The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (in case citations, 5th Cir.) is a United States federal court, federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the United States district court, district courts in the following United States federal judicial district, federal judicial districts: * United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, Eastern District of Louisiana * United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana * United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, Western District of Louisiana * United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi, Northern District of Mississippi * United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, Southern District of Mississippi * United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Eastern District of Texas * United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Northern District of Texas * United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas * United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, Western District of Texas 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. Originally, the Fifth Circuit also included the federal district courts in Alabama, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, and Florida. In 1981, the district courts for those states were transferred to the newly created United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.

History of the court

This court was created by the Judiciary Act of 1891, 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 (U.S. state), 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 , the Fifth Circuit was split: Alabama, Georgia, and Florida were moved to the new United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, Eleventh Circuit. On March 31, 1982, the Fifth Circuit lost jurisdiction over the Panama Canal Zone, which was transferred to Panamanian control.

The Fifth Circuit Four

During the late 1950s, Chief Judge Elbert Tuttle and three of his colleagues (John Minor Wisdom, John Brown (judge), John Brown, and Richard Rives) became known as the "Fifth Circuit Four", or simply "The Four", for decisions crucial in advancing the Civil and political rights, civil rights of African Americans. In this, they were usually opposed by their fellow Fifth Circuit Judge, Benjamin Franklin Cameron, Benjamin F. Cameron of Mississippi, until his death in 1964.That Fascinating and Frenetic Fifth
" Time Magazine, 1964-12-04.

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. The court temporarily relocated its administrative operations to Houston, and returned to normal operations in New Orleans in March 2007.

Current composition of the court

Vacancies and pending nominations

List of former judges

Chief judges

Succession of seats

References

External links

United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

Recent Fifth Circuit opinions from FindLaw

Criminal law opinions from the Fifth Circuit

Business litigation opinions from the Fifth Circuit
{{DEFAULTSORT:United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, New Orleans 1891 establishments in the United States Courts and tribunals established in 1891