Thirteen. Each Justice is assigned one or more Circuits over which he or she is responsible for emergency petitions and certain other administrative duties. The Supreme Court of the United States website (see Related Links, below) publishes a new list whenever the assignments change.
The list as of August 17, 2009, is posted below.
ALLOTMENT ORDER
It is ordered that the following allotment be made of the Chief Justice and the Associate Justices of this Court among the circuits, pursuant to Title 28, United States Code, Section 42 and that such allotment be entered of record, effective August 17, 2009.
For the District of Columbia Circuit, John G. Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice,
For the First Circuit, Stephen Breyer, Associate Justice,
For the Second Circuit, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice,
For the Third Circuit, Samuel A. Alito, Jr., Associate Justice,
For the Fourth Circuit, John G. Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice,
For the Fifth Circuit, Antonin Scalia, Associate Justice,
For the Sixth Circuit, John Paul Stevens, Associate Justice,
For the Seventh Circuit, John Paul Stevens, Associate Justice,
For the Eighth Circuit, Samuel A. Alito, Jr., Associate Justice,
For the Ninth Circuit, Anthony M. Kennedy, Associate Justice,
For the Tenth Circuit, Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice,
For the Eleventh Circuit, Clarence Thomas, Associate Justice,
For the Federal Circuit, John G. Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice.
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Each Justice is assigned one or more Circuits over which he or she is responsible for emergency petitions and certain other administrative duties. The Supreme Court of the United States website (see Related Links, below) publishes a new list whenever the assignments change.
The list as of September 28, 2010, is posted below.
ALLOTMENT ORDER
It is ordered that the following allotment be made of the Chief Justice and the Associate Justices of this Court among the circuits, pursuant to Title 28, United States Code, Section 42 and that such allotment be entered of record, effective September 28, 2010.
For the District of Columbia Circuit, John G. Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice,
For the First Circuit, Stephen Breyer, Associate Justice,
For the Second Circuit, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice,
For the Third Circuit, Samuel A. Alito, Jr., Associate Justice,
For the Fourth Circuit, John G. Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice,
For the Fifth Circuit, Antonin Scalia, Associate Justice,
For the Sixth Circuit, Elena Kagan, Associate Justice,
For the Seventh Circuit, Elena Kagan, Associate Justice,
For the Eighth Circuit, Samuel A. Alito, Jr., Associate Justice,
For the Ninth Circuit, Anthony M. Kennedy, Associate Justice,
For the Tenth Circuit, Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice,
For the Eleventh Circuit, Clarence Thomas, Associate Justice,
For the Federal Circuit, John G. Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice.
[Updated: May 6, 2011]
13 federal district courts, 3 circuit courts, and 1 supreme court
There are several levels of courts. In the federal circuit is starts from district courts up to the Supreme Court of the United States. There are also several special interest courts like immigration courts and bankruptcy courts.
Constitutional federal courts are either created or allowed to be created under Article III of the Constitution. For instance, federal district courts and circuit court of appeals are Constitutional federal courts. The Supreme Court also falls under the category of Constitutional Federal Courts and it is the highest court in America. Legislative federal courts, on the other hand, are established by Congress using implied power. For instance, the Court of Military Appeals is a legislative federal court.
In the Federal court system, the district courts are the "lowest" courts. Cases usually start in district court and are decided there. The circuit courts are courts of appeal. That means that you can appeal a district court's ruling to the circuit court (and then to the Supreme Court, if you still don't like the ruling). In that sense, the circuit courts are "higher" than the district courts.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit sits below the United States Supreme Court but above the United States District Courts. It receives appeals relating to complaints regarding patent laws and other subjects.