§ 41. Number and composition of circuits
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The thirteen judicial circuits of the United States are constituted as follows: CircuitsComposition District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia. FirstMaine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island. SecondConnecticut, New York, Vermont. ThirdDelaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virgin Islands. FourthMaryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia. FifthDistrict of the Canal Zone, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas. SixthKentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee.
SeventhIllinois, Indiana, Wisconsin. EighthArkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota. NinthAlaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Guam, Hawaii. TenthColorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah, Wyoming. EleventhAlabama, Florida, Georgia. FederalAll Federal judicial districts.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 870; Oct. 31, 1951, ch. 655, § 34, 65 Stat. 723; Pub. L. 96–452, § 2, Oct. 14, 1980, 94 Stat. 1994; Pub. L. 97–164, title I, § 101, Apr. 2, 1982, 96 Stat. 25.)
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 28, U.S.C. 1940 ed., § 211, and section 864 of title 48, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Territories and Insular Possessions (Apr. 12, 1900, ch. 191, § 35, 31 Stat. 85; Mar. 3, 1911, ch. 231, § 116, 36 Stat. 1131; Jan. 28, 1915, ch. 22, §§ 1, 2, 38 Stat. 803; Mar. 2, 1917, ch. 145, § 42, 39 Stat. 966; Feb. 13, 1925, ch. 229, §§ 1, 13, 43 Stat. 936, 942; Jan. 31, 1928, ch. 14, § 1, 45 Stat. 54; Feb. 28, 1929, ch. 363, § 1, 45 Stat. 1346; May 17, 1932, ch. 190, 47 Stat. 158).
Form of section was simplified.
The District of Columbia was added as a separate circuit. This is in accord with the decision of the Supreme Court of the United States which held the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia to be a circuit court of appeals within the Transfer Act of Sept. 14, 1922, ch. 305, 42 Stat. 837, incorporated in the Judicial Code as § 238(a), but repealed by act Feb. 13, 1925, ch. 229, § 13, 43 Stat. 942. (See Swift and Co. v. U.S., 1928, 48 S.Ct. 311, 276 U.S. 311, 72 L.Ed. 587.)
In recognizing the District of Columbia as a separate circuit, the Supreme Court recently used this language: “* * * the eleven circuits forming the single federal judicature * * *”. Comm’r. v. Bedford’s Estate, 65 S.Ct. 1157, at page 1160, 325 U.S. 283, 89 L.Ed. 611.
See section 17 of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., providing, “For the purposes of sections 17–23 of this title, the District of Columbia shall be deemed to be a judicial circuit * * *”, and act Dec. 23, 1944, ch. 724, 58 Stat. 925, which amended section 215 of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., incorporated in section 42 of this title. Such amendment provided that for the purposes of said section 215 “the District of Columbia shall be deemed to be a judicial circuit.”
Many other acts of Congress have recognized the District of Columbia as a separate circuit. (See the following acts; Aug. 24, 1937, ch. 754, 50 Stat. 751; Feb. 11, 1938, ch. 25, 52 Stat. 28; Aug. 5, 1939, ch. 433, 53 Stat. 1204; Aug. 7, 1939, ch. 501, 53 Stat. 1223; Dec. 29, 1942, ch. 835, 56 Stat. 1094; May 11, 1944, ch. 192, 58 Stat. 218; Dec. 23, 1944, ch. 724, 58 Stat. 925.)
See also the following acts recognizing the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia as a circuit court of appeals: Aug. 15, 1921, ch. 64, 42 Stat. 162; July 5, 1935, ch. 372, 49 Stat. 454; Aug. 24, 1937, ch. 754, 50 Stat. 751; Apr. 6, 1942, ch. 210, 56 Stat. 198; May 9, 1942, ch. 295, 56 Stat. 271. See also Rule 81(d) Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
In the following cases the Supreme Court of the United States has recognized the status of the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia as a permanent establishment within the federal judicial system: O’Donoghue v. United States, 1933, 53 S.Ct. 740, 289 U.S. 516, 77 L.Ed. 1356; Federal Trade Commission v. Klesner, 1927, 47 S.Ct. 557, 274 U.S. 145, 71 L.Ed. 972; Claiborne-Annapolis Ferry v. United States, 1932, 52 S.Ct. 440, 285 U.S. 382, 76 L.Ed. 808; United States v. California Canneries, 1929, 49 S.Ct. 423, 279 U.S. 553, 73 L.Ed. 838.
