS Court of Appeals for the Third CircuitUS Court of Appeals for the Fourth CircuitUS Court of Appeals for the Fifth CircuitUS Court of Appeals for the Sixth CircuitUS Court of Appeals for the Seventh CircuitUS Court of Appeals for the Eighth CircuitUS Court of Appeals for the Ninth CircuitUS Court of Appeals for the Tenth CircuitUS Court of Appeals for the Eleventh CircuitUS Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia CircuitUS Court of Appeals for the Federal CircuitFor more information on the federal judiciary, see Related Questions, below.
Is the Circuit Court part of the Court of Appeals?
In the US Federal court system, the Circuit Courts and the Court of Appeals are the same entity. The proper name for the thirteen appellate courts is US Court of Appeals Circuit Courts. These are different from the US Circuit Courts established in the 19th century, which no longer exist. For more information, see Related Questions, below.
How are the judges of criminal appeals chosen?
The criminal court of appeals is the highest state court. Judges are elected for the position in the state courts of appeal.
