United States Court of Appeals for the
Federal Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal
Circuit
Established in 1982
Jurisdiction
United States (specific
subject matter)
Location
Washington, D.C.
Composition
method
Presidential nomination with
Senate confirmation
Authorized by
28 U.S.C. § 1295
Decisions are
appealed to
Supreme Court of the United
States
Judge term
length
Life tenure
Number of
positions
12
Website
http://www.cafc.uscourts.gov/
Chief Judge
Currently
Paul Redmond Michel
Since
2004
Lead position
ends
2011
The United States Court of Appeals for
the Federal Circuit (Federal Circuit, in
case citations, Fed. Cir. or C.A.F.C.) is a Un-
ited States court of appeals headquartered in
Washington, D.C.. The court was created by
Congress with passage of the Federal Courts
Improvement Act of 1982, which merged the
United States Court of Customs and Patent
Appeals and the appellate division of the Un-
ited States Court of Claims, making the
judges of the former courts into circuit
judges.[1][2]
The court occupies the Howard T. Markey
National Courts Building, the Tayloe House,
the former Cosmos Club, and the Dolley
Madison House in Washington, D.C. The
court sits from time-to-time in locations other
than Washington, and its judges can and do
sit by designation on the bench of other
courts of appeals and federal district courts.
Jurisdiction
The Federal Circuit is unique among the
courts of appeals as it is the only court that
has its jurisdiction based wholly upon subject
matter rather than geographic location. The
Federal Circuit is an appellate court with jur-
isdiction generally given in 28 U.S.C. § 1295.
The court hears certain appeals from all of
the United States District Courts, appeals
from certain administrative agencies, and ap-
peals arising under certain statutes. Among
other things, the Federal Circuit has exclus-
ive jurisdiction over appeals from:[3]
• Article I tribunals:
• United States Court of Federal Claims
• United States Court of Appeals for
Veterans Claims
• United States Trade