Alaska, Canal Zone, and Virgin Islands were added to the 9th, 5th, and 3rd Circuits, respectively, to conform to section 1294 of this title.
Some of the provisions of section 864 of title 48, U.S.C., 1940 ed., have been retained in said title. For those which were incorporated in other sections of this revised title, see Distribution Table.
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U.S. Code
- § 1331Federal question
- § 1346United States as defendant
- § 1Number of justices; quorum
- § 1254Courts of appeals; certiorari; certified questions
- § 2401Time for commencing action against United States
- § 1332Diversity of citizenship; amount in controversy; costs
- § 88District of Columbia
- § 610Courts defined
- § 372Retirement for disability; substitute judge on failure to retire
- § 44Appointment, tenure, residence and salary of circuit judges
- § 1345United States as plaintiff
- § 1121Jurisdiction of Federal courts; State and local requirements that registered trademarks be altered or displayed differently; prohibition
- § 1341Taxes by States
- § 291Circuit judges
- § 119Puerto Rico
- § 1333Admiralty, maritime and prize cases
- § 1340Internal revenue; customs duties
- § 46Assignment of judges; panels; hearings; quorum
- § 2361Process and procedure
- § 42Allotment of Supreme Court justices to circuits
- § 1335Interpleader
- § 1359Parties collusively joined or made
- § 48Terms of court
- § 1347Partition action where United States is joint tenant
- § 1397Interpleader
- § 1399Partition action involving United States
- § 1342Rate orders of State agencies
statutes-at-large
- Public Law 380
- Public Law 723
- Public Law 61
- Public Law 354
- Public Law 93–554Making supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1975, and for other purposes
- Private Law 495granting citizenship to the Metlakahtla Indians of Alaska” (48 Stat. 667), are hereby extended to Charles A
- Reorganization Plan
- Public Law 7
- Private Law 300
- Public Law 187
- Public Law 328
- Public Law 396
- Public Law 333
- Private Law 722
- Public Law 93–48
- Private Law 196
- Public Law 8
- Public Law 450
- Private Law 496
- Public Law 379
- Public Law 186
- Public Law 122
- Public Law 93–419
- Public Law 62
- Joint Resolution
- Public Law 329
- Public Law 347
- Public Law 308
- Public Law 4
- Public Law 186
- Public Law 96–452To amend title 28, United States Code, to divide the fifth judicial circuit of the United States into two circuits, and for other purposes
- Private Law 413
- Public Law 772
74 references not yet in our index
- June 25, 1948, ch. 646
- 62 Stat. 870
- Oct. 31, 1951, ch. 655, § 34
- 65 Stat. 723
- Pub. L. 96–452, § 2
- 94 Stat. 1994
- Pub. L. 97–164, title I, § 101
- 96 Stat. 25
- Apr. 12, 1900, ch. 191, § 35
- 31 Stat. 85
- Mar. 3, 1911, ch. 231, § 116
- 36 Stat. 1131
- Jan. 28, 1915, ch. 22
- 38 Stat. 803
- Mar. 2, 1917, ch. 145, § 42
- 39 Stat. 966
- Feb. 13, 1925, ch. 229
- 43 Stat. 936
- Jan. 31, 1928, ch. 14, § 1
- 45 Stat. 54
- Feb. 28, 1929, ch. 363, § 1
- 45 Stat. 1346
- May 17, 1932, ch. 190
- 47 Stat. 158
- Act of Sept. 14, 1922, ch. 305
- 42 Stat. 837
- act Feb. 13, 1925, ch. 229, § 13
- 43 Stat. 942
- section 17 of title 28
- act Dec. 23, 1944, ch. 724
- 58 Stat. 925
- section 215 of title 28
- Aug. 24, 1937, ch. 754
- 50 Stat. 751
- Feb. 11, 1938, ch. 25
- 52 Stat. 28
- Aug. 5, 1939, ch. 433
- 53 Stat. 1204
- Aug. 7, 1939, ch. 501
- 53 Stat. 1223
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Citation graph
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§ 41
Number and composition of circuits
Stat.×72
U.S.C.×48
Bills×1
Fed. Reg.×1
ActJune 25, 1948, ch. 646
Stat.62 Stat. 870
ActOct. 31, 1951, ch. 655, § 34
Stat.65 Stat. 723
Pub. L.Pub. L. 96–452, § 2
Cites 78 · showing 9Cited by 122 across 4 sources