View source for United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

{{short description|Current United States federal appellate court}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox U.S. federal court
| court_type      = circuit
| court_name      = United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
| abbreviation    = Fed. Cir.
| seal            = Seal of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.svg
| seal_size       = 150
| courthouse      = [[Howard T. Markey National Courts Building]]
| location        = 717 Madison Place, NW<br>[[Washington, D.C.]]
| appeals_from    =
| established     = October 1, 1982
| judges_assigned = 12
| circuit_justice = [[John Roberts]]
| chief           = [[Kimberly A. Moore]]
| official_site   = {{URL|https://cafc.uscourts.gov}}
}}

The '''United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit''' (in [[case citation]]s, '''Fed. Cir.''' or '''C.A.F.C.''') is one of the 13 [[United States court of appeals|United States courts of appeals]]. It has special [[appellate jurisdiction]] over all U.S. federal cases involving [[patent]]s, [[United States Court of International Trade|international trade]], [[trademark]] registrations, [[government procurement|government contract]]s, [[veterans' benefits]], public safety officers' benefits, [[Federal Employees Health Benefits Program|federal employees' benefits]], and various other types of cases.<ref>Types of Cases the Federal Circuit Handles [https://www.cafc.uscourts.gov/home/the-court/about-the-court/federal-circuit-case-types/]</ref> The Federal Circuit has no jurisdiction over any [[Federal crime in the United States|criminal]], [[Bankruptcy in the United States|bankruptcy]], [[Immigration to the United States|immigration]], or [[State law (United States)|U.S. state law]] cases. It is headquartered at the [[Howard T. Markey National Courts Building]] in [[Washington, D.C.]] 

The Federal Circuit was created in 1982 with enactment of the [[Federal Courts Improvement Act]], which merged the [[United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals]] and the appellate division of the [[United States Court of Claims]], making the judges of the former courts into circuit judges.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fjc.gov/history/home.nsf/page/landmark_22.html|work=History or the Federal Judiciary | publisher=Federal Judicial Center |title=Federal Courts Improvement Act of 1982|access-date=November 21, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{USPL|97|164}} §165, {{USStat|96|50}}.</ref>  In addition to the Markey Building, the court also occupies the adjacent [[Benjamin Ogle Tayloe House]], former [[Cosmos Club]] building, and the [[Cutts-Madison House]] in Washington, D.C., on [[Lafayette Square, Washington, D.C.|Lafayette Square]]. The court sits from time to time in locations other than Washington, and its judges can and do sit by designation on the benches of other courts of appeals and federal district courts. {{As of|2016}}, [[Washington and Lee University School of Law|Washington and Lee University School of Law's]] Millhiser Moot Courtroom had been designated as the [[Continuity of government|continuity of operations]] site for the court.<ref name="court_jurisdiction">{{cite web |url=https://columns.wlu.edu/u-s-appeals-court-for-the-federal-circuit-to-hear-cases-at-wl-law/|title=U.S. Appeals Court for the Federal Circuit to Hear Cases at W&L Law|date=March 7, 2016|access-date=March 8, 2016}}</ref>

==Jurisdiction==
[[File:United States Court of Federal Claims.JPG|thumb|right|upright=1.0|The [[Howard T. Markey National Courts Building]] in [[Washington, D.C.]], in which the Federal Circuit is located.]] 
The Federal Circuit is unique among the courts of appeals in that its jurisdiction is based wholly upon [[subject matter jurisdiction|subject matter]], not [[personal jurisdiction|geographic location]]. The Federal Circuit is an [[appellate jurisdiction|appellate court]] with jurisdiction generally given in {{usc|28|1295}}. The court hears certain appeals from all of the [[United States District Court]]s, appeals from certain administrative agencies, and appeals arising under certain statutes. Among other things, the Federal Circuit has exclusive jurisdiction over appeals from:<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.federalcircuithistoricalsociety.org/historyofcourt.html|title=History of the Federal Circuit|access-date=March 12, 2009|archive-date=June 25, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090625092412/http://www.federalcircuithistoricalsociety.org/historyofcourt.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* [[Article I and Article III tribunals|Article I tribunal]]s:
** [[United States Court of Federal Claims]]
** [[United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims]]
** [[United States Trademark Trial and Appeal Board]]
** [[Patent Trial and Appeal Board|United States Patent Trial and Appeal Board]] (formerly known as the United States Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences)
** Boards of contract appeals (for Government contract disputes pursuant to the [[Contract Disputes Act of 1978]]):
*** [[Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals]]
*** [[Civilian Board of Contract Appeals]]
*** [[Postal Service Board of Contract Appeals]]
** [[United States Merit Systems Protection Board]] (federal employment and employment benefits)
** [[United States International Trade Commission]]
* [[Federal tribunals in the United States|Article III tribunal]]s:
** [[United States Court of International Trade]]
** [[United States district court]]s relating to:
***[[United States patent law|Patents]], including appeals arising from an action against the Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks under {{usc|35|145}}
***The [[Little Tucker Act]], {{usc|28|1346}}
***Section 211 of the [[Economic Stabilization Act of 1970]];
***Section 5 of the [[Emergency Petroleum Allocation Act of 1973]];
***Section 523 of the [[Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975]]; and
***Section 506(c) of the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978
* [[Office of Congressional Workplace Rights]]

