Circuits are the regional division under the United States Federal Courts system. There are 12 regional circuits organized from the 94 U.S. judicial districts. The Thirteenth Circuit is the Federal Judicial Circuit, which has nationwide jurisdiction over certain appeals based on subject matter.
Pursuant to 28 USCS § 41 the thirteen judicial circuits of the United States are constituted as follows:
Circuits | Composition |
| District of Columbia | District of Columbia |
| First Circuit | Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island |
| Second Circuit | Connecticut, New York, Vermont |
| Third Circuit | Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virgin Islands |
| Fourth Circuit | Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia |
| Fifth Circuit | District of the Canal Zone, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas |
| Sixth Circuit | Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee |
| Seventh Circuit | Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin |
| Eighth Circuit | Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota |
| Ninth Circuit | Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Guam, Hawaii |
| Tenth Circuit | Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah, Wyoming. |
| Eleventh Circuit | Alabama, Florida, Georgia. |
| Federal Circuit | All Federal Judicial Districts. |
Under 28 USCS § 44 (a), the President appoints the Circuit Judges for the several circuits by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, as follows:
Circuits | Number of Judges |
| District of Columbia | 11 |
| First Circuit | 6 |
| Second Circuit | 13 |
| Third Circuit | 14 |
| Fourth Circuit | 15 |
| Fifth Circuit | 17 |
| Sixth Circuit | 16 |
| Seventh Circuit | 11 |
| Eighth Circuit | 11 |
| Ninth Circuit | 29 |
| Tenth Circuit | 12 |
| Eleventh Circuit | 12 |
| Federal Circuit | 12 |
28 USCS § 44 (c) provides that each circuit judge shall be a resident of the Circuit for which appointed at the time of his appointment and thereafter while in active service. An exception to this rule is District of Columbia.
