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The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit was established under Article III of the Constitution on October 1, 1982. The court was formed by the merger of the United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals and the appellate division of the United States Court of Claims. The court is located in the Howard T. Markey National Courts Building on historic Lafayette Square in Washington, D.C.
The Federal Circuit is unique among the thirteen Circuit Courts of Appeals. It has nationwide jurisdiction in a variety of subject matter, including international trade, government contracts, and patents, certain claims for money from the United States government, federal personnel, and veterans' benefits. Appeals to the court come from all federal district courts, the United States Court of Federal Claims, the United States Court of International Trade, and the United States Court of Veterans Appeals. The court also takes appeals of certain administrative agencies' decisions, including the Merit Systems Protection Board, the Boards of Contract Appeals, the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences, and the Trademark Trial and Appeals Board. Decisions of the United States International Trade Commission, the Office of Compliance of the United States Congress and the Government Accounting Office Personnel Appeals Board are also reviewed by the court.
The court consists of twelve judges who are appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate. Judges are appointed to the court for life under Article III of the Constitution of the United States. However, judges may elect to take senior status upon reaching age 70. This allows them to continue to serve on the court, while handling fewer cases than a judge in active status. Each judge in active service employs a secretary and three law clerks, while each judge in senior status employs a secretary and one law clerk.
Title 28 of the United States Code, the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure and the court's Local Rules and Internal Operating Procedures govern procedure in the Federal Circuit. Appeals are heard by panels comprised of three judges who are randomly selected for assignment to the panels. Losing parties may seek review of a decision of the Federal Circuit in the U.S. Supreme Court of the United States.
Court sessions are held during the first week of each month. Though most sessions are held in Washington, D. C., the court is authorized to hear cases (in other locations) outside of Washington, D. C. in order to meet the needs of litigants in other parts of the country.
The court's work begins when an appeal is filed with the Clerk of the Court, and assigned a docket number. The parties to the cases then prepare and file written briefs setting forth their arguments. Parties may also submit materials such as transcripts of testimony and other relevant parts of the record made in the lower tribunal from which the appeal originated. Once all the briefs have been received, the case may then be scheduled for oral argument before the court. Each side is usually allotted between 15 and 30 minutes for argument, depending on the nature of the case. During oral argument, the lawyers for the parties present their arguments and answer questions of the judges concerning the issues presented. If the court determines that oral argument is unnecessary, the case is decided by a panel of judges based on the arguments presented in briefs. In each appeal, the presiding judge of the panel assigns a member of the panel to prepare the court's opinion. The opinion sets out the decision of the court and the reasons for the decision. If the panel determines that its decision will add significantly to a body of law, it issues a precedential opinion. Decisions that do not add significantly to the body of law are issued as non-precedential. All opinions are made available to the public, and may be obtained upon written request to the Clerk's Office, from http://www.fedcir.gov, from the Federal Reporter 3rd Series, from Westlaw and from Lexis.
The staff of the court includes the Circuit Executive/Clerk of Court, Senior Technical Assistant, Senior Staff Attorney, Administrative Services Officer, Circuit Librarian, Automation and Technology Manger, and Operations Officer.
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Phone: 202-633-6550 (attended during public hours; emergency message for inclement weather or other unusual circumstances).
By Foot: The National Courts Building is located on Madison Place between Pennsylvania Avenue and H Street, Northwest, on the east side of Lafayette Square (the President's Park), across from the White House, in downtown Washington, D.C. The Treasury Department, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and St. John's Church and Parish House are nearby. The Dolley Madison House, the former Cosmos Club, and the Tayloe House, famous landmarks fronting on the square adjacent to the National Courts Building, are actually part of the courthouse complex.
By Subway: Take Metro's Blue or Orange Line to the McPherson Square Station. Exit following signs toward the White House. At street level take Vermont Avenue (bear left at the top of the escalator) in the direction of H Street. Crossing H Street, Vermont Avenue becomes Madison Place. The National Courts Building's main entrance is midblock on the east side of the street.
By Taxi: Madison Place is closed to vehicular traffic. State your destination as "H and Vermont" or "H and Madison Place". An entryway to the courtyard of the National Courts Building is located on the south side of H Street, adjacent to the Dolley Madison House, 1520 H Street, NW., and it provides access to the main entrance to the courthouse.
By Car: From the North. I-95 and the Baltimore-Washington Parkway connect with I-495/95 (Capital Beltway). Follow Baltimore-Washington Parkway, which becomes New York Avenue, into the downtown area. MD 97 (Georgia Avenue) to 16th Street also provides a direct connection to the downtown area.
From the South. I-95 connects directly with I-395 (Shirley Highway) for easy access to the 14th Street corridor downtown.
From the West. I-270 connects directly with I-495 and in conjunction with MD 355 (Wisconsin Avenue) or the George Washington Parkway provides access to the downtown area. I-66 also provides a direct connection to the downtown area, but it is HOV-2 (carpools and buses only) during rush hours.
From the East. Direct access to the downtown area is provided by US 50 and New York Avenue.
Automobile access to the courthouse is limited to H Street, which is one-way, eastbound.
Parking: The National Courts Building does not have public parking. Some meter parking is available on H, I (Eye), 14th and 15th Streets, and New York Avenue. Public garages or parking lots are located at: 1420 and 1425 New York Avenue; 1401 New York Avenue (enter on H Street near 14th Street); and 815 14th Street.
Accessibility to the disabled: A flight of steps leads to the courtyard level and main entrance of the courthouse. However, the courtyard entryway on H Street providing alternative access to the main entrance is at sidewalk level without barriers. The Clerk's Office, Library, and one of the courtrooms are also barrier-free.
Deliveries: Couriers must use the main entrance for delivery of briefs and other papers and follow instructions from the court security officers. Delivery of bulky items may be made at the loading dock if arrangements have been made beforehand.
Security: The United States Marshals Service provides security for the National Courts Building. Armed court security officers guard all entrances. Visitors must pass through metal detectors, and packages are x-rayed. Visitors also must sign in and out, and wear badges authorizing access to the floors to be visited.
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