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United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit facts for kids

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"DC Circuit" redirects here. For direct current circuits, see Direct current#Circuits.
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United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
(D.C. Cir.)
Seal of the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.png
DC locator map with state names w usmap.png
Location E. Barrett Prettyman U.S. Courthouse
Appeals from
  • District of Columbia
Established February 9, 1893
Judges 11
Circuit Justice John Roberts
Chief Judge Sri Srinivasan

The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (in case citations, D.C. Cir.) is one of the thirteen United States Courts of Appeals. The D.C. Circuit has the smallest geographical jurisdiction of any of the U.S. courts of appeals, and it covers only one district court: the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. It meets at the E. Barrett Prettyman United States Courthouse in Washington, DC.

The D.C. Circuit's status and prestige among American federal courts is generally considered to be second only to the U.S. Supreme Court. Its geographic jurisdiction contains the U.S. Capitol and the headquarters of many U.S. federal executive departments and government agencies. As a result, the D.C. Circuit tends to be the main federal appellate court for issues of American administrative law, constitutional law, and other related areas. Four of the nine current Supreme Court justices were previously judges on the D.C. Circuit: Chief Justice John Roberts, as well as justices Clarence Thomas, Brett Kavanaugh, and Ketanji Brown Jackson. Past justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Antonin Scalia, Warren E. Burger, Fred M. Vinson, and Wiley Blount Rutledge also served as judges on the D.C. Circuit before their appointments to the Supreme Court.

Because the D.C. Circuit does not represent any state, confirmation of nominees can be procedurally and practically easier than for nominees to the Courts of Appeals for the other geographical districts, as home-state senators have historically been able to hold up confirmation through the blue slip process.

Current composition of the court

As of January 16,  2024 (2024 -01-16):

# Title Judge Duty station Born Term of service Appointed by
Active Chief Senior
58 Chief Judge Sri Srinivasan Washington, D.C. 1967 2013–present 2020–present — Obama
49 Circuit Judge Karen L. Henderson Washington, D.C. 1944 1990–present — — G.H.W. Bush
59 Circuit Judge Patricia Millett Washington, D.C. 1963 2013–present — — Obama
60 Circuit Judge Cornelia Pillard Washington, D.C. 1961 2013–present — — Obama
61 Circuit Judge Robert L. Wilkins Washington, D.C. 1963 2014–present — — Obama
62 Circuit Judge Gregory G. Katsas Washington, D.C. 1964 2017–present — — Trump
63 Circuit Judge Neomi Rao Washington, D.C. 1973 2019–present — — Trump
64 Circuit Judge Justin R. Walker Washington, D.C. 1982 2020–present — — Trump
66 Circuit Judge J. Michelle Childs Washington, D.C. 1966 2022–present — — Biden
67 Circuit Judge Florence Y. Pan Washington, D.C. 1966 2022–present — — Biden
68 Circuit Judge Brad Garcia Washington, D.C. 1986 2023–present — — Biden
38 Senior Circuit Judge Harry T. Edwards Washington, D.C. 1940 1980–2005 1994–2001 2005–present Carter
46 Senior Circuit Judge Douglas H. Ginsburg Washington, D.C. 1946 1986–2011 2001–2008 2011–present Reagan
47 Senior Circuit Judge David B. Sentelle inactive 1943 1987–2013 2008–2013 2013–present Reagan
50 Senior Circuit Judge A. Raymond Randolph Washington, D.C. 1943 1990–2008 — 2008–present G.H.W. Bush
51 Senior Circuit Judge Judith W. Rogers Washington, D.C. 1939 1994–2022 — 2022–present Clinton


