United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit | |
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(5th Cir.) | |
Location | John Minor Wisdom U.S. Court of Appeals Building |
Appeals from | |
Established | June 16, 1891 |
Judges | 17 |
Circuit Justice | Samuel Alito |
Chief Judge | Jennifer Walker Elrod |
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The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (in case citations, 5th Cir.) is one of the 13 United States courts of appeals. It has appellate jurisdiction over the U.S. district courts in the following federal judicial districts:
The Fifth Circuit has 17 active judgeships, and is headquartered at the John Minor Wisdom United States Court of Appeals Building in New Orleans, Louisiana, with the clerk's office located at the F. Edward Hebert Federal Building in New Orleans. [1]
Originally, the Fifth Circuit also included the federal district courts in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. In 1981, the district courts for those states were transferred to the newly created U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.
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. The Fifth Circuit gained appellate jurisdiction over the United States District Court for the Canal Zone.
On October 1, 1981, under Pub. L. 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, which was transferred to Panamanian control.
Starting in the late 1950s, judges Elbert Parr Tuttle (chief judge 1960–67), John Minor Wisdom, John R. Brown (chief judge 1967–79), and Richard T. Rives (chief judge 1959–60) 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 usually opposed by their fellow Fifth Circuit Judge, Benjamin F. Cameron of Mississippi, until his death in 1964. [2]
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. The court temporarily relocated its administrative operations to Houston, and returned to normal operations in New Orleans in March 2007.[ citation needed ]
During his administration, President Donald Trump appointed six judges to the court, with many observers thereafter regarding it as the most conservative court of appeals. [3] [4] [5] The Fifth Circuit's reversal rate at the US Supreme Court from the beginning of the 2020 term through the end of the 2022 term was 74%, making it the 7th most frequently reversed circuit court; the average rate of reversals was 68%. [6] [7] Some members of the Supreme Court, including Chief Justice John Roberts, have indicated concern with how the Fifth Circuit approaches cases. [8] [9] [10] Several court observers have interpreted the court as being exceptionally conservative in its rulings. [11]
As of October 4,2024 [update] :
# | Title | Judge | Duty station | Born | Term of service | Appointed by | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Active | Chief | Senior | ||||||
78 | Chief Judge | Jennifer Walker Elrod | Houston, TX | 1966 | 2007–present | 2024–present | — | G.W. Bush |
63 | Circuit Judge | Edith Jones | Houston, TX | 1949 | 1985–present | 2006–2012 | — | Reagan |
64 | Circuit Judge | Jerry Edwin Smith | Houston, TX | 1946 | 1987–present | — | — | Reagan |
71 | Circuit Judge | Carl E. Stewart | Shreveport, LA | 1950 | 1994–present | 2012–2019 | — | Clinton |
77 | Circuit Judge | Priscilla Richman | Austin, TX | 1954 | 2005–present | 2019–2024 | — | G.W. Bush |
79 | Circuit Judge | Leslie H. Southwick | Jackson, MS | 1950 | 2007–present | — | — | G.W. Bush |
80 | Circuit Judge | Catharina Haynes | Dallas, TX | 1963 | 2008–present | — | — | G.W. Bush |