Although the Federal Circuit typically hears all appeals from any United States District Court where the original action included a complaint arising under the patent laws, the [[Supreme Court of the United States|Supreme Court]] decided in ''[[Holmes Group, Inc. v. Vornado Air Circulation Systems, Inc.]]'' (2002)<ref>[https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/ll/usrep/usrep535/usrep535826/usrep535826.pdf Holmes Group, Inc. v. Vornado Air Circulation Systems, Inc.], 535 U.S. 826 (2002).</ref> that the Federal Circuit did not have jurisdiction if the patent claims arose solely as [[counterclaim]]s by the defendant.<ref>[http://supreme.justia.com/us/535/826/case.html ''Holmes Group, Inc. v. Vornado Air Circulation Systems, Inc.''], 2002.</ref> However, the force of law of ''Holmes'' ended following passage of the [[Leahy-Smith America Invents Act|America Invents Act of 2011]], which requires the Federal Circuit to hear all appeals where the original action included a complaint or compulsory counterclaim arising under the patent laws.

The decisions of the Federal Circuit, particularly in regard to [[List of United States patent law cases|patent cases]], are unique in that they are [[binding precedent]] throughout the U.S. within the bounds of the court's subject-matter jurisdiction. This is unlike the other courts of appeals as the authority of their decisions is restricted by geographic location and thus there may be [[Circuit split|differing judicial standards depending on location]]. Decisions of the Federal Circuit are only superseded by decisions of the Supreme Court or by applicable changes in the law. Also, review by the Supreme Court is discretionary, so Federal Circuit decisions are often the final word, especially since there are no [[circuit split]]s given the Federal Circuit's exclusive subject-matter jurisdiction. In its first decision, the Federal Circuit incorporated as binding precedent the decisions of its predecessor courts, the [[United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals]] and the appellate division of the [[United States Court of Claims]].<ref>''[https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=18292085419372503825&q=690+F.2d+1368&hl=en&as_sdt=6,26 South Corp. v. United States]'', 690 F.2d 1368 (Fed. Cir. 1982)</ref>

Because the Court is one of national jurisdiction, panels from the court may sit anywhere in the country.  Typically, once or twice a year, the court will hold oral arguments in a city outside of its native Washington, D.C.  The panels may sit in Federal courthouses, state courthouses, or even at law schools.

==== International Trade Cases ====
On August 29, 2025, the court in ''[[V.O.S. Selections, Inc. v. United States|V.O.S. Selection v. United States]]'' upheld the May 2025 [[United States Court of International Trade|Court of International Trade]] (CIT) ruling that the [[Tariffs in the second Trump administration|tariffs of the second Trump administration]] were wrongfully invoked as an [[emergency law]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Trump's Global Tariffs Found Illegal by US Appeals Court | website=[[Bloomberg News]] |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-08-29/trump-s-global-tariffs-found-illegal-by-us-appeals-court}}</ref><ref>''[https://assets.bwbx.io/documents/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/rWB2NolVJmgw/v0 V.O.S. Selection, et al v. Donald J. Trump (in his capacity as president of the United States), et al]''</ref>

==Composition==
[[File:Active and senior judges of the Federal Circuit 2016.jpg|thumb|right|The judges of the Federal Circuit as of 2016]]
The Federal Circuit may have a total of 12 active circuit judges sitting at any given time, who are required to reside within 50 miles of the District of Columbia, as set by {{usc|28|44}}. Judges on [[senior status]] are not subject to this restriction. As with other [[federal judges]], they are nominated by the President and must be [[Advice and consent|confirmed]] by the Senate. Their terms last during the "good behavior" of the judges, which typically results in life tenure. When eligible, judges may elect to take [[senior status]]. This allows a senior judge to continue to serve on the court while handling fewer cases than an active service judge. Each judge in active service employs a judicial assistant and up to four [[law clerk]]s, while each judge in senior status employs a judicial assistant and one law clerk.