List of former judges

# Judge State Born–died Active service Chief Judge Senior status Appointed by Reason for
termination
1 Alvey, Richard HenryRichard Henry Alvey MD 1826–1906 1893–1905 1893–1905 — Cleveland, Cleveland retirement
2 Morris, Martin FerdinandMartin Ferdinand Morris DC 1834–1909 1893–1905 — — Cleveland, Cleveland retirement
3 Shepard, SethSeth Shepard TX 1847–1917 1893–1917 1905–1917 — Cleveland, Cleveland (associate);
T. Roosevelt (chief)		 retirement
4 Duell, Charles HollandCharles Holland Duell NY 1850–1920 1905–1906 — — Roosevelt, T.T. Roosevelt resignation
5 McComas, Louis E.Louis E. McComas MD 1846–1907 1905–1907 — — Roosevelt, T.T. Roosevelt death
6 Robb, Charles HenryCharles Henry Robb VT 1867–1939 1906–1937 — 1937–1939 Roosevelt, T.T. Roosevelt death
7 Van Orsdel, Josiah AlexanderJosiah Alexander Van Orsdel WY 1860–1937 1907–1937 — — Roosevelt, T.T. Roosevelt death
8 Smyth, Constantine JosephConstantine Joseph Smyth NE 1859–1924 1917–1924 1917–1924 — Wilson, Wilson death
9 Martin, George EwingGeorge Ewing Martin OH 1857–1948 1924–1937 1924–1937 1937–1948 Coolidge, Coolidge death
10 Hitz, WilliamWilliam Hitz DC 1872–1935 1931–1935 — — Hoover, Hoover death
11 Groner, Duncan LawrenceDuncan Lawrence Groner VA 1873–1957 1931–1948 1937–1948 1948–1957 Hoover, Hoover (associate);
F. Roosevelt (chief)		 death
12 Stephens, Harold MontelleHarold Montelle Stephens UT 1886–1955 1935–1955 1948–1955 — Roosevelt, F.F. Roosevelt (associate);
Truman (chief)		 death
13 Miller, JustinJustin Miller CA 1888–1973 1937–1945 — — Roosevelt, F.F. Roosevelt resignation
14 Edgerton, Henry WhiteHenry White Edgerton DC 1888–1970 1937–1963 1955–1958 1963–1970 Roosevelt, F.F. Roosevelt death
15 Vinson, Fred M.Fred M. Vinson KY 1890–1953 1938–1943 — — Roosevelt, F.F. Roosevelt resignation
16 Rutledge, WileyWiley Rutledge KY 1894–1949 1939–1943 — — Roosevelt, F.F. Roosevelt elevation to Supreme Court
17 Arnold, ThurmanThurman Arnold WY 1891–1969 1943–1945 — — Roosevelt, F.F. Roosevelt resignation
18 Clark, Bennett ChampBennett Champ Clark MO 1890–1954 1945–1954 — — Truman, Truman death
19 Prettyman, E. BarrettE. Barrett Prettyman DC 1891–1971 1945–1962 1958–1960 1962–1971 Truman, Truman death
20 Miller, Wilbur KingsburyWilbur Kingsbury Miller KY 1892–1976 1945–1964 1960–1962 1964–1976 Truman, Truman death
21 Proctor, James McPhersonJames McPherson Proctor DC 1882–1953 1948–1953 — — Truman, Truman death
22 Bazelon, David L.David L. Bazelon IL 1909–1993 1949–1979 1962–1978 1979–1993 Truman, Truman death
23 Fahy, CharlesCharles Fahy GA 1892–1979 1949–1967 — 1967–1979 Truman, Truman death
24 Washington, George ThomasGeorge Thomas Washington OH 1908–1971 1949–1965 — 1965–1971 Truman, Truman death
25 Danaher, John A.John A. Danaher CT 1899–1990 1953–1969 — 1969–1990 Eisenhower, Eisenhower death
26 Bastian, Walter MaximillianWalter Maximillian Bastian DC 1891–1975 1954–1965 — 1965–1975 Eisenhower, Eisenhower death
27 Burger, Warren E.Warren E. Burger MN 1907–1995 1956–1969 — — Eisenhower, Eisenhower elevation to Supreme Court
28 Wright, James SkellyJames Skelly Wright LA 1911–1988 1962–1986 1978–1981 1986–1988 Kennedy, Kennedy death
29 McGowan, Carl E.Carl E. McGowan IL 1911–1987 1963–1981 1981 1981–1987 Kennedy, Kennedy death
30 Tamm, Edward AllenEdward Allen Tamm DC 1906–1985 1965–1985 — — Johnson, L.L. Johnson death
31 Leventhal, HaroldHarold Leventhal DC 1915–1979 1965–1979 — — Johnson, L.L. Johnson death
32 Robinson III, Spottswood WilliamSpottswood William Robinson III VA 1916–1998 1966–1989 1981–1986 1989–1998 Johnson, L.L. Johnson death
33 MacKinnon, GeorgeGeorge MacKinnon MN 1906–1995 1969–1983 — 1983–1995 Nixon, Nixon death
34 Robb, RogerRoger Robb DC 1907–1985 1969–1982 — 1982–1985 Nixon, Nixon death
35 Wilkey, Malcolm RichardMalcolm Richard Wilkey TX 1918–2009 1970–1984 — 1984–1985 Nixon, Nixon retirement
36 Wald, PatriciaPatricia Wald DC 1928–2019 1979–1999 1986–1991 — Carter, Carter retirement
37 Mikva, AbnerAbner Mikva IL 1926–2016 1979–1994 1991–1994 — Carter, Carter retirement
39 Ginsburg, Ruth BaderRuth Bader Ginsburg NY 1933–2020 1980–1993 — — Carter, Carter elevation to Supreme Court
40 Bork, RobertRobert Bork CT 1927–2012 1982–1988 — — Reagan, Reagan resignation
41 Scalia, AntoninAntonin Scalia IL 1936–2016 1982–1986 — — Reagan, Reagan elevation to Supreme Court
42 Starr, KennethKenneth Starr VA 1946–2022 1983–1989 — — Reagan, Reagan resignation
43 Silberman, LaurenceLaurence Silberman PA 1935–2022 1985–2000 — 2000–2022 Reagan, Reagan death
44 Buckley, James L.James L. Buckley NY 1923–2023 1985–1996 — 1996–2023 Reagan death
45 Williams, Stephen F.Stephen F. Williams CO 1936–2020 1986–2001 — 2001–2020 Reagan, Reagan death
48 Thomas, ClarenceClarence Thomas GA 1948–present 1990–1991 — — Bush, G.H.W.G.H.W. Bush elevation to Supreme Court
52 Tatel, David S.David S. Tatel DC 1942–present 1994–2022 — 2022–2024 Clinton, Clinton retirement
53 Garland, MerrickMerrick Garland IL 1952–present 1997–2021 2013–2020 — Clinton, Clinton retirement
54 Roberts, JohnJohn Roberts MD 1955–present 2003–2005 — — Bush, G.W.G.W. Bush elevation to Supreme Court
55 Brown, Janice RogersJanice Rogers Brown CA 1949–present 2005–2017 — — Bush, G.W.G.W. Bush retirement
56 Griffith, Thomas B.Thomas B. Griffith UT 1954–present 2005–2020 — — Bush, G.W.G.W. Bush retirement
57 Kavanaugh, BrettBrett Kavanaugh MD 1965–present 2006–2018 — — Bush, G.W.G.W. Bush elevation to Supreme Court
65 Jackson, Ketanji BrownKetanji Brown Jackson DC 1970–present 2021–2022 — — Biden, Biden elevation to Supreme Court

