United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit facts for kids
Quick facts for kids United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit(5th Cir.) |
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| Location | John Minor Wisdom United States Court of Appeals Building New Orleans, Louisiana |
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| Appeals from |
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| Established | June 16, 1891 |
| Chief judge | Carl E. Stewart |
| Active judges | 17 |
| Senior judges | 7 |
| Circuit justice | Clarence Thomas |
| Official website: http://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/ | |
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit is an important court in the United States. It is one of 13 special courts that review decisions made by other courts. This court is part of the federal court system. People often call it the "5th Cir." for short.
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What the Fifth Circuit Does
The Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit has the legal power to review cases. It looks at decisions made by less powerful courts. These courts are called United States district courts. District courts are where trials happen for federal cases.
Appealing a Decision
If someone disagrees with a decision from a federal trial court, they can ask a higher court to look at it again. This is called an appeal. If the trial happened in the Fifth Circuit, the appeal goes to the Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit.
States Covered by the Fifth Circuit
The Fifth Circuit covers a large area. It hears appeals from federal courts in three states:
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
- Texas
These are the specific federal trial courts that send their appeals to the Fifth Circuit:
- Eastern District of Louisiana
- Middle District of Louisiana
- Western District of Louisiana
- Northern District of Mississippi
- Southern District of Mississippi
- Eastern District of Texas
- Northern District of Texas
- Southern District of Texas
- Western District of Texas
About the Court
The Fifth Circuit Court has 17 judges. These judges listen to arguments and make decisions on appeals.
Court Location and History
The main building for the court is in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is called the John Minor Wisdom United States Court of Appeals Building. The court's office, where official papers are handled, is also in New Orleans. It is located in the Felix Edward Hébert Federal Building.
The court first started its work on June 16, 1891. Its very first meeting was held in the Customs House in New Orleans.
Important Cases
The Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit has made many important decisions over the years.
Gates v. Collier
One very important case was called Gates v. Collier. This case was about the Mississippi State Penitentiary, also known as Parchman prison. The court's decision in this case helped stop unfair treatment of people in prison. It made sure that prisoners were treated with dignity and respect.
Related Pages
- Federal judiciary of the United States (the entire federal court system)
Images for kids
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The John Minor Wisdom U.S. Courthouse, home of the Fifth Circuit, New Orleans.