==Composition of the court==
<onlyinclude>
{{As of|2022|03|16|df=US}}:
{{start U.S. judgeship Current}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Current
 | index        = 31
 | title        = Chief Judge
 | name         = {{sortname|Kimberly A.|Moore}}
 | duty station = [[Washington, D.C.]]
 | born         = 1968
 | term         = 2006–present
 | chief term   = 2021–present
 | senior term  = —
 | appointer    = {{sortname|G.W.|Bush|List of federal judges appointed by George W. Bush}}
 | termination  = —
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Current
 | index        = 16
 | title        = Circuit Judge
 | name         = {{sortname|Pauline|Newman}}{{efn|Suspended from September 20, 2023 through August 29, 2026.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://apnews.com/article/judge-suspended-age-disability-federal-newman-afaa58f65bfd6612300ae5a925c7cc55|title=A 96-year-old federal judge is barred from hearing cases in a bitter fight over her mental fitness|date=September 20, 2023|website=AP News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/ip-law/federal-circuit-extends-judge-newmans-suspension-another-year|title=Federal Circuit Extends Judge Newman's Suspension Another Year|date=September 6, 2024|website=Bloomberg Law}}</ref><ref>{{Cite court|opinion=In re Complaint No. 23-90015|date=August 29, 2025|url=https://tmsnrt.rs/4oYygvt}}</ref>}}
 | duty station = [[Washington, D.C.]]
 | state        = [[New York (state)|NY]]
 | born         = 1927
 | term         = 1984–present
 | chief term   = —
 | senior term  = —
 | appointer    = {{sortname||Reagan|List of federal judges appointed by Ronald Reagan}}
 | termination  = —
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Current
 | index        = 22
 | title        = Circuit Judge
 | name         = {{sortname|Alan David|Lourie}}
 | duty station = [[Washington, D.C.]]
 | state        = 
 | born         = 1935
 | term         = 1990–present
 | chief term   = —
 | senior term  = —
 | appointer    = {{sortname|G.H.W.|Bush|List of federal judges appointed by George H. W. Bush}}
 | termination  = —
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Current
 | index        = 29
 | title        = Circuit Judge
 | name         = {{sortname|Timothy B.|Dyk}}
 | duty station = [[Washington, D.C.]]
 | state        = [[District of Columbia|DC]]
 | born         = 1937
 | term         = 2000–present
 | chief term   = —
 | senior term  = —
 | appointer    = {{sortname||Clinton|List of federal judges appointed by Bill Clinton}}
 | seat         = 7
 | termination  = —
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Current
 | index        = 30
 | title        = Circuit Judge
 | name         = {{sortname|Sharon|Prost}}
 | duty station = [[Washington, D.C.]]
 | state        = [[District of Columbia|DC]]
 | born         = 1951
 | term         = 2001–present
 | chief term   = 2014–2021
 | senior term  = —
 | appointer    = {{sortname|G.W.|Bush|List of federal judges appointed by George W. Bush}}
 | termination  = —
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Current
 | index        = 33
 | title        = Circuit Judge
 | name         = {{sortname|Jimmie V.|Reyna}}
 | duty station = [[Washington, D.C.]]
 | born         = 1952
 | term         = 2011–present
 | chief term   = —
 | senior term  = —
 | appointer    = {{sortname||Obama|List of federal judges appointed by Barack Obama}}
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Current
 | index        = 35
 | title        = Circuit Judge
 | name         = {{sortname|Richard G.|Taranto}}
 | duty station = [[Washington, D.C.]]
 | born         = 1957
 | term         = 2013–present
 | chief term   = —
 | senior term  = —
 | appointer    = {{sortname||Obama|List of federal judges appointed by Barack Obama}}
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Current
 | index        = 36
 | title        = Circuit Judge
 | name         = {{sortname|Raymond T.|Chen}}
 | duty station = [[Washington, D.C.]]
 | born         = 1968
 | term         = 2013–present
 | chief term   = —
 | senior term  = —
 | appointer    = {{sortname||Obama|List of federal judges appointed by Barack Obama}}
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Current
 | index        = 37
 | title        = Circuit Judge
 | name         = {{sortname|Todd M.|Hughes}}
 | duty station = [[Washington, D.C.]]
 | born         = 1966
 | term         = 2013–present
 | chief term   = —
 | senior term  = —
 | appointer    = {{sortname||Obama|List of federal judges appointed by Barack Obama}}
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Current
 | index        = 38
 | title        = Circuit Judge
 | name         = {{sortname|Kara Farnandez|Stoll}}
 | duty station = [[Washington, D.C.]]
 | born         = 1968
 | term         = 2015–present
 | chief term   = —
 | senior term  = —
 | appointer    = {{sortname||Obama|List of federal judges appointed by Barack Obama}}
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Current
 | index        = 39
 | title        = Circuit Judge
 | name         = {{sortname|Tiffany P.|Cunningham}}
 | duty station = [[Washington, D.C.]]
 | born         = 1976
 | term         = 2021–present
 | chief term   = —
 | senior term  = —
 | appointer    = {{sortname||Biden|List of federal judges appointed by Joe Biden}}
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Current
 | index        = 40
 | title        = Circuit Judge
 | name         = {{sortname|Leonard P.|Stark}}
 | duty station = [[Washington, D.C.]]
 | born         = 1969
 | term         = 2022–present
 | chief term   = —
 | senior term  = —
 | appointer    = {{sortname||Biden|List of federal judges appointed by Joe Biden}}
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Current
 | index        = 19
 | title        = Senior Circuit Judge
 | name         = {{sortname|Haldane Robert|Mayer}}
 | duty station = [[Washington, D.C.]]
 | state        = [[District of Columbia|DC]]
 | born         = 1941
 | term         = 1987–2010
 | chief term   = 1997–2004
 | senior term  = 2010–present
 | appointer    = {{sortname||Reagan|List of federal judges appointed by Ronald Reagan}}
 | termination  = —
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Current
 | index        = 21
 | title        = Senior Circuit Judge
 | name         = {{sortname|S. Jay|Plager}}
 | duty station = [[Washington, D.C.]]
 | state        = [[District of Columbia|DC]]
 | born         = 1931
 | term         = 1989–2000
 | chief term   = —
 | senior term  = 2000–present
 | appointer    = {{sortname|G.H.W.|Bush|List of federal judges appointed by George H. W. Bush}}
 | termination  = —
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Current
 | index        = 23
 | title        = Senior Circuit Judge
 | name         = {{sortname|Raymond C.|Clevenger}}
 | duty station = [[Washington, D.C.]]
 | state        = [[District of Columbia|DC]]
 | born         = 1937
 | term         = 1990–2006
 | chief term   = —
 | senior term  = 2006–present
 | appointer    = {{sortname|G.H.W.|Bush|List of federal judges appointed by George H. W. Bush}}
 | termination  = —
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Current
 | index        = 25
 | title        = Senior Circuit Judge
 | name         = {{sortname|Alvin Anthony|Schall}}
 | duty station = [[Washington, D.C.]]
 | state        = [[District of Columbia|DC]]
 | born         = 1944
 | term         = 1992–2009
 | chief term   = —
 | senior term  = 2009–present
 | appointer    = {{sortname|G.H.W.|Bush|List of federal judges appointed by George H. W. Bush}}
 | termination  = —
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Current
 | index        = 26
 | title        = Senior Circuit Judge
 | name         = {{sortname|William Curtis|Bryson}}
 | duty station = [[Washington, D.C.]]
 | state        = [[District of Columbia|DC]]
 | born         = 1945
 | term         = 1994–2013
 | chief term   = —
 | senior term  = 2013–present
 | appointer    = {{sortname||Clinton|List of federal judges appointed by Bill Clinton}}
 | termination  = —
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Current
 | index        = 28
 | title        = Senior Circuit Judge
 | name         = {{sortname|Richard|Linn}}
 | duty station = [[Washington, D.C.]]
 | state        = [[District of Columbia|DC]]
 | born         = 1944
 | term         = 1999–2012
 | chief term   = —
 | senior term  = 2012–present
 | appointer    = {{sortname||Clinton|List of federal judges appointed by Bill Clinton}}
 | termination  = —
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Current
 | index        = 34
 | title        = Senior Circuit Judge
 | name         = {{sortname|Evan|Wallach}}
 | duty station = [[Washington, D.C.]]
 | born         = 1949
 | term         = 2011–2021
 | chief term   = —
 | senior term  = 2021–present
 | appointer    = {{sortname||Obama|List of federal judges appointed by Barack Obama}}
}}
{{end U.S. judgeship Current}}
</onlyinclude>
{{notelist}}

