§ 133. Appointment and number of district judges

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(a)The President shall appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, district judges for the several judicial districts, as follows: DistrictsJudges Alabama: Northern8   Middle3   Southern3   Alaska3   Arizona13   Arkansas: Eastern5   Western3   California: Northern14   Eastern6   Central28   Southern13   Colorado7   Connecticut8   Delaware4   District of Columbia15   Florida: Northern4   Middle15   Southern18   Georgia: Northern11   Middle4   Southern3   Hawaii4   Idaho2   Illinois: Northern22   Central4   Southern4   Indiana: Northern5   Southern5   Iowa: Northern2   Southern3   Kansas6   Kentucky: Eastern5   Western4   Eastern and Western1   Louisiana: Eastern12   Middle3   Western7   Maine3   Maryland10   Massachusetts13   Michigan: Eastern15   Western4   Minnesota7   Mississippi: Northern3   Southern6   Missouri: Eastern7   Western5   Eastern and Western2   Montana3   Nebraska3   Nevada7   New Hampshire3   New Jersey17   New Mexico7   New York: Northern5   Southern28   Eastern15   Western4   North Carolina: Eastern4   Middle4   Western5   North Dakota2   Ohio: Northern11   Southern8   Oklahoma: Northern3   Eastern1   Western6   Northern, Eastern, and Western1   Oregon6   Pennsylvania: Eastern22   Middle6   Western10   Puerto Rico7   Rhode Island3   South Carolina10   South Dakota3   Tennessee: Eastern5   Middle4   Western5   Texas: Northern12   Southern19   Eastern8   Western13   Utah5   Vermont2   Virginia: Eastern11   Western4   Washington: Eastern4   Western7   West Virginia: Northern3   Southern5   Wisconsin: Eastern5   Western2   Wyoming3.

(1)In any case in which a judge of the United States (other than a senior judge) assumes the duties of a full-time office of Federal judicial administration, the President shall appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, an additional judge for the court on which such judge serves. If the judge who assumes the duties of such full-time office leaves that office and resumes the duties as an active judge of the court, then the President shall not appoint a judge to fill the first vacancy which occurs thereafter in that court.

(2)For purposes of paragraph (1), the term “office of Federal judicial administration” means a position as Director of the Federal Judicial Center, Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, or Counselor to the Chief Justice.

(June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 895; Aug. 3, 1949, ch. 387, § 2(a), 63 Stat. 493; Aug. 14, 1950, ch. 708, 64 Stat. 443; Aug. 29, 1950, ch. 819, § 1, 64 Stat. 562; Sept. 5, 1950, ch. 848, § 1, 64 Stat. 578; Feb. 10, 1954, ch. 6, § 2(a)(3), 68 Stat. 9; Pub. L. 85–310, Sept. 7, 1957, 71 Stat. 631; Pub. L. 85–508, § 12(c), July 7, 1958, 72 Stat. 348; Pub. L. 86–3, § 9(b), Mar. 18, 1959, 73 Stat. 8; Pub. L. 87–36, § 2(d), May 19, 1961, 75 Stat. 81; Pub. L. 87–562, § 3, July 30, 1962, 76 Stat. 248;

Pub. L. 89–242, § 1(c), Oct. 7, 1965, 79 Stat. 951; Pub. L. 89–372, § 4, Mar. 18, 1966, 80 Stat. 77; Pub. L. 91–272, § 1(d), June 2, 1970, 84 Stat. 295; Pub. L. 92–208, § 3(d), Dec. 18, 1971, 85 Stat. 742; Pub. L. 95–408, § 4(b)(2), Oct. 2, 1978, 92 Stat. 885; Pub. L. 95–486, § 1(c), Oct. 20, 1978, 92 Stat. 1630; Pub. L. 97–471, § 3, Jan. 14, 1983, 96 Stat. 2601; Pub. L. 98–353, title II, § 202(e), July 10, 1984, 98 Stat. 348; Pub. L. 101–650, title II, § 203(d), title III, § 303, Dec. 1, 1990, 104 Stat. 5101, 5105;

