United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

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Template:Short description Template:Infobox U.S. federal court

The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit (in case citations, 6th Cir.) is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:

The court is composed of sixteen judges and is based at the Potter Stewart U.S. Courthouse in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is one of 13 United States courts of appeals.

The United States federal courts were divided into six circuits in 1801, but a circuit court of appeals was not established until the passage of the Judiciary Act of 1891.[1]

William Howard Taft, the only person ever to serve as both President and Chief Justice of the United States, once served on the Sixth Circuit. Four other judges of the Sixth Circuit have been elevated to serve on the Supreme Court, the last being Potter Stewart in 1958.

Current composition of the court

Template:As of:

# Title Judge Duty station Born Term of service Appointed by
Active Chief Senior
62 Chief Judge Jeffrey Sutton Columbus, OH 1960 2003–present 2021–present — Template:Sort
56 Circuit Judge Karen Nelson Moore Cleveland, OH 1948 1995–present — — Template:Sort
58 Circuit Judge Eric L. Clay Detroit, MI 1948 1997–present — — Template:Sort
65 Circuit Judge Richard Allen Griffin Traverse City, MI 1952 2005–present — — Template:Sort
67 Circuit Judge Raymond Kethledge Ann Arbor, MI 1966 2008–present — — Template:Sort
69 Circuit Judge Jane Branstetter Stranch Nashville, TN 1953 2010–present — — Template:Sort
71 Circuit Judge Amul Thapar Covington, KY 1969 2017–present — — Template:Sort
72 Circuit Judge John K. Bush Louisville, KY 1964 2017–present — — Template:Sort
73 Circuit Judge Joan Larsen Ann Arbor, MI 1968 2017–present — — Template:Sort
74 Circuit Judge John Nalbandian Cincinnati, OH 1969 2018–present — — Template:Sort
75 Circuit Judge Chad Readler Columbus, OH 1972 2019–present — — Template:Sort
76 Circuit Judge Eric E. Murphy Columbus, OH 1979 2019–present — — Template:Sort
77 Circuit Judge Stephanie D. Davis Detroit, MI 1967 2022–present — — Template:Sort
78 Circuit Judge Andre Mathis Memphis, TN 1980 2022–present — — Template:Sort
79 Circuit Judge Rachel Bloomekatz Columbus, OH 1982 2023–present — — Template:Sort
80 Circuit Judge Kevin G. Ritz Memphis, TN 1974 2024–present — — Template:Sort
47 Senior Circuit Judge Ralph B. Guy Jr. Ann Arbor, MI 1929 1985–1994 — 1994–present Template:Sort
49 Senior Circuit Judge James L. Ryan inactive 1932 1985–2000 — 2000–present Template:Sort
50 Senior Circuit Judge Danny Julian Boggs Louisville, KY 1944 1986–2017 2003–2009 2017–present Template:Sort
51 Senior Circuit Judge Alan Eugene Norris Columbus, OH 1935 1986–2001 — 2001–present Template:Sort
52 Senior Circuit Judge Richard Fred Suhrheinrich Lansing, MI 1936 1990–2001 — 2001–present Template:Sort
53 Senior Circuit Judge Eugene E. Siler Jr. London, KY 1936 1991–2001 — 2001–present Template:Sort
54 Senior Circuit Judge Alice M. Batchelder Medina, OH 1944 1991–2019 2009–2014 2019–present Template:Sort
55 Senior Circuit Judge Martha Craig Daughtrey Nashville, TN 1942 1993–2009 — 2009–present Template:Sort
57 Senior Circuit Judge R. Guy Cole Jr. Columbus, OH 1951 1995–2023 2014–2021 2023–present Template:Sort
59 Senior Circuit Judge Ronald Lee Gilman Memphis, TN 1942 1997–2010 — 2010–present Template:Sort
60 Senior Circuit Judge Julia Smith Gibbons Memphis, TN 1950 2002–2024 — 2024–present Template:Sort
61 Senior Circuit Judge John M. Rogers Lexington, KY 1948 2002–2018 — 2018–present Template:Sort
63 Senior Circuit Judge Deborah L. Cook Akron, OH 1952 2003–2019 — 2019–present Template:Sort
64 Senior Circuit Judge David McKeague Lansing, MI 1946 2005–2017 — 2017–present Template:Sort
68 Senior Circuit Judge Helene White Detroit, MI 1954 2008–2022 — 2022–present Template:Sort

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Vacancies and pending nominations

Seat Prior judge's duty station Seat last held by Vacancy reason Date of vacancy Nominee Date of nomination
16 Nashville, TN Jane Branstetter Stranch Senior status TBD[2] Whitney Hermandorfer May 12, 2025

