This resource page is directed towards students and education professionals looking for information about the Ninth Circuit. A general overview about the federal court system is provided here, in addition to specific information regarding court sponsored "Law Day" programs for students and teachers.
Ninth Circuit Overview
Within the Ninth Circuit are the Districts of Alaska, Arizona, Central California, Eastern California, Northern California, Southern California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Eastern Washington, Western Washington, the U.S. Territory of Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The establishment of the Ninth Circuit in 1866 began the development of the federal judicial system for the western United States. Today, it is the largest and busiest of federal circuits.
Judges serving on the circuit and district courts are known as Article III judges, a reference to the article in the U.S. Constitution establishing the federal judiciary. Article III judges are nominated by the President, confirmed by the Senate and serve for life. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has been authorized 28 judgeships and ended 2006 with two vacant positions. For most of the year, the district courts were authorized 112 judgeships, nine of which were vacant at year’s end.
Federal courts also rely on senior circuit and senior district judges to assist with their workload. These are Article III judges who are eligible for retirement but have chosen to continue working with a reduced caseload. Senior circuit judges sit on appellate panels, serve on circuit and national judicial committees and handle a variety of administrative matters. In the district courts, 53 senior judges heard cases, presided over procedural matters, served on committees and conducted other business of their courts during 2006.
In addition to Article III judges, the Ninth Circuit has a number of Article I judges, who serve as magistrate judges in the district courts or as bankruptcy judges in the bankruptcy courts. Bankruptcy judges are appointed by the court of appeals to terms of 14 years, while magistrate judges are appointed by the individual district courts and hold their positions for eight years. In 2006, bankruptcy courts in the Ninth Circuit were authorized 68 permanent and five temporary judgeships. The district courts were authorized 95 full-time and 11 part-time magistrate judges; several courts also relied on the services of recalled magistrate judges.