United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:
* 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 is composed of seventeen active judges and is based at the John Minor Wisdom U.S. Courthouse in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is one of thirteen United States courts of appeals.

History of the court

This court was created by the Evarts Act on June 16, 1891, which moved the circuit judges and appellate jurisdiction from the Circuit Courts of the Fifth Circuit to this court. At the time of its creation, the Fifth Circuit covered Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas.

On June 25, 1948, the Panama Canal Zone was added to the Fifth Circuit by 62 Stat. 870.

On October 1, 1981, under Public Law 96-452, the Fifth Circuit was split: Alabama, Georgia, and Florida were moved to the new Eleventh Circuit.

On March 31, 1982, the Fifth Circuit lost jurisdiction over the Panama Canal Zone as the Canal Zone transitioned to Panamanian control.

The Fifth Circuit Four

During the late 1950s, Chief Judge Elbert Tuttle and his three colleagues John Minor Wisdom, John Brown, and Richard Rives became known as the "Fifth Circuit Four" (or simply "The Four") for decisions crucial in advancing the civil rights of African-Americans; in this they were opposed by Ben Cameron.

Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans on August 29, 2005, devastating the city and slightly damaging the John Minor Wisdom Courthouse. All deadlines concerning filings were extended, but the court has now returned to normal operations in New Orleans. Litigants should check the court's website for updates.

Current composition of the court

As of Edith Jones' ascension to the chief judgeship on January 16, 2006, the judges on the court are:

^(a) Prior to January 1, 1988, King was named Carolyn Dineen Randall.

Pending nominations

* On February 8, 2006, President George W. Bush nominated Michael Brunson Wallace to Seat 21 vacated by Charles W. Pickering.

List of former judges

^(a) Pardee was appointed as a circuit judge for the Fifth Circuit in 1881 by James A. Garfield. The Judiciary Act of 1891 reassigned his seat to what is now the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

^(b) Recess appointment, confirmed by the Senate at a later date.

^(c) Recess appointment, never confirmed or rejected by the Senate.

Chief judges

Succession of seats

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Notes

References

Books:* :** a journalist's history of the Fifth Circuit's struggles with state officials determined to resist desegregation.Web references:* :** primary but incomplete source for the duty stations:* :** secondary source for the duty stations:** data is current to 2002:** Judge Owen's duty station comes from a third source:* :** source for the state, lifetime, term of active judgeship, term of chief judgeship, term of senior judgeship, appointer, termination reason, and seat information

External links

* United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
* Recent opinions from FindLaw

United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit: Encyclopedia BETA

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