List of former judges

# Judge State Born–died Active service Chief Judge Senior status Appointed by Reason for
termination
1 Template:Sortname TN 1832–1895 1891–1893 — — Template:Sortname / Operation of law[3] elevation to Supreme Court
2 Template:Sortname OH 1857–1930 1892–1900 — — Template:Sortname resignation
3 Template:Sortname TN 1844–1914 1893–1909 — — Template:Sortname elevation to Supreme Court
4 Template:Sortname OH 1849–1923 1899–1903 — — Template:Sortname elevation to Supreme Court
5 Template:Sortname MI 1835–1923 1900–1911 — — Template:Sortname resignation
6 Template:Sortname OH 1856–1909 1903–1909 — — Template:Sortname death
7 Template:Sortname OH 1844–1921 1909–1919 — 1919–1921 Template:Sortname death
8 Template:Sortname MI 1854–1930 1910–1924 — 1924–1930 Template:Sortname death
9 Template:Sortname MI 1861–1942 1911–1931 — — Template:Sortname resignation
10 Template:Sortname OH 1864–1928 1919–1928 — — Template:Sortname death
11 Template:Sortname KY 1876–1938 1925–1938 — — Template:Sortname death
12 Template:Sortname TN 1872–1952 1928–1952 1948–1952 1952 Template:Sortname death
13 Template:Sortname OH 1880–1933 1928–1933 — — Template:Sortname death
14 Template:Sortname IL 1866–1943 1929–1930 — — [4] reassignment to 2nd Cir.
15 Template:Sortname MI 1876–1964 1932–1959 1952–1958 1959–1964 Template:Sortname death
16 Template:Sortname OH 1884–1966 1934–1959 1958–1959 1959–1966 Template:Sortname death
17 Template:Sortname KY 1883–1945 1938–1945 — — Template:Sortname death
18 Template:Sortname OH 1887–1941 1939–1941 — — Template:Sortname death
19 Template:Sortname TN 1883–1962 1940–1962 1959 — Template:Sortname death
20 Template:Sortname MI 1896–1976 1941–1963 1959–1961 1963–1976 Template:Sortname death
21 Template:Sortname KY 1892–1965 1945–1965 1961–1962 1965–1965 Template:Sortname death
22 Template:Sortname OH 1915–1985 1954–1958 — — Template:Sortname elevation to Supreme Court
23 Template:Sortname OH 1893–1982 1959–1965 1962–1963 1965–1982 Template:Sortname death
24 Template:Sortname OH 1899–1997 1959–1981 1963–1969 1981–1997 Template:Sortname death
25 Template:Sortname MI 1897–1975 1960–1969 — 1969–1975 Template:Sortname death
26 Template:Sortname TN 1909–1985 1963–1979 1969–1979 1979–1985 Template:Sortname death
27 Template:Sortname MI 1914–1995 1963–1985 1979–1983 1985–1995 Template:Sortname[5] death
28 Template:Sortname OH 1910–1998 1965–1980 — 1980–1998 Template:Sortname death
29 Template:Sortname OH 1913–1993 1966–1978 — 1978–1993 Template:Sortname death
30 Template:Sortname MI 1920–1987 1966–1977 — — Template:Sortname resignation
31 Template:Sortname KY 1911–1991 1967–1970 — — Template:Sortname resignation
32 Template:Sortname KY 1905–1971 1969–1971 — — Template:Sortname death
33 Template:Sortname TN 1908–1976 1970–1976 — — Template:Sortname death
34 Template:Sortname MI 1916–1973 1970–1973 — — Template:Sortname death
35 Pierce Lively KY 1921–2016 1972–1989 1983–1988 1989–2016 Template:Sortname death
36 Template:Sortname MI 1924–2013 1973–1989 1988–1989 1989–2013 Template:Sortname death
37 Damon Keith MI 1922–2019 1977–1995 — 1995–2019 Template:Sortname death
38 Gilbert S. Merritt Jr. TN 1936–2022 1977–2001 1989–1996 2001–2022 Template:Sortname death
39 Template:Sortname TN 1917–2004 1979–1982 — 1982–1997 Template:Sortname retirement
40 Cornelia Groefsema Kennedy MI 1923–2014 1979–1999 — 1999–2014 Template:Sortname death
41 Template:Sortname KY 1935–2016 1979–2013 1996–2003 — Template:Sortname retirement
42 Template:Sortname OH 1926–2020 1979–1995 — 1995–2002 Template:Sortname retirement
43 Template:Sortname OH 1920–2001 1982–1986 — 1986–2001 Template:Sortname death
44 Template:Sortname OH 1921–2004 1982–1991 — 1991–2004 Template:Sortname death
45 Template:Sortname TN 1924–2021 1982–1991 — 1991–2021 Template:Sort death
46 Template:Sortname TN 1931–2016 1984–1996 — 1996–2016 Template:Sortname death
48 Template:Sortname OH 1932–2010 1985–1999 — 1999–2010 Template:Sortname death
66 Template:Sortname MI 1956–2006 2005–2006 — — Template:Sortname death
70 Template:Sortname TN 1951–present 2011–2022 — 2022–2023 Template:Sortname retirement