81 | Circuit Judge | James E. Graves Jr. | Jackson, MS | 1953 | 2011–present | — | — | Obama |
82 | Circuit Judge | Stephen A. Higginson | New Orleans, LA | 1961 | 2011–present | — | — | Obama |
84 | Circuit Judge | Don Willett | Austin, TX | 1966 | 2018–present | — | — | Trump |
85 | Circuit Judge | James C. Ho | Dallas, TX | 1973 | 2018–present | — | — | Trump |
86 | Circuit Judge | Kyle Duncan | Baton Rouge, LA | 1972 | 2018–present | — | — | Trump |
87 | Circuit Judge | Kurt D. Engelhardt | New Orleans, LA | 1960 | 2018–present | — | — | Trump |
88 | Circuit Judge | Andrew Oldham | Austin, TX | 1978 | 2018–present | — | — | Trump |
89 | Circuit Judge | Cory T. Wilson | Jackson, MS | 1970 | 2020–present | — | — | Trump |
90 | Circuit Judge | Dana Douglas | New Orleans, LA | 1975 | 2022–present | — | — | Biden |
91 | Circuit Judge | Irma Carrillo Ramirez | Dallas, TX | 1964 | 2023–present | — | — | Biden |
51 | Senior Circuit Judge | Carolyn Dineen King | Houston, TX | 1938 | 1979–2013 | 1999–2006 | 2013–present | Carter |
59 | Senior Circuit Judge | E. Grady Jolly | Jackson, MS | 1937 | 1982–2017 | — | 2017–present | Reagan |
60 | Senior Circuit Judge | Patrick Higginbotham | San Antonio, TX | 1938 | 1982–2006 | — | 2006–present | Reagan |
61 | Senior Circuit Judge | W. Eugene Davis | New Orleans, LA | 1936 | 1983–2016 | — | 2016–present | Reagan |
65 | Senior Circuit Judge | John M. Duhé Jr. | inactive | 1933 | 1988–1999 | — | 1999–present | Reagan |
66 | Senior Circuit Judge | Jacques L. Wiener Jr. | New Orleans, LA | 1934 | 1990–2010 | — | 2010–present | G.H.W. Bush |
67 | Senior Circuit Judge | Rhesa Barksdale | Jackson, MS | 1944 | 1990–2009 | — | 2009–present | G.H.W. Bush |
73 | Senior Circuit Judge | James L. Dennis | New Orleans, LA | 1936 | 1995–2022 | — | 2022–present | Clinton |
74 | Senior Circuit Judge | Edith Brown Clement | New Orleans, LA | 1948 | 2001–2018 | — | 2018–present | G.W. Bush |
# | Judge | State | Born–died | Active service | Chief Judge | Senior status | Appointed by | Reason for termination |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Don Albert Pardee | LA | 1837–1919 | 1891–1919 | — | — | Garfield / Operation of law [12] | death |
2 | Andrew Phelps McCormick | TX | 1832–1916 | 1892–1916 | — | — | B. Harrison | death |
3 | David Davie Shelby | AL | 1847–1914 | 1899–1914 | — | — | McKinley | death |
4 | Richard Wilde Walker Jr. | AL | 1857–1936 | 1914–1930 | — | 1930–1936 | Wilson | death |
5 | Robert Lynn Batts | TX | 1864–1935 | 1917–1919 | — | — | Wilson | resignation |
6 | Nathan Philemon Bryan | FL | 1872–1935 | 1920–1935 | — | — | Wilson | death |
7 | Alexander Campbell King | GA | 1856–1926 | 1920–1924 | — | — | Wilson | resignation |
8 | Rufus Edward Foster | LA | 1871–1942 | 1925–1942 | — | — | Coolidge | death |
9 | Samuel Hale Sibley | GA | 1873–1958 | 1931–1949 | — | 1949–1958 | Hoover | death |
10 | Joseph Chappell Hutcheson Jr. | TX | 1879–1973 | 1931–1964 | 1948–1959 | 1964–1973 | Hoover | death |
11 | Edwin R. Holmes | MS | 1878–1961 | 1936–1954 | — | 1954–1961 | F. Roosevelt | death |
12 | Leon Clarence McCord | AL | 1878–1952 | 1938–1951 | — | 1951–1952 | F. Roosevelt | death |
13 | Curtis L. Waller | FL | 1887–1950 | 1943–1950 | — | — | F. Roosevelt | death |
14 | Elmo Pearce Lee | LA | 1882–1949 | 1943–1949 | — | — | F. Roosevelt | death |
15 | Wayne G. Borah | LA | 1891–1966 | 1949–1956 | — | 1956–1966 | Truman | death |
16 | Robert Lee Russell | GA | 1900–1955 | 1949–1955 | — | — | Truman | death |
