United States Code

28 U.S.C. § 44

Appointment, tenure, residence and salary of circuit judges

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Bills that would change it 38

  • S 3020 Judicial Efficiency Improvement Act Amends 44(a) · introduced · 119th Congress
  • S 2360 Judicial Reorganization Act of 2025 Amends 44(a) · introduced · 119th Congress
  • HR 3877 Washington, D.C. Residents Voting Act Amends 44(c), 44(a) · introduced · 119th Congress
  • HR 634 Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judgeship and Reorganization Act of 2025 Amends 44(a) · introduced · 119th Congress
  • HR 565 District of Columbia Federal Judicial Officials Residency Equality Act of 2025 Amends 44(c) · introduced · 119th Congress
  • S 51 Washington, D.C. Admission Act Amends 44(c), 44(a) · introduced · 119th Congress
  • HR 51 Washington, D.C. Admission Act Amends 44(c), 44(a) · introduced · 119th Congress
  • HR 101 Judicial Administration and Improvement Act of 2025 Amends 44(a) · introduced · 119th Congress
  • HR 7597 Federal Judgeship Act of 2024 Amends · introduced · 118th Congress
  • HR 4386 District of Columbia Federal Judicial Officials Residency Equality Act of 2023 Amends 44(c) · introduced · 118th Congress
  • S 1878 Judicial Efficiency Improvement Act Amends 44(a) · introduced · 118th Congress
  • HR 980 Washington, D.C. Residents Voting Act Amends 44(c), 44(a) · introduced · 118th Congress
  • S 51 Washington, D.C. Admission Act Amends 44(c), 44(a) · introduced · 118th Congress
  • HR 270 Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judgeship and Reorganization Act of 2023 Amends 44(a) · introduced · 118th Congress
  • HR 51 Washington, D.C. Admission Act Amends 44(c), 44(a) · introduced · 118th Congress
  • HR 88 Judicial Administration and Improvement Act of 2023 Amends 44(a) · introduced · 118th Congress
  • HR 3786 District of Columbia Federal Officials Residency Equality Act of 2021 Amends 44(c) · introduced · 117th Congress
  • HR 2614 Compact Federal District Act Amends 44(c), 44(a) · introduced · 117th Congress
  • S 2970 Judicial Reorganization Act of 2021 Amends 44(a) · introduced · 117th Congress
  • S 2968 Judicial Efficiency Improvement Act Amends 44(a) · introduced · 117th Congress
  • S 51 Washington, D.C. Admission Act Amends 44(c), 44(a) · introduced · 117th Congress
  • HR 51 Washington, D.C. Admission Act Amends 44(c), 44(a) · introduced · 117th Congress
  • HR 320 Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judgeship and Reorganization Act of 2021 Amends 44(a) · introduced · 117th Congress
  • HR 42 Judicial Administration and Improvement Act of 2021 Amends 44(a) · introduced · 117th Congress
  • HR 51 Washington, D.C. Admission Act Amends 44(c), 44(a) · introduced · 116th Congress
  • HR 5803 Washington, D.C. Admission Act Amends 44(c), 44(a) · introduced · 116th Congress
  • HR 3785 District of Columbia Federal Officials Residency Equality Act of 2019 Amends 44(c) · introduced · 116th Congress
  • S 1797 Judicial Reorganization Act of 2019 Amends 44(a) · introduced · 116th Congress
  • S 722 Judicial Efficiency Improvement Act Amends 44(a) · introduced · 116th Congress
  • HR 215 Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judgeship and Reorganization Act of 2019 Amends 44(a) · introduced · 116th Congress
  • HR 78 Judicial Administration and Improvement Act of 2019 Amends 44(a) · introduced · 116th Congress
  • HR 1598 Ninth Circuit Court Modernization and Twelfth Circuit Court Creation Act of 2017 Amends 44(a) · introduced · 115th Congress
  • S 295 Circuit Court of Appeals Restructuring and Modernization Act Amends 44(a) · introduced · 115th Congress
  • S 276 Judicial Administration and Improvement Act of 2017 Amends 44(a) · introduced · 115th Congress
  • HR 250 Judicial Administration and Improvement Act of 2016 Amends 44(a) · introduced · 115th Congress
  • HR 196 Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judgeship and Reorganization Act of 2017 Amends 44(a) · introduced · 115th Congress
  • HR 162 Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judgeship and Reorganization Act of 2011 Amends 44(a) · introduced · 112th Congress
  • HR 191 Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judgeship and Reorganization Act of 2009 Amends 44(a) · introduced · 111th Congress

The law today

From the official United States Code, current through Public Law 119-124.

(a) The President shall appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, circuit judges for the several circuits as follows: Circuits Number of Judges District of Columbia 11   First 6   Second 13   Third 14   Fourth 15   Fifth 17   Sixth 16   Seventh 11   Eighth 11   Ninth 29   Tenth 12   Eleventh 12   Federal 12. (b) Circuit judges shall hold office during good behavior. (c) Except in the District of Columbia, 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. While in active service, each circuit judge of the Federal judicial circuit appointed after the effective date of the Federal Courts Improvement Act of 1982, and the chief judge of the Federal judicial circuit, whenever appointed, shall reside within fifty miles of the District of Columbia. In each circuit (other than the Federal judicial circuit) there shall be at least one circuit judge in regular active service appointed from the residents of each state 1 in that circuit. (d) Each circuit judge shall receive a salary at an annual rate determined under section 225 of the Federal Salary Act of 1967 (2 U.S.C. 351–361), as adjusted by section 461 of this title.
Official text at uscode.house.gov ↗