- United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
-
United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
(3d Cir.)
Location Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Appeals from - District of Delaware
- District of New Jersey
- Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- Middle District of Pennsylvania
- Western District of Pennsylvania
- District of the Virgin Islands
Established June 16, 1891 Chief judge Theodore A. McKee Active judges 13 and 1 vacancy Senior judges 10 Official site The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (in case citations, 3d Cir.) is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts for the following districts:
- District of Delaware
- District of New Jersey
- Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- Middle District of Pennsylvania
- Western District of Pennsylvania
It also has appellate jurisdiction over the District Court of the Virgin Islands which, in spite of the name, is a territorial court and belongs to no federal judicial district.
The court is composed of 14 active judges and is based at the James A. Byrne Courthouse in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is one of thirteen United States courts of appeals.
Contents
Current composition of the court
Active
As of June 2011[update], the active judges on the court are as follows (chief judge in bold)[1]:
# Judge Duty station[2] Born Appointed Chief Appointed by 50 Theodore A. McKee Philadelphia, PA 1947 1994 2010— Clinton 38 Dolores Korman Sloviter Philadelphia, PA 1932 1979 1991–1998 Carter 44 Anthony Joseph Scirica Philadelphia, PA 1940 1987 2003–2010 Reagan 52 Marjorie O. Rendell Philadelphia, PA 1947 1997 —— Clinton 54 Thomas L. Ambro Wilmington, DE 1949 2000 —— Clinton 55 Julio M. Fuentes Newark, NJ 1946 2000 —— Clinton 56 D. Brooks Smith Duncansville, PA 1951 2002 —— G.W. Bush 58 D. Michael Fisher Pittsburgh, PA 1944 2003 —— G.W. Bush 60 Michael Chagares Newark, NJ 1962 2006 —— G.W. Bush 61 Kent A. Jordan Wilmington, DE 1957 2006 —— G.W. Bush 62 Thomas M. Hardiman Pittsburgh, PA 1965 2007 —— G.W. Bush 63 Joseph A. Greenaway Newark, NJ 1957 2010 —— Obama 64 Thomas I. Vanaskie Scranton, PA 1953 2010 —— Obama - vacant n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a On June 30, 2011, Maryanne Trump Barry assumed senior status and created a vacancy on the court. On October 5, 2011, President Obama nominated New Jersey federal magistrate judge Patty Shwartz to fill this seat. Her nomination is currently pending.
Senior
# Judge Duty station[2] Born Active service Chief Senior
sinceAppointed by 28 Ruggero J. Aldisert Santa Barbara, CA 1919 1968–1986 1984–1986 1986 L. Johnson 35 Joseph F. Weis, Jr. Pittsburgh, PA 1923 1973–1988 —— 1988 Nixon 36 Leonard I. Garth Newark, NJ 1921 1973–1986 —— 1986 Nixon 41 Walter King Stapleton Wilmington, DE 1934 1985–1999 —— 1999 Reagan 42 Morton Ira Greenberg Trenton, NJ 1933 1987–2000 —— 2000 Reagan 45 Robert E. Cowen Trenton, NJ 1930 1987–1998 —— 1998 Reagan 46 Richard Lowell Nygaard Erie, PA 1940 1988–2005 —— 2005 Reagan 48 Jane Richards Roth Wilmington, DE 1935 1991–2006 —— 2006 G.H.W. Bush 53 Maryanne Trump Barry Newark, NJ 1937 1999–2011 —— 2011 Clinton 59 Franklin Stuart Van Antwerpen Easton, PA 1941 2004–2006 —— 2006 G.W. Bush List of former judges