17 | Louie Willard Strum | FL | 1890–1954 | 1950–1954 | — | — | Truman | death |
18 | Richard Rives | AL | 1895–1982 | 1951–1966 | 1959–1960 | 1966–1981 | Truman | reassignment to 11th Cir. |
19 | Elbert Tuttle | GA | 1897–1996 | 1954–1968 | 1960–1967 | 1968–1981 | Eisenhower | reassignment to 11th Cir. |
20 | Benjamin Franklin Cameron | MS | 1890–1964 | 1955–1964 | — | — | Eisenhower | death |
21 | Warren Leroy Jones | FL | 1895–1993 | 1955–1966 | — | 1966–1981 | Eisenhower | reassignment to 11th Cir. |
22 | John Robert Brown | TX | 1909–1993 | 1955–1984 | 1967–1979 | 1984–1993 | Eisenhower | death |
23 | John Minor Wisdom | LA | 1905–1999 | 1957–1977 | — | 1977–1999 | Eisenhower | death |
24 | Griffin Bell | GA | 1918–2009 | 1961–1976 [Note 1] | — | — | Kennedy | resignation |
25 | Walter Pettus Gewin | AL | 1908–1981 | 1961–1976 [Note 1] | — | 1976–1981 | Kennedy | death |
26 | Homer Thornberry | TX | 1909–1995 | 1965–1978 | — | 1978–1995 | L. Johnson | death |
27 | James P. Coleman | MS | 1914–1991 | 1965–1981 | 1979–1981 | 1981–1984 | L. Johnson | retirement |
28 | Robert A. Ainsworth Jr. | LA | 1910–1981 | 1966–1981 | — | — | L. Johnson | death |
29 | John Cooper Godbold | AL | 1920–2009 | 1966–1981 | 1981 | — | L. Johnson | reassignment to 11th Cir. |
30 | Irving Loeb Goldberg | TX | 1906–1995 | 1966–1980 | — | 1980–1995 | L. Johnson | death |
31 | David W. Dyer | FL | 1910–1998 | 1966–1976 | — | 1976–1981 | L. Johnson | reassignment to 11th Cir. |
32 | John Milton Bryan Simpson | FL | 1903–1987 | 1966–1975 | — | 1975–1981 | L. Johnson | reassignment to 11th Cir. |
33 | Claude Feemster Clayton | MS | 1909–1969 | 1967–1969 | — | — | L. Johnson | death |
34 | Lewis Render Morgan | GA | 1913–2001 | 1968–1978 | — | 1978–1981 | L. Johnson | reassignment to 11th Cir. |
35 | G. Harrold Carswell | FL | 1919–1992 | 1969–1970 | — | — | Nixon | resignation |
36 | Charles Clark | MS | 1925–2011 | 1969–1992 | 1981–1992 | — | Nixon | retirement |
37 | Joe McDonald Ingraham | TX | 1903–1990 | 1969–1973 | — | 1973–1990 | Nixon | death |
38 | Paul Hitch Roney | FL | 1921–2006 | 1970–1981 | — | — | Nixon | reassignment to 11th Cir. |
39 | Thomas Gibbs Gee | TX | 1925–1994 | 1973–1991 | — | — | Nixon | retirement |
40 | Gerald Bard Tjoflat | FL | 1929–present | 1975–1981 | — | — | Ford | reassignment to 11th Cir. |
41 | James Clinkscales Hill | GA | 1924–2017 | 1976–1981 | — | — | Ford | reassignment to 11th Cir. |
42 | Peter T. Fay | FL | 1929–2021 | 1976–1981 | — | — | Ford | reassignment to 11th Cir. |
43 | Alvin Benjamin Rubin | LA | 1920–1991 | 1977–1989 | — | 1989–1991 | Carter | death |
44 | Robert Smith Vance | AL | 1931–1989 | 1977–1981 | — | — | Carter | reassignment to 11th Cir. |
45 | Phyllis A. Kravitch | GA | 1920–2017 | 1979–1981 | — | — | Carter | reassignment to 11th Cir. |
46 | Frank Minis Johnson | AL | 1918–1999 | 1979–1981 | — | — | Carter | reassignment to 11th Cir. |
47 | R. Lanier Anderson III | GA | 1936–present | 1979–1981 | — | — | Carter | reassignment to 11th Cir. |
48 | Reynaldo Guerra Garza | TX | 1915–2004 | 1979–1982 | — | 1982–2004 | Carter | death |
49 | Joseph W. Hatchett | FL | 1932–2021 | 1979–1981 | — | — | Carter | reassignment to 11th Cir. |
50 | Albert John Henderson | GA | 1920–1999 | 1979–1981 | — | — | Carter | reassignment to 11th Cir. |
52 | Henry Anthony Politz | LA | 1932–2002 | 1979–1999 | 1992–1999 | 1999–2002 | Carter | death |
53 | Thomas Morrow Reavley | TX | 1921–2020 | 1979–1990 | — | 1990–2020 | Carter | death |