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Chief judges

Chief Judge
Hicks 1948–1952
Simons 1952–1958
Allen 1958–1959
Martin 1959
McAllister 1959–1961
S. Miller, Jr. 1961–1962
Cecil 1962–1963
Weick 1963–1969
Phillips 1969–1979
Edwards, Jr. 1979–1983
Lively 1983–1988
Engel, Jr. 1988–1989
Merritt, Jr. 1989–1996
Martin, Jr. 1996–2003
Boggs 2003–2009
Batchelder 2009–2014
Cole, Jr. 2014–2021
Sutton 2021–present

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Chief judges have administrative responsibilities with respect to their circuits, and preside over any panel on which they serve, unless the circuit justice (the Supreme Court justice responsible for the circuit) is also on the panel. Unlike the Supreme Court, where one justice is specifically nominated to be chief, the office of chief judge rotates among the circuit judges.

To be chief, a judge must have been in active service on the court for at least one year, be under the age of 65, and have not previously served as chief judge. A vacancy is filled by the judge highest in seniority among the group of qualified judges, with seniority determined first by commission date, then by age. The chief judge serves for a term of seven years, or until age 70, whichever occurs first. If no judge qualifies to be chief, the youngest judge over the age of 65 who has served on the court for at least one year shall act as chief until another judge qualifies. If no judge has served on the court for more than a year, the most senior judge shall act as chief. Judges can forfeit or resign their chief judgeship or acting chief judgeship while retaining their active status as a circuit judge.[6]

When the office was created in 1948, the chief judge was the longest-serving judge who had not elected to retire, on what has since 1958 been known as senior status, or declined to serve as chief judge. After August 6, 1959, judges could not become or remain chief after turning 70 years old. The current rules have been in operation since October 1, 1982.[7]

Succession of seats

The court has 16 seats for active judges, numbered in the order in which they were initially filled. Judges who assume senior status enter a kind of retirement in which they remain on the bench but vacate their seats, thus allowing the U.S. President to appoint new judges to fill their seats.

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Case law

See also

Notes

Template:Reflist

References

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    • primary but incomplete source for the duty stations
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    • secondary source for the duty stations
    • data is current to 2002
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    • source for the state, lifetime, term of active judgeship, term of chief judgeship, term of senior judgeship, appointer, termination reason, and seat information
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    • obituary for death of Susan Bieke Neilson

External links

Template:Wikisource portal

Template:United States courts of appeals judges Template:United States 6th Circuit district judges Template:United States 6th Circuit senior district judges Script error: No such module "Navbox". Template:Authority control

  1. ↑ M. Neil Reed, Tom Vanderloo, and Stephanie Woebkenberg, "A History of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit: Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, and Tennessee", The Federal Lawyer (August 2016), p. 34-38.
  2. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  3. ↑ Jackson was appointed to as a circuit judge for the Sixth Circuit in 1886 by Grover Cleveland. The Judiciary Act of 1891 reassigned his seat to what is now the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
  4. ↑ Mack did not have a permanent seat on this court. Instead, he was appointed to the ill-fated United States Commerce Court in 1911 by William Howard Taft. Aside from their duties on the Commerce Court, the judges of the Commerce Court also acted as at-large appellate judges, able to be assigned by the Chief Justice of the United States to whichever circuit most needed help. Mack was assigned to the Seventh Circuit immediately prior to his assignment to the Sixth Circuit.
  5. ↑ Edwards was nominated for a seat on the Sixth Circuit by President Kennedy, but he was confirmed after Kennedy's assassination and was appointed to the Sixth Circuit by (i.e., received his commission from) President Johnson.
  6. ↑ 28 U.S.C. Template:Trim/Template:Trim § Template:Trim
  7. ↑ 62 Stat. 871, 72 Stat. 497, 96 Stat. 51
  8. ↑ Template:Cite court
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