United States Court of Appeals
for the
 Fifth Circuit
Honorable Jennifer W. Elrod, Chief Judge



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U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit - Legislative History
     March 3, 1891
      26 Stat. 826
Congress established U.S. circuit courts of appeals for each of the nine judicial circuits and assigned the sitting judge of the U.S. Circuit Courts for the Fifth Circuit to sit also on the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, effective June 16, 1891. The act also authorized an additional judgeship for the Fifth Circuit’s new court.
    Jan 25, 1899
      30 Stat. 803
One additional judgeship authorized for the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
     Aug 24, 1912
      37 Stat. 560
Congress provided for appeals from the District Court of the Canal Zone to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
     June 10, 1930
      46 Stat. 538
One additional judgeship authorized for the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
     May 31, 1938
      52 Stat. 584
One additional judgeship authorized for the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
     Dec 14, 1942
      56 Stat. 1050
One additional judgeship authorized for the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
     Feb 10, 1954
      68 Stat. 8
One additional judgeship authorized for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
     May 19, 1961
      75 Stat. 80
Two additional judgeships authorized for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
     March 18, 1966
     80 Stat. 75
Four temporary judgeships authorized for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
     June 18, 1968
      82 Stat. 184
The four temporary judgeships authorized by the act of March 18, 1966, 80 Stat. 75, made permanent and two additional judgeships authorized for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
     Oct 20, 1978
      92 Stat. 1629
Eleven additional judgeships authorized for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
     Oct 14, 1980
      94 Stat. 1994
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Reorganization Act divided the Fifth Circuit into two circuits, reorganizing the judicial districts of Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, and the Canal Zone as a new Fifth Circuit and Alabama, Georgia, and Florida as the Eleventh Circuit. The act transferred all judges whose official duty stations were located within the Eleventh Circuit to the court of appeals for that circuit. Of the twenty-six judgeships authorized for the former Fifth Circuit, fourteen were assigned to the new Fifth Circuit and twelve to the Eleventh Circuit.
    Sept 27, 1979
      93 Stat. 455
The Fifth Circuit’s appellate jurisdiction over the Canal Zone terminated when Congress abolished the U.S. District Court for the Canal Zone, effective March 31, 1982.
     July 10, 1984
      98 Stat. 333
Two additional judgeships authorized for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
     Dec 1, 1990
      104 Stat. 5089
One additional judgeship authorized for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.



      
Authorized Judgeships
     
1891        2

       1899        3
       1930        4
       1938        5 
       1942        6 
       1954        7
       1961        9
       1966       13 
       1968       15 
       1978       26 
       1980       14 
       1984       16 
       1990       17

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