==List of former judges==
{{start U.S. judgeship Former}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Former
 | index       = 1
 | name        = {{sortname|Don Nelson|Laramore}}
 | state       = [[Indiana|IN]]
 | borndied    = 1906–1989
 | term        = —
 | chief term  = —
 | senior term = 1982–1989
 | appointer   = {{sortname||Eisenhower|List of federal judges appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower}} / [[Operation of law]]<ref name="claims_reassignment" />
 | termination = death
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Former
 | index       = 2
 | name        = {{sortname|Giles|Rich}}
 | state       = [[New York (state)|NY]]
 | borndied    = 1904–1999
 | term        = 1982–1999
 | chief term  = —
 | senior term = —
 | appointer   = {{sortname||Eisenhower|List of federal judges appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower}} / [[Operation of law]]<ref name="patent_reassignment">Reassigned from the [[United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals]] pursuant to the Federal Courts Improvement Act of 1982, {{USPL|97|164}} §165, {{USStat|96|50}}.</ref>
 | termination = death
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Former
 | index       = 3
 | name        = {{sortname|J. Lindsay|Almond}}
 | state       = [[Virginia|VA]]
 | borndied    = 1898–1986
 | term        = —
 | chief term  = —
 | senior term = 1982–1986
 | appointer   = {{sortname||Kennedy|List of federal judges appointed by John F. Kennedy}} / [[Operation of law]]<ref name="patent_reassignment" />
 | termination = death
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Former
 | index       = 4
 | name        = {{sortname|Oscar Hirsh|Davis}}
 | state       = [[District of Columbia|DC]]
 | borndied    = 1914–1988
 | term        = 1982–1988
 | chief term  = —
 | senior term = —
 | appointer   = {{sortname||Kennedy|List of federal judges appointed by John F. Kennedy}} / [[Operation of law]]<ref name="claims_reassignment" />
 | termination = death
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Former
 | index       = 5
 | name        = {{sortname|Arnold Wilson|Cowen}}
 | state       = [[Texas|TX]]
 | borndied    = 1905–2007
 | term        = —
 | chief term  = —
 | senior term = 1982–2007
 | appointer   = {{sortname|L.|Johnson|List of federal judges appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson}} / [[Operation of law]]<ref name="claims_reassignment" />
 | termination = death
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Former
 | index       = 6
 | name        = {{sortname|Philip|Nichols Jr.}}
 | state       = [[District of Columbia|DC]]
 | borndied    = 1907–1990
 | term        = 1982–1983
 | chief term  = —
 | senior term = 1983–1990
 | appointer   = {{sortname|L.|Johnson|List of federal judges appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson}} / [[Operation of law]]<ref name="claims_reassignment" />
 | termination = death
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Former
 | index       = 7
 | name        = {{sortname|Byron George|Skelton}}
 | state       = [[Texas|TX]]
 | borndied    = 1905–2004
 | term        = —
 | chief term  = —
 | senior term = 1982–2004
 | appointer   = {{sortname|L.|Johnson|List of federal judges appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson}} / [[Operation of law]]<ref name="claims_reassignment" />
 | termination = death
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Former
 | index       = 8
 | name        = {{sortname|Phillip|Baldwin}}
 | state       = [[Texas|TX]]
 | borndied    = 1924–2002
 | term        = 1982–1986
 | chief term  = —
 | senior term = 1986–1991
 | appointer   = {{sortname|L.|Johnson|List of federal judges appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson}} / [[Operation of law]]<ref name="patent_reassignment" />
 | termination = retirement
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Former
 | index       = 9
 | name        = {{sortname|Howard Thomas|Markey}}
 | state       = [[Illinois|IL]]
 | borndied    = 1920–2006
 | term        = 1982–1991
 | chief term  = 1982–1990
 | senior term = —
 | appointer   = {{sortname||Nixon|List of federal judges appointed by Richard Nixon}} / [[Operation of law]]<ref name="patent_reassignment" />
 | termination = retirement
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Former
 | index       = 10
 | name        = {{sortname|Marion T.|Bennett}}
 | state       = [[Missouri|MO]]
 | borndied    = 1914–2000
 | term        = 1982–1986
 | chief term  = —
 | senior term = 1986–2000
 | appointer   = {{sortname||Nixon|List of federal judges appointed by Richard Nixon}} / [[Operation of law]]<ref name="claims_reassignment" />