54 | Samuel D. Johnson Jr. | TX | 1920–2002 | 1979–1991 | — | 1991–2002 | Carter | death |
55 | Albert Tate Jr. | LA | 1920–1986 | 1979–1986 | — | — | Carter | death |
56 | Thomas Alonzo Clark | FL | 1920–2005 | 1979–1981 | — | — | Carter | reassignment to 11th Cir. |
57 | Jerre Stockton Williams | TX | 1916–1993 | 1980–1990 | — | 1990–1993 | Carter | death |
58 | William Lockhart Garwood | TX | 1931–2011 | 1981–1997 | — | 1997–2011 | Reagan | death |
62 | Robert Madden Hill | TX | 1928–1987 | 1984–1987 | — | — | Reagan | death |
68 | Emilio M. Garza | TX | 1947–present | 1991–2012 | — | 2012–2015 | G.H.W. Bush | retirement |
69 | Harold R. DeMoss Jr. | TX | 1930–2020 | 1991–2007 | — | 2007–2015 | G.H.W. Bush | retirement |
70 | Fortunato Benavides | TX | 1947–2023 | 1994–2012 | — | 2012–2023 | Clinton | death |
72 | Robert Manley Parker | TX | 1937–2020 | 1994–2002 | — | — | Clinton | retirement |
75 | Edward C. Prado | TX | 1947–present | 2003–2018 | — | — | G.W. Bush | retirement |
76 | Charles W. Pickering | MS | 1937–present | 2004 [Note 2] | — | — | G.W. Bush | retirement |
83 | Gregg Costa | TX | 1972–present | 2014–2022 | — | — | Obama | resignation |
Chief Judge | |||
---|---|---|---|
Hutcheson, Jr. | 1948–1959 | ||
Rives | 1959–1960 | ||
Tuttle | 1960–1967 | ||
Brown | 1967–1979 | ||
Coleman | 1979–1981 | ||
Godbold | 1981 | ||
C. Clark | 1981–1992 | ||
Politz | 1992–1999 | ||
C. King | 1999–2006 | ||
Jones | 2006–2012 | ||
Stewart | 2012–2019 | ||
Richman | 2019–2024 | ||
Elrod | 2024–present |
Chief judges have administrative responsibilities with respect to their circuits, and preside over any panel on which they serve, unless the circuit justice (the Supreme Court justice responsible for the circuit) is also on the panel. Unlike the Supreme Court, where one justice is specifically nominated to be chief, the office of chief judge rotates among the circuit judges.
To be chief, a judge must have been in active service on the court for at least one year, be under the age of 65, and have not previously served as chief judge. A vacancy is filled by the judge highest in seniority among the group of qualified judges, with seniority determined first by commission date, then by age. The chief judge serves for a term of seven years, or until age 70, whichever occurs first. If no judge qualifies to be chief, the youngest judge over the age of 65 who has served on the court for at least one year shall act as chief until another judge qualifies. If no judge has served on the court for more than a year, the most senior judge shall act as chief. Judges can forfeit or resign their chief judgeship or acting chief judgeship while retaining their active status as a circuit judge. [13]
When the office was created in 1948, the chief judge was the longest-serving judge who had not elected to retire, on what has since 1958 been known as senior status, or declined to serve as chief judge. After August 6, 1959, judges could not become or remain chief after turning 70 years old. The current rules have been in operation since October 1, 1982. [14]
The court has had 29 seats for active judges. Twelve of these seats were reassigned to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit , leaving a seventeen-seat court. The seats are numbered in the order in which they were initially filled. Judges who assume senior status enter a kind of retirement in which they remain on the bench but vacate their seats, thus allowing the U.S. President to appoint new judges to fill their seats.
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