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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| 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 one of the 13 appeals courts in the United States's federal court system. In case citations, the Court's name is abbreviated "5th Cir."
The 5th Circuit
The Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit is the appeals court that has jurisdiction, or legal power, to review cases decided by less powerful courts in the 5th Circuit. These less powerful courts are called United States district courts. They are federal trial courts. If someone wants to appeal a decision that one of these courts made, they would have to appeal to the Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit.
These are the United States District Courts that are located in the 5th 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
The Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit handles appeals from every one of these District Courts.
The Court
The Court has 17 judges. The main court building is located in the John Minor Wisdom United States Court of Appeals Building in New Orleans, Louisiana. The court clerk's office is at the Felix Edward Hébert Federal Building in New Orleans.
The Court met for the first time on June 16, 1891, in the Customs House in New Orleans.
Famous decisions
The Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit decided a landmark case called Gates v. Collier, which stopped the severe physical abuse of prisoners by "trustys" at Mississippi State Penitentiary (then called Parchman).
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.