 | termination = death
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Former
 | index       = 11
 | name        = {{sortname|Shiro|Kashiwa}}
 | state       = [[Hawaii|HI]]
 | borndied    = 1912–1998
 | term        = 1982–1986
 | chief term  = —
 | senior term = —
 | appointer   = {{sortname||Nixon|List of federal judges appointed by Richard Nixon}} / [[Operation of law]]<ref name="claims_reassignment" />
 | termination = retirement
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Former
 | index       = 12
 | name        = {{sortname|Jack Richard|Miller|Jack Miller (politician)}}
 | state       = [[Iowa|IA]]
 | borndied    = 1916–1994
 | term        = 1982–1985
 | chief term  = —
 | senior term = 1985–1994
 | appointer   = {{sortname||Nixon|List of federal judges appointed by Richard Nixon}} / [[Operation of law]]<ref name="patent_reassignment" />
 | termination = death
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Former
 | index       = 13
 | name        = {{sortname|Daniel Mortimer|Friedman}}
 | state       = [[District of Columbia|DC]]
 | borndied    = 1916–2011
 | term        = 1982–1989
 | chief term  = —
 | senior term = 1989–2011
 | appointer   = {{sortname||Carter|List of federal judges appointed by Jimmy Carter}} / [[Operation of law]]<ref name="claims_reassignment">Reassigned from the [[United States Court of Claims]] pursuant to the Federal Courts Improvement Act of 1982, {{USPL|97|164}} §165, {{USStat|96|50}}.</ref>
 | termination = death
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Former
 | index       = 14
 | name        = {{sortname|Edward Samuel|Smith}}
 | state       = [[Maryland|MD]]
 | borndied    = 1919–2001
 | term        = 1982–1989
 | chief term  = —
 | senior term = 1989–2001
 | appointer   = {{sortname||Carter|List of federal judges appointed by Jimmy Carter}} / [[Operation of law]]<ref name="claims_reassignment" />
 | termination = death
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Former
 | index       = 15
 | name        = {{sortname|Helen W.|Nies}}
 | state       = [[District of Columbia|DC]]
 | borndied    = 1925–1996
 | term        = 1982–1995
 | chief term  = 1990–1994
 | senior term = 1995–1996
 | appointer   = {{sortname||Carter|List of federal judges appointed by Jimmy Carter}} / [[Operation of law]]<ref name="patent_reassignment" />
 | termination = death
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Former
 | index       = 17
 | name        = {{sortname|Jean Galloway|Bissell}}
 | state       = [[South Carolina|SC]]
 | borndied    = 1936–1990
 | term        = 1984–1990
 | chief term  = —
 | senior term = —
 | appointer   = {{sortname||Reagan|List of federal judges appointed by Ronald Reagan}}
 | termination = death
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Former
 | index       = 18
 | name        = {{sortname|Glenn L.|Archer Jr.}}
 | state       = [[District of Columbia|DC]]
 | borndied    = 1929–2011
 | term        = 1985–1997
 | chief term  = 1994–1997
 | senior term = 1997–2011
 | appointer   = {{sortname||Reagan|List of federal judges appointed by Ronald Reagan}}
 | termination = death
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Former
 | index       = 20
 | name        = {{sortname|Paul Redmond|Michel}}
 | state       = [[Pennsylvania|PA]]
 | borndied    = 1941–present
 | term        = 1988–2010
 | chief term  = 2004–2010
 | senior term = —
 | appointer   = {{sortname||Reagan|List of federal judges appointed by Ronald Reagan}}
 | termination = retirement
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Former
 | index       = 24
 | name        = {{sortname|Randall Ray|Rader}}
 | state       = [[Virginia|VA]]
 | borndied    = 1949–present
 | term        = 1990–2014
 | chief term  = 2010–2014
 | senior term = —
 | appointer   = {{sortname|G.H.W.|Bush|List of federal judges appointed by George H. W. Bush}}
 | termination = retirement
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Former
 | index       = 27
 | name        = {{sortname|Arthur J.|Gajarsa}}
 | state       = [[Maryland|MD]]
 | borndied    = 1941–present
 | term        = 1997–2011
 | chief term  = —
 | senior term = 2011–2012
 | appointer   = {{sortname||Clinton|List of federal judges appointed by Bill Clinton}}
 | termination = retirement
}}
{{U.S. judgeship row Former
 | index       = 32
 | name        = {{sortname|Kathleen M.|O'Malley}}
 | state       = [[Ohio|OH]]
 | borndied    = 1956–present
 | term        = 2010–2022
 | chief term  = —
 | senior term = —
 | appointer   = {{sortname||Obama|List of federal judges appointed by Barack Obama}}
 | termination = retirement
}}
{{end U.S. judgeship Former}}