Chiefs

Chief
as Chief Justice
Alvey 1893–1905
Shepard 1905–1917
Smyth 1917–1924
Martin 1924–1937
Groner 1937–1948
Stephens 1948
as Chief Judge
Stephens 1948–1955
Edgerton 1955–1958
Prettyman 1958–1960
W. Miller 1960–1962
Bazelon 1962–1978
Wright 1978–1981
McGowan 1981
Robinson 1981–1986
Wald 1986–1991
Mikva 1991–1994
Edwards 1994–2001
D. Ginsburg 2001–2008
Sentelle 2008–2013
Garland 2013–2020
Srinivasan 2020–present

When Congress established this court in 1893 as the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia, it had a chief justice, and the other judges were called associate justices, which was similar to the structure of the Supreme Court. The chief justiceship was a separate seat: the president would appoint the chief justice, and that person would stay chief justice until he left the court.

On June 25, 1948, 62 Stat. 869 and 62 Stat. 985 became law. These acts made the chief justice a chief judge. In 1954, another law, 68 Stat. 1245, clarified what was implicit in those laws: that the chief judgeship was not a mere renaming of the position but a change in its status that made it the same as the chief judge of other inferior courts.

Template:ChiefJudge

Succession of seats

The court has eleven seats for active judges after the elimination of Seat 8 under the Court Security Improvement Act of 2007. The seat that was originally the chief justiceship is numbered as Seat 1; the other seats are numbered in order of their creation. If seats were established simultaneously, they are numbered in the order in which they were filled. Judges who retire into senior status remain on the bench but leave their seat vacant. That seat is filled by the next circuit judge appointed by the president.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Corte de Apelaciones de los Estados Unidos para el Circuito del Distrito de Columbia para niños

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