Pub. L. 105–53, § 4, Oct. 6, 1997, 111 Stat. 1174; Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(1) [title III, § 309(b)], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1535, 1501A–37; Pub. L. 106–553, § 1(a)(2) [title III, § 305(b)], Dec. 21, 2000, 114 Stat. 2762, 2762A–85; Pub. L. 107–273, div. A, title III, § 312(a)(2), (b)(2), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1786, 1787; Pub. L. 110–402, § 1(b)(1), Oct. 13, 2008, 122 Stat. 4254; Pub. L. 118–203, § 2(b), Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 2693.)

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 1 and notes; sections 641, 643, 863, and 864 of title 48, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Territories and Insular Possessions; District of Columbia Code, 1940 ed., § 11–301 (Apr. 12, 1900, ch. 191, §§ 34, 35, 31 Stat. 84, 85; Apr. 30, 1900, ch. 339, § 86, 31 Stat. 158; Mar. 3, 1901, ch. 854, § 60, 31 Stat. 1199; Mar. 3, 1909, ch. 269, § 1, 35 Stat. 838; Mar. 3, 1911, ch. 231, § 1, 36 Stat. 1087; Jan. 7, 1913, ch. 6, 37 Stat. 648; July 30, 1914, ch. 216, 38 Stat. 580;

Mar. 3, 1915, ch. 100, § 1, 38 Stat. 961; Apr. 11, 1916, ch. 64, § 1, 39 Stat. 48; Feb. 26, 1917, ch. 120, 39 Stat. 938; Mar. 2, 1917, ch. 145, §§ 41, 42, 39 Stat. 965, 966; Feb. 26, 1919, ch. 50, § 1, 40 Stat. 1183; Mar. 4, 1921, ch. 161, § 1, 41 Stat. 1412; July 9, 1921, ch. 42, § 313, 42 Stat. 119; Sept. 14, 1922, ch. 306, § 1, 42 Stat. 837; Jan. 16, 1925, ch. 83, § 3, 43 Stat. 752; Feb. 12, 1925, ch. 220, 43 Stat. 890; Feb. 13, 1925, ch. 229, §§ 1, 13, 43 Stat. 936, 942; Feb. 16, 1925, ch. 233, §§ 2, 3, 43 Stat. 946;

Mar. 2, 1925, ch. 397, §§ 1–3, 43 Stat. 1098; Mar. 3, 1927, ch. 297, § 1, 44 Stat. 1346; Mar. 3, 1927, ch. 298, 44 Stat. 1347; Mar. 3, 1927, ch. 300, § 1, 44 Stat. 1348; Mar. 3, 1927, ch. 332, 44 Stat. 1370; Mar. 3, 1927, ch. 336, §§ 1, 2, 44 Stat. 1372; Mar. 3, 1927, ch. 338, 44 Stat. 1374; Mar. 3, 1927, ch. 344, 44 Stat. 1380; Jan. 31, 1928, ch. 14, § 1, 45 Stat. 54; Apr. 21, 1928, ch. 393, § 5, 45 Stat. 439; May 29, 1928, ch. 882, 45 Stat. 974; Dec. 20, 1928, ch. 41, 45 Stat. 1056;

Jan. 17, 1929, ch. 72, § 1, 45 Stat. 1081; Feb. 26, 1929, ch. 334, 45 Stat. 1317; Feb. 26, 1929, ch. 337, 45 Stat. 1319; Feb. 28, 1929, ch. 358, § 1, 45 Stat. 1344; Feb. 28, 1929, ch. 380, 45 Stat. 1409; May 28, 1930, ch. 346, § 1, 46 Stat. 431; June 19, 1930, ch. 537, 46 Stat. 785; June 27, 1930, ch. 633, 46 Stat. 819; June 27, 1930, ch. 635, § 1, 46 Stat. 820; July 3, 1930, ch. 852, 46 Stat. 1006; Feb. 20, 1931, ch. 244, 46 Stat. 1196; Feb. 20, 1931, ch. 245, 46 Stat. 1197;