==Chief judges==
{{start U.S. judge succession
| float      = right
| seat title = Chief Judges
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = [[Howard Thomas Markey|Markey]]
| term = 1982–1990
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = [[Helen W. Nies|Nies]]
| term = 1990–1994
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = [[Glenn Leroy Archer Jr.|Archer, Jr.]]
| term = 1994–1997
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = [[Haldane Robert Mayer|Mayer]]
| term = 1997–2004
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = [[Paul Redmond Michel|Michel]]
| term = 2004–2010
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = [[Randall Ray Rader|Rader]]
| term = 2010–2014
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = [[Sharon Prost|Prost]]
| term = 2014–2021
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = '''[[Kimberly A. Moore|Moore]]'''
| term = 2021–present
}}
{{end U.S. judge succession}}

{{ChiefJudge}}
Notwithstanding the foregoing, when the court was initially created, Congress had to resolve which chief judge of the predecessor courts would become the first chief judge. It was decided that the chief judge of the predecessor court who had the most seniority, as chief judge, would be the new chief judge.<ref>{{USPL|97|164}} §166, {{USStat|96|50}}.</ref> This made Howard T. Markey, former chief judge of the Court of Customs and Patent Appeals, the first chief judge.

==Succession of seats==
The court has twelve seats for active judges, numbered in alphabetical order by their occupant at the time the court was formed, with the sole vacant seat being numbered last. Judges who retire into [[senior status]] remain on the bench but leave their seat vacant. That seat is filled by the next circuit judge appointed by the [[President of the United States|President]].

