United States Court Of Appeals For The Fifth Circuit

United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (in short, the Fifth Circuit or 5th Circuit) is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:

• Eastern District of Louisiana
• Middle District of Louisiana
• Western District of Louisiana
• Northern District of Mississippi
• Southern District of Mississippi
• Eastern District of Texas
• Northern District of Texas
• Southern District of Texas
• Western District of Texas

Established on June 16, 1891, the court is located in the John Minor Wisdom United States Court of Appeals Building in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is one of thirteen United States courts of appeals.

Jurisdiction and Composition

The Fifth Circuit hears appeals from the federal district courts in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. It has appellate jurisdiction over cases concerning federal law, including civil rights, bankruptcy, federal criminal prosecutions, and many other areas of law.

As of [date of last update], the court consists of [number] active judgeships. The judges are appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate. They serve lifetime appointments under Article III of the United States Constitution, with retirement or removal being the only means of vacating the office.

Notable Cases

The Fifth Circuit has presided over several landmark cases, including:

• Roe v. Wade (initially heard as Jane Roe v. Henry Wade), which was later appealed to the United States Supreme Court and led to the landmark decision legalizing abortion nationwide.
• United States v. Texas, a significant case regarding immigration policy and executive action by the President of the United States.

Procedure

Appeals are heard by a panel of three judges, selected from the active judges and occasionally senior judges of the court. In rare instances, the court may sit en banc, where all active judges hear a case together. This is typically reserved for cases of exceptional importance or to resolve conflicts in the court's decisions.

Criticism and Controversy

The Fifth Circuit has been at the center of several controversies and criticisms, often related to its decisions on civil rights, death penalty cases, and its perceived conservative leanings. Critics argue that the court's decisions sometimes reflect political or ideological biases, while supporters contend that the judges are strictly interpreting the law without regard to political pressures.

See Also

• United States Court of Appeals
• Federal judiciary of the United States
• List of current United States Circuit Judges

External Links

• Official website of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

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