Overview

The United States courts of appeals, commonly called the circuit courts, serve as the intermediate appellate tribunals of the federal judiciary. They review final decisions from the federal district courts and, in some cases, orders from designated federal agencies or specialized courts. A court of appeals decides questions of law and whether the trial or administrative record supports the conclusions below; it does not hold trials or receive new evidence. These bodies are often described as the intermediate appellate courts because they sit between trial courts and the Supreme Court.

Organization and jurisdiction

There are multiple circuits covering geographic regions and one national appellate court with subject-matter jurisdiction. Each court is staffed by judges who are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate and who normally serve under lifetime appointment. Panels of three judges usually hear appeals; a larger group of judges may rehear a case en banc under the court's rules. The courts decide appeals as of right from district courts and handle certain appeals from federal agencies and specialized tribunals.

How cases proceed

An appeal typically begins when a party files a notice of appeal and submits written briefs explaining legal arguments. Oral argument may follow. Judges review the administrative or trial record, apply standards of review—legal questions often examined de novo, factual findings reviewed for clear error, and procedural rulings for abuse of discretion—and issue opinions. Published opinions become part of the court's body of precedent; unpublished dispositions may be limited in precedential effect.

Key features

  • Binding precedent within a circuit guides district courts in that circuit.
  • Decisions may be reviewed by the Supreme Court, usually through discretionary certiorari.
  • There is one specialized national appellate court that hears appeals on particular subjects.

History and development

The modern system of intermediate federal appellate courts developed to relieve pressure on the Supreme Court and to provide regional bodies to resolve federal legal questions. Over time the courts of appeals became the courts of last resort for most federal litigation because the Supreme Court accepts only a small fraction of petitions for review. Their published opinions shape the development of federal law across wide areas.

Importance and distinctions

Circuit decisions create binding rules for trial courts within the same circuit, which can produce differences in law among regions until the Supreme Court resolves a conflict. The courts of appeals thus play a central role in clarifying statutes, constitutional doctrine, and administrative law. Readers can learn more about appellate procedures and specific circuits through resources that explain appeals in greater detail: see general information about appeals, the role of intermediate appellate courts, and how district and circuit courts interact via district court records and filings.