{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
{{start U.S. judge succession| seat title=Seat 1}}
{{U.S. judge succession note
| text = Reassigned on October 1, 1982 from the United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals by 96&nbsp;Stat.&nbsp;25
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = [[Phillip Baldwin|Baldwin]]
| term = 1982–1986
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = [[Paul Redmond Michel|Michel]]
| term = 1988–2010
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = '''[[Richard G. Taranto|Taranto]]'''
| term = 2013–present
}}
{{end U.S. judge succession}}
{{col-break}}
{{start U.S. judge succession| seat title=Seat 2}}
{{U.S. judge succession note
| text = Reassigned on October 1, 1982 from the United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals by 96&nbsp;Stat.&nbsp;25
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = [[Howard Thomas Markey|Markey]]
| term = 1982–1991
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = [[William Curtis Bryson|Bryson]]
| term = 1994–2013
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = '''[[Todd M. Hughes|Hughes]]'''
| term = 2013–present
}}
{{end U.S. judge succession}}
{{col-break}}
{{start U.S. judge succession| seat title=Seat 3}}
{{U.S. judge succession note
| text = Reassigned on October 1, 1982 from the United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals by 96&nbsp;Stat.&nbsp;25
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = [[Helen W. Nies|Nies]]
| term = 1982–1995
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = [[Arthur J. Gajarsa|Gajarsa]]
| term = 1997–2011
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = [[Evan Wallach|Wallach]]
| term = 2011–2021
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = '''[[Tiffany P. Cunningham|Cunningham]]'''
| term = 2021–present
}}
{{end U.S. judge succession}}
{{col-end}}
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
{{start U.S. judge succession| seat title=Seat 4}}
{{U.S. judge succession note
| text = Reassigned on October 1, 1982 from the United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals by 96&nbsp;Stat.&nbsp;25
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = [[Giles Rich|Rich]]
| term = 1982–1999
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = [[Richard Linn|Linn]]
| term = 1999–2012
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = '''[[Raymond T. Chen|Chen]]'''
| term = 2013–present
}}
{{end U.S. judge succession}}
{{col-break}}
{{start U.S. judge succession| seat title=Seat 5}}
{{U.S. judge succession note
| text = Reassigned on October 1, 1982 from the United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals by 96&nbsp;Stat.&nbsp;25
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = [[Jack Miller (politician)|Miller]]
| term = 1982–1985
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = [[Glenn L. Archer Jr.|Archer, Jr.]]
| term = 1985–1997
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = '''[[Timothy B. Dyk|Dyk]]'''
| term = 2000–present
}}
{{end U.S. judge succession}}
{{col-break}}
{{start U.S. judge succession| seat title=Seat 6}}
{{U.S. judge succession note
| text = Reassigned on October 1, 1982 from the United States Court of Claims by 96&nbsp;Stat.&nbsp;25
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = [[Daniel Mortimer Friedman|Friedman]]
| term = 1982–1989
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = '''[[Alan David Lourie|Lourie]]'''
| term = 1990–present
}}
{{end U.S. judge succession}}
{{col-end}}
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
{{start U.S. judge succession| seat title=Seat 7}}
{{U.S. judge succession note
| text = Reassigned on October 1, 1982 from the United States Court of Claims by 96&nbsp;Stat.&nbsp;25
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = [[Marion T. Bennett|Bennett]]
| term = 1982–1986
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = [[Haldane Robert Mayer|Mayer]]
| term = 1987–2010
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = '''[[Jimmie V. Reyna|Reyna]]'''
| term = 2011–present
}}
{{end U.S. judge succession}}
{{col-break}}
{{start U.S. judge succession| seat title=Seat 8}}
{{U.S. judge succession note
| text = Reassigned on October 1, 1982 from the United States Court of Claims by 96&nbsp;Stat.&nbsp;25
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = [[Shiro Kashiwa|Kashiwa]]
| term = 1982–1986
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = [[S. Jay Plager|Plager]]
| term = 1989–2000
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = '''[[Sharon Prost|Prost]]'''
| term = 2001–present
}}
{{end U.S. judge succession}}
{{col-break}}
{{start U.S. judge succession| seat title=Seat 9}}
{{U.S. judge succession note
| text = Reassigned on October 1, 1982 from the United States Court of Claims by 96&nbsp;Stat.&nbsp;25
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = [[Philip Nichols Jr.|Nichols, Jr.]]
| term = 1982–1983
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = '''[[Pauline Newman|Newman]]'''
| term = 1984–present
}}
{{end U.S. judge succession}}
{{col-end}}
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
{{start U.S. judge succession| seat title=Seat 10}}
{{U.S. judge succession note
| text = Reassigned on October 1, 1982 from the United States Court of Claims by 96&nbsp;Stat.&nbsp;25
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = [[Edward Samuel Smith|Smith]]
| term = 1982–1989
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = [[Alvin Anthony Schall|Schall]]
| term = 1992–2009
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = [[Kathleen M. O'Malley|O'Malley]]
| term = 2010–2022
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = '''[[Leonard P. Stark|Stark]]'''
| term = 2022–present
}}
{{end U.S. judge succession}}
{{col-break}}
{{start U.S. judge succession| seat title=Seat 11}}
{{U.S. judge succession note
| text = Reassigned on October 1, 1982 from the United States Court of Claims by 96&nbsp;Stat.&nbsp;25
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = [[Oscar Hirsh Davis|Davis]]
| term = 1982–1988
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = [[Raymond C. Clevenger|Clevenger]]
| term = 1990–2006
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = '''[[Kimberly A. Moore|Moore]]'''
| term = 2006–present
}}
{{end U.S. judge succession}}
{{col-break}}
{{start U.S. judge succession| seat title=Seat 12}}
{{U.S. judge succession note
| text =  Reassigned on October 1, 1982 from the United States Court of Claims by 96&nbsp;Stat.&nbsp;25
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = [[Jean Galloway Bissell|Bissell]]
| term = 1984–1990
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = [[Randall Ray Rader|Rader]]
| term = 1990–2014
}}
{{U.S. judge succession row
| name = '''[[Kara Farnandez Stoll|Stoll]]'''
| term = 2015–present
}}
{{end U.S. judge succession}}
{{col-end}}

