United States Code

28 U.S.C. § 48

Terms of court

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Bills that would change it 33

S 3020 Judicial Efficiency Improvement Act Amends 48(a) · introduced · 119th Congress
S 2360 Judicial Reorganization Act of 2025 Amends 48(a) · introduced · 119th Congress
HR 3877 Washington, D.C. Residents Voting Act Amends 48(a) · introduced · 119th Congress
HR 634 Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judgeship and Reorganization Act of 2025 Amends 48(a) · introduced · 119th Congress
S 51 Washington, D.C. Admission Act Amends 48(a) · introduced · 119th Congress
HR 101 Judicial Administration and Improvement Act of 2025 Amends 48(a) · introduced · 119th Congress
HR 51 Washington, D.C. Admission Act Amends 48(a) · introduced · 119th Congress
S 1878 Judicial Efficiency Improvement Act Amends 48(a) · introduced · 118th Congress
HR 980 Washington, D.C. Residents Voting Act Amends 48(a) · introduced · 118th Congress
S 51 Washington, D.C. Admission Act Amends 48(a) · introduced · 118th Congress
HR 270 Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judgeship and Reorganization Act of 2023 Amends 48(a) · introduced · 118th Congress
HR 51 Washington, D.C. Admission Act Amends 48(a) · introduced · 118th Congress
HR 88 Judicial Administration and Improvement Act of 2023 Amends 48(a) · introduced · 118th Congress
HR 2614 Compact Federal District Act Amends 48(a) · introduced · 117th Congress
S 2970 Judicial Reorganization Act of 2021 Amends 48(a) · introduced · 117th Congress
S 2968 Judicial Efficiency Improvement Act Amends 48(a) · introduced · 117th Congress
S 51 Washington, D.C. Admission Act Amends 48(a) · introduced · 117th Congress
HR 51 Washington, D.C. Admission Act Amends 48(a) · introduced · 117th Congress
HR 320 Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judgeship and Reorganization Act of 2021 Amends 48(a) · introduced · 117th Congress
HR 42 Judicial Administration and Improvement Act of 2021 Amends 48(a) · introduced · 117th Congress
HR 51 Washington, D.C. Admission Act Amends 48(a) · introduced · 116th Congress
HR 5803 Washington, D.C. Admission Act Amends 48(a) · introduced · 116th Congress
S 1797 Judicial Reorganization Act of 2019 Amends 48(a) · introduced · 116th Congress
S 722 Judicial Efficiency Improvement Act Amends 48(a) · introduced · 116th Congress
HR 215 Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judgeship and Reorganization Act of 2019 Amends 48(a) · introduced · 116th Congress
HR 78 Judicial Administration and Improvement Act of 2019 Amends 48(a) · introduced · 116th Congress
HR 1598 Ninth Circuit Court Modernization and Twelfth Circuit Court Creation Act of 2017 Amends 48(a) · introduced · 115th Congress
S 276 Judicial Administration and Improvement Act of 2017 Amends 48(a) · introduced · 115th Congress
S 295 Circuit Court of Appeals Restructuring and Modernization Act Amends 48(a) · introduced · 115th Congress
HR 250 Judicial Administration and Improvement Act of 2016 Amends 48(a) · introduced · 115th Congress
HR 196 Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judgeship and Reorganization Act of 2017 Amends 48(a) · introduced · 115th Congress
HR 162 Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judgeship and Reorganization Act of 2011 Amends 48(a) · introduced · 112th Congress
HR 191 Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judgeship and Reorganization Act of 2009 Amends 48(a) · introduced · 111th Congress

The law today

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

(a) The courts of appeals shall hold regular sessions at the places listed below, and at such other places within the respective circuit as each court may designate by rule. Circuits Places District of Columbia Washington. First Boston. Second New York. Third Philadelphia. Fourth Richmond, Asheville. Fifth New Orleans, Fort Worth, Jackson. Sixth Cincinnati. Seventh Chicago. Eighth St. Louis, Kansas City, Omaha, St. Paul. Ninth San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle. Tenth Denver, Wichita, Oklahoma City. Eleventh Atlanta, Jacksonville, Montgomery. Federal District of Columbia, and in any other place listed above as the court by rule directs. (b) Each court of appeals may hold special sessions at any place within its circuit as the nature of the business may require, and upon such notice as the court orders. The court may transact any business at a special session which it might transact at a regular session. (c) Any court of appeals may pretermit any regular session of court at any place for insufficient business or other good cause. (d) The times and places of the sessions of the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit shall be prescribed with a view to securing reasonable opportunity to citizens to appear before the court with as little inconvenience and expense to citizens as is practicable. (e) Each court of appeals may hold special sessions at any place within the United States outside the circuit as the nature of the business may require and upon such notice as the court orders, upon a finding by either the chief judge of the court of appeals (or, if the chief judge is unavailable, the most senior available active judge of the court of appeals) or the judicial council of the circuit that, because of emergency conditions, no location within the circuit is reasonably available where such special sessions could be held. The court may transact any business at a special session outside the circuit which it might transact at a regular session. (f) If a court of appeals issues an order exercising its authority under subsection (e), the court— (1) through the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, shall— (A) send notice of such order, including the reasons for the issuance of such order, to the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives; and (B) not later than 180 days after the expiration of such court order submit a brief report to the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives describing the impact of such order, including— (i) the reasons for the issuance of such order; (ii) the duration of such order; (iii) the impact of such order on litigants; and (iv) the costs to the judiciary resulting from such order; and (2) shall provide reasonable notice to the United States Marshals Service before the commencement of any special session held pursuant to such order.

Official text at uscode.house.gov ↗