Feb. 25, 1931, ch. 296, 46 Stat. 1417; May 17, 1932, ch. 190, 47 Stat. 158; May 20, 1932, ch. 196, 47 Stat. 161; Aug. 2, 1935, ch. 425, 49 Stat. 508; Aug. 19, 1935, ch. 558, §§ 1, 2, 49 Stat. 659; Aug. 28, 1935, ch. 793, 49 Stat. 945; June 5, 1936, ch. 515, 49 Stat. 1476; June 15, 1936, ch. 544, 49 Stat. 1491; June 16, 1936, ch. 585, § 1, 49 Stat. 1523; June 22, 1936, ch. 693, 49 Stat. 1804; June 22, 1936, ch. 694, 49 Stat. 1804; June 22, 1936, ch. 696, 49 Stat. 1806; Aug. 25, 1937, ch. 771, § 1, 50 Stat. 805;

Mar. 18, 1938, ch. 47, 52 Stat. 110; Mar. 26, 1938, ch. 51, § 2, 52 Stat. 118; May 31, 1938, ch. 290, §§ 4, 5, 6, 52 Stat. 584, 585; June 20, 1938, ch. 528, 52 Stat. 780; Jan. 20, 1940, ch. 11, 54 Stat. 16; May 24, 1940, ch. 209, § 2(c), 54 Stat. 220; June 8, 1940, ch. 282, 54 Stat. 253; Nov. 27, 1940, ch. 92, § 1, 54 Stat. 1216; Nov. 21, 1941, ch. 479, 55 Stat. 773; July 7, 1942, ch. 489, 56 Stat. 648; Dec. 24, 1942, ch. 817, 56 Stat. 1083; Dec. 24, 1942, ch. 827, 56 Stat. 1092;

Dec. 7, 1944, ch. 521, 58 Stat. 796; Dec. 22, 1944, ch. 663, 58 Stat. 887; Oct. 16, 1945, ch. 419, §§ 1, 2, 59 Stat. 545, 546; June 15, 1946, ch. 413, 60 Stat. 260; July 24, 1946, chs. 600, 602, 60 Stat. 654).

Section consolidates provisions of section 1 of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., and sections 641, 643, 863, and 864 of title 48, U.S.C., 1940 ed., with changes in phraseology necessary to effect consolidation.

Provisions of section 1 of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., relating to residence of judges, are covered by section 134 of this title.

The act of Dec. 7, 1944, amended section 2 of the act of May 24, 1940, 54 Stat. 219, section 1, note, of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., to read as follows: “(a) Provided, That the first vacancy in the office of district judge in each of said districts except in the eastern district of Pennsylvania, shall not be filled.”

The act of Dec. 22, 1944, amended the same section to read as follows: “(a) Provided, That the first vacancy occurring in the office of district judge in each of said districts except the district of New Jersey shall not be filled.”

The act of July 24, 1946, ch. 600, § 1, 60 Stat. 654, amended the proviso in the 1940 act to read as follows: “Provided, That the first vacancy occurring in the office of district judge in each of said districts, except the district of New Jersey and the eastern district of Pennsylvania, shall not be filled.”

The following additional but temporary judgeships, authorized by Congress, are not included in the revised section:

Other provisions of said section 11–301 of the District of Columbia Code, 1940 ed., are incorporated in section 136 of this title.

A part of section 641 of title 48, U.S.C., 1940 ed., is incorporated in sections 91 and 132 of this title.

Parts of sections 863 and 864 of title 48, U.S.C., 1940 ed., are retained in title 48. For other parts of those sections, see Distribution Table.

Other provisions of section 643 of title 48, U.S.C., 1940 ed., are incorporated in sections 501 [now 541], 504 [now 541 to 544], and 541 [see 561] of this title.

Senate Revision Amendment

Provisions for one district judge in the Southern District of Indiana were inserted in this section by Senate amendment. See 80th Congress Senate Report No. 1559.