==See also==
* [[Federal Circuit Bar Association]]
* [[Judicial appointment history for United States federal courts#Federal Circuit|Federal Circuit appointment history]]
* [[List of current United States circuit judges]]
* [[List of United States patent law cases]]
* [[United States Court of Federal Claims]]

== Citations ==
{{Reflist}}

== General references==
* {{cite web
| url        = https://oscar.symplicity.com/index.php?_tab=judges
| title        = OSCAR
| work        = Federal Law Clerk Information System
| access-date        = May 21, 2008
| archive-date        = April 5, 2014
| archive-url        = https://web.archive.org/web/20140405133945/https://oscar.symplicity.com/index.php?_tab=judges
| url-status        = dead
}}
** Source for the duty stations for senior judges
* {{cite web
| url        = http://www.fjc.gov/history/home.nsf/page/courts_coa_circuit_fc.html
| title      = U. S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit| publisher=Federal Judicial Center
| work       = History of the Federal Judiciary
| access-date = October 21, 2011}}
** Source for the state, lifetime, term of active judgeship, term of chief judgeship, term of senior judgeship, appointer, termination reason, and seat information

==Further reading==
* {{cite book| last=Abramson | first=Bruce D.| title=The Secret Circuit: The Little-Known Court Where the Rules of the Information Age Unfold| publisher=Rowman & Littlefield| year=2007 | isbn=978-0-7425-5281-4 }}
* {{cite book| title=United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit: A History: 1990–2002 / compiled by members of the Advisory Council to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in celebration of the court's twentieth anniversary.| location=Washington, D.C.| publisher=U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit| year=2004| lccn=2004050209 }}
* {{cite book| last=Bennett | first=Marion T.| author-link=Marion T. Bennett| title=The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit: A History, 1982–1990| location=Washington, D.C.| publisher=United States Judicial Conference Committee on the Bicentennial of the Constitution of the United States| year=1991| lccn=91601231 }}
* {{cite book| last=Flanders | first=Steven| title=The Federal Circuit – a Judicial Innovation : Establishing a U.S. Court of Appeals| publisher=Twelve Tables Press | year=2010 | isbn=978-0-9747-2866-7 | lccn= 2011290640 }}
* {{cite journal |last1=Henry |first1=Matthew D. |last2=Turner |first2=John L. |year=2006 |title=The Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit's Impact on Patent Litigation |journal=[[Journal of Legal Studies]] |volume=35 |issue=1 |pages=85–117 |doi=10.1086/498834 |jstor=498834 |s2cid=222321525 }}

==External links==
{{wikisource index}}
* [http://www.cafc.uscourts.gov/ United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit]
* [http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=fed&navby=year&year=recent Recent opinions from Findlaw]
* [http://www.fedcirbar.org/ The Federal Circuit Bar Association]
* [http://www.federalcircuithistoricalsociety.org/ The Federal Circuit Historical Society]
* [http://www.law.gmu.edu/fcbj/ The Federal Circuit Bar Journal] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090515084444/http://www.law.gmu.edu/fcbj/ |date=May 15, 2009 }}

{{United States courts of appeals judges}}
{{United States Federal Circuit district judges}}
{{United States Courts of Appeals}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit}}
[[Category:United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit| ]]
[[Category:1982 establishments in the United States]]
[[Category:Courts and tribunals established in 1982]]
[[Category:Government procurement in the United States]]
[[Category:Intellectual property adjudication bodies]]