Defunct circuit courts

The original Circuit Court, established by the Judiciary Act of 1789, was the trial court of the federal judiciary. This lasted from 1789 until the Judicial Code of 1911 abolished them. Major changes to the structure and jurisdiction of these courts occurred in 1866, 1869, 1891 and 1912.

Judiciary Act of 1789

The Judiciary Act of 1789 created the federal court system outlined in Article III of the United States Constitution. The Constitution gave the United States Congress the authority to create all courts besides the Supreme Court of the United States.

The Circuit Courts were created as the trial courts of the federal judiciary. These courts were presided over by two Supreme Court justices and a local district judge. Supreme Court justices were assigned to hear cases in one of three circuits and had to travel throughout the region, known as "circuit riding."

The Circuit Courts had limited appellate jurisdiction, in addition to general jurisdiction. According to the Federal Judicial Center, authorizing the Circuit Courts to hear cases between parties from different states greatly strengthened the federal judiciary.

Judiciary Act of 1801

The outgoing Federalist-controlled Congress passed the Judiciary Act of 1801, which created six distinct judicial circuits in order to increase the power of the judiciary. It also created three judgeships for five out of six circuits. Justices of the Supreme Court were not required to preside over these courts, nor "ride circuit."

Judiciary Act of 1802

One year later, the new Democratic-Republican Congress repealed the Judiciary Act of 1801 and passed the Judiciary Act of 1802. The new act kept the six circuits created by the previous act, but eliminated the separate judgeships associated with the courts. Supreme Court Justices were again required to attend court within their circuit, though now the local district court judge had authority to hold court even if the Justice was not present.

Expansion of the system

Major changes to the circuit system are outlined in the timeline below:

• 1855: The U.S. Circuit Court for the California Circuit was created.
• 1863: The U.S. Circuit Court for the California Circuit was disassembled. In its place, the district courts of California and Oregon were placed within a newly created Tenth Circuit.
• 1866: The Judicial Circuits Act of 1866 reorganized the circuits in the thirty-six state nation, reducing the number of circuits from ten to nine.
• 1869: A judgeship was created for each of the nine circuits. These circuit judges had the same authority as the Justice of the Supreme Court who presided over the circuit.
• 1891: The U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals were created with appellate jurisdiction.
• 1912: The U.S. Circuit Courts, which had served as trial courts, were disassembled.

See also

• United States court reorganization legislation

External links

• The United States Circuit Court from www.nhd.uscourts.gov, the website of the District of New Hampshire
• Federal Judicial Center, "Judicial Administration and Organization: The Federal Judicial Circuits"