# Judge State Born/Died Active Chief Senior Appointed by Reason for
termination1 Marcus Wilson Acheson PA 1828–1906 1891–1906 —— —— [3] death 2 George M. Dallas PA 1839–1917 1892–1909 —— —— B. Harrison retirement 3 George Gray[4] DE 1840–1925 1899–1914 —— —— McKinley retirement 4 Joseph Buffington[4] PA 1855–1947 1906–1938 —— 1938–1947 T. Roosevelt death 5 William Mershon Lanning NJ 1849–1912 1909–1912 —— —— Taft death 6 John Bayard McPherson PA 1846–1919 1912–1919 —— —— Taft death 7 Victor Baynard Woolley DE 1867–1945 1914–1938 —— 1938–1945 Wilson death 8 Thomas Griffith Haight[4] NJ 1879–1942 1919–1920 —— —— Wilson resignation 9 John Warren Davis NJ 1867–1945 1920–1939 —— 1939–1941 Wilson resignation 10 Joseph Whitaker Thompson PA 1861–1946 1931–1938 —— 1938–1946 Hoover death 11 John Biggs, Jr. DE 1895–1979 1937–1965 1948–1965 1965–1979 F. Roosevelt death 12 Albert Branson Maris PA 1893–1989 1938–1958 —— 1958–1989 F. Roosevelt death 13 William Clark NJ 1891–1957 1938–1943 —— —— F. Roosevelt resignation 14 Francis Biddle PA 1886–1968 1939–1940 —— —— F. Roosevelt resignation 15 Charles Alvin Jones PA 1887–1966 1939–1944 —— —— F. Roosevelt resignation 16 Herbert Funk Goodrich PA 1889–1962 1940–1962 —— —— F. Roosevelt death 17 Gerald McLaughlin NJ 1893–1977 1943–1968 —— 1968–1977 F. Roosevelt death 18 John Joseph O'Connell PA 1894–1949 1945–1949 —— —— Truman death 19 Harry Ellis Kalodner PA 1896–1977 1946–1969 1965–1966 1969–1977 Truman death 20 William Henry Hastie[4] VI 1904–1976 1949–1971 1968–1971 1971–1976 Truman death 21 Austin Leander Staley PA 1902–1978 1950–1967 1966–1967 1967–1978 Truman death 22 Phillip Forman NJ 1895–1978 1959–1961 —— 1961–1978 Eisenhower death 23 James Cullen Ganey PA 1899–1972 1961–1966 —— 1966–1972 Kennedy death 24 William Francis Smith NJ 1903–1968 1961–1968 —— —— Kennedy death 25 Abraham Lincoln Freedman PA 1904–1971 1964–1971 —— —— L. Johnson death 26 Collins Jacques Seitz DE 1914–1998 1966–1989 1971–1984 1989–1998 L. Johnson death 27 Francis Lund Van Dusen PA 1912–1993 1967–1977 —— 1977–1993 L. Johnson death 29 David Henry Stahl PA 1920–1970 1968–1970 —— —— L. Johnson death 30 Arlin M. Adams PA 1921– 1969–1987 —— —— Nixon retirement 31 John Joseph Gibbons NJ 1924– 1969–1990 1987–1990 —— Nixon retirement 32 Max Rosenn PA 1910–2006 1970–1981 —— 1981–2006 Nixon death 33 James Rosen NJ 1909–1972 1971–1972 —— —— Nixon death 34 James Hunter III NJ 1916–1989 1971–1986 —— 1986–1989 Nixon death 37 Aloyisus Leon Higginbotham, Jr. PA 1928–1998 1977–1991 1990–1991 1991–1993 Carter retirement 39 Edward Roy Becker[5] PA 1933–2006 1981–2003 1998–2003 2003–2006 Reagan death 40 Carol Los Mansmann PA 1942–2002 1985–2002 —— —— Reagan death 43 William D. Hutchinson PA 1932–1995 1987–1995 —— —— Reagan death 47 Samuel A. Alito, Jr. NJ 1950– 1990–2006 —— —— G.H.W. Bush elevation to Supreme Court 49 Timothy K. Lewis PA 1954– 1992–1999 —— —— G.H.W. Bush resignation 51 H. Lee Sarokin NJ 1928– 1994–1996 —— —— Clinton retirement 57 Michael Chertoff NJ 1953– 2003–2005 —— —— G.W. Bush resignation to become United
States Secretary of Homeland SecurityChief judges
Chief Judge Biggs 1948–1965 Kalodner 1965–1966 Hastie 1968–1971 Staley 1966–1967 Seitz 1971–1984 Aldisert 1984–1986 Gibbons 1987–1990 Higginbotham 1990–1991 Sloviter 1991–1998 Becker 1998–2003 Scirica 2003–2010 McKee 2010–present Chief judges have administrative responsibilities with respect to their circuits, and preside over any panel on which they serve unless the circuit justice (i.e., 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. The chief judge serves for a term of seven years or until age 70, whichever occurs first. The age restrictions are waived if no members of the court would otherwise be qualified for the position.
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 chief after turning 70 years old. The current rules have been in operation since October 1, 1982.
Succession of seats
The court has fourteen seats for active judges, numbered in the order in which they were filled. Judges who retire into senior status remain on the bench but leave their seat vacant. That seat is filled by the next circuit judge appointed by the president.
