The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, or simply the Federal Circuit, was founded in 1982 to combine similar federal cases to a specialized appellate court.

Pursuant to , the Federal Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over:

• Article I tribunals:
  • United States Court of Federal Claims
  • United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
  • United States Trademark Trial and Appeal Board
  • United States Board of Appeals and Interferences of the United States Patent and Trademark Office
  • Boards of Contract Appeals (for government contracts)
  • United States Merit Systems Protection Board (federal employment and employment benefits)
  • United States International Trade Commission

• Article III tribunals:
  • United States Court of International Trade
  • United States District Courts (for patent and certain other appeals)

The Federal Circuit is the only judicial circuit that has its jurisdiction based wholly on subject matter rather than geographical location. It hears all appeals from United States district courts arising from non-tort monetary complaints against the federal government under $10,000 (the "Little Tucker Act"). It also hears all appeals from any of the United States district courts where the original action included a complaint arising under the patent laws, but not if the patent claims arose solely as counter-claims by the defendant (Holmes Group, Inc. v. Vornado Air Circulation Systems, Inc., 2002).Possible amendment to eliminate this provision was proposed on June 16, 2005 in House bill 109 H.R. 2955. Though other appellate courts can now hear patents claims in theory, this has not happened often.

The court meets in Washington, DC, and occupies the Howard T. Markey National Courts Building, named for the court's first chief judge, the Tayloe House, the former Cosmos Club, and the Dolley Madison House.

Current composition of the court

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As of Raymond Clevenger's assumption of senior status on February 1, 2006, the judges on the court are:

^(a) Reassigned from the United States Court of Claims pursuant to the Federal Courts Improvement Act of 1982, 96 Stat. 25.

Pending nominations

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• On May 18, 2006, President George W. Bush nominated Kimberly Ann Moore to fill Seat 3 vacated by Raymond Charles Clevenger III.

List of former judges

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^(a) Reassigned from the United States Court of Claims pursuant to the Federal Courts Improvement Act of 1982, 96 Stat. 25.

^(b) Reassigned from the United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals pursuant to the Federal Courts Improvement Act of 1982, 96 Stat. 25.

Chief judges

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Succession of seats

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The court has twelve seats for active judges, numbered in alphabetical order by their occupant at the time the court was formed, with the sole vacant seat being numbered last. Judges who retire into senior status remain on the bench but leave their seat vacant. That seat is filled by the next circuit judge appointed by the President.

See also

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• Federal Circuit Bar Association
• Federal judicial appointment history#Federal Circuit

Notes

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References

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• • source for Judge Cowen being inactive
• • source for the duty stations for senior judges
• • source for the state, lifetime, term of active judgeship, term of chief judgeship, term of senior judgeship, appointer, termination reason, and seat information

Further reading

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External links

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• United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
• Recent opinions from Findlaw
• The Federal Circuit Bar Association
• The Federal Circuit Historical Society
• Federal Judicial Center page on the Federal Courts Improvement Act of 1982

United States patent law | United States Courts of Appeals