Seat 1 Established on December 10, 1869 by the Judiciary Act of 1869 as a circuit judgeship for the Third Circuit Reassigned on June 16, 1891 to the newly formed United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit by the Judiciary Act of 1891 Acheson PA 1891–1906 Buffington PA 1906–1938 Biddle PA 1939–1940 Goodrich PA 1940–1962 Freedman PA 1964–1971 Weis PA 1973–1988 Nygaard PA 1988–2005 Hardiman PA 2007–present Seat 2 Established on June 16, 1891 by the Judiciary Act of 1891 Dallas PA 1892–1909 Lanning NJ 1909–1912 McPherson PA 1912–1919 Haight NJ 1919–1920 Davis NJ 1920–1939 Jones PA 1939–1944 Kalodner PA 1946–1969 Adams PA 1969–1987 Hutchinson PA 1987–1995 Rendell PA 1997–present Seat 3 Established on February 23, 1899 by 30 Stat. 846 Gray DE 1899–1914 Woolley DE 1914–1938 Maris PA 1938–1958 Forman NJ 1959–1961 W. Smith NJ 1961–1968 Hunter NJ 1971–1986 Cowen NJ 1987–1998 Fuentes NJ 2000–present Seat 4 Established on June 10, 1930 by 46 Stat. 538 Thompson PA 1931–1938 Clark NJ 1938–1943 McLaughlin NJ 1943–1968 Gibbons NJ 1969–1990 Alito NJ 1990–2006 Greenaway NJ 2010–present Seat 5 Established as a temporary judgeship on June 24, 1936 by 49 Stat. 1903 Made permanent on May 31, 1938 by 52 Stat. 584 Biggs DE 1937–1965 Seitz DE 1966–1989 Roth DE 1991–2006 Jordan DE 2006–present Seat 6 Established on December 7, 1944 by 58 Stat. 796 O'Connell PA 1945–1949 Staley PA 1950–1967 Aldisert 1968–1986 Scirica PA 1987–present Seat 7 Established on August 3, 1949 by 63 Stat. 493 Hastie VI 1949–1971 Rosen NJ 1971–1972 Garth NJ 1973–1986 Greenberg NJ 1987–2000 Chertoff NJ 2003–2005 Chagares NJ 2006–present Seat 8 Established on May 19, 1961 by 75 Stat. 80 Ganey PA 1961–1966 Van Dusen PA 1967–1977 Higginbotham PA 1977–1991 McKee PA 1994–present Seat 9 Established on June 18, 1968 by 82 Stat. 184 Stahl PA 1968–1970 Rosenn PA 1970–1981 Becker PA 1981–2003 Van Antwerpen PA 2004–2006 Vanaskie PA 2010–present Seat 10 Established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 Sloviter PA 1979–present Seat 11 Established on July 10, 1984 by 98 Stat. 333 Mansmann PA 1985–2002 Fisher PA 2003–present Seat 12 Established on July 10, 1984 by 98 Stat. 333 Stapleton DE 1985–1999 Ambro DE 2000–present Seat 13 Established on December 1, 1990 by 104 Stat. 5089 Lewis PA 1992–1999 B. Smith PA 2002–present Seat 14 Established on December 1, 1990 by 104 Stat. 5089 Sarokin NJ 1994–1996 Barry NJ 1999–present See also
- Federal judicial appointment history#Third Circuit
References
- ^ "U. S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit". Official website of the Federal Judicial Center. Archived from the original on 2005-05-25. http://web.archive.org/web/20050525102811/http://www.fjc.gov/history/home.nsf/usca_03_frm?OpenFrameSet. Retrieved 2005-05-30.
- ^ a b "Third Circuit Court of Appeals Judges" (PDF). Official website of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. http://www.ca3.uscourts.gov/judgelist/coa-jdgs.pdf. Retrieved 2005-05-30.
- ^ Acheson was appointed as a circuit judge for the Third Circuit in 1891 by Benjamin Harrison. The Judiciary Act of 1891 reassigned his seat to what is now the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
- ^ a b c d Recess appointment, confirmed by the United States Senate at a later date.
- ^ Weiner, Tim (2006-05-20). "Edward R. Becker, 73, Judge on Federal Court of Appeals, Dies". The New York Times (The New York Times Company). http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/20/us/20becker.html?_r=1&oref=slogin. Retrieved 2006-05-21.
External links
United States courts of appeals 
1st Circuit · 2nd Circuit · 3rd Circuit · 4th Circuit · 5th Circuit · 6th Circuit · 7th Circuit · 8th Circuit · 9th Circuit · 10th Circuit · 11th Circuit · DC Circuit · Federal CircuitCategories:- United States courts of appeals
- Government of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
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