United States Circuit Court of the District of Columbia
Encyclopedia
The United States Circuit Court of the District of Columbia is a former United States federal court, which existed from 1801 to 1863.
s in the Judiciary Act of 1789
, but did not initially provide for designated judges to sit on those courts. The Circuit Court of the District of Columbia was established on February 27, 1801 by 2 Stat. 103, which authorized one chief judge and two assistant judges who were to serve during good behavior. Congress granted the court the same powers as the U.S. circuit courts as well as local civil and criminal jurisdiction within the District of Columbia. On March 3, 1801, by 2 Stat. 123, Congress authorized the chief judge of the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia to hold the United States District Court for the District of Potomac
, but this jurisdiction was short lived. On March 8, 1802, by 2 Stat. 132, the Potomac District was abolished, effective July 1, 1802. Shortly thereafter, on April 29, 1802, by 2 Stat. 156, the Judiciary Act of 1802
established the United States District Court for the District of Columbia
and specified that the court would have the same jurisdiction and powers as the U.S. district courts. The act authorized the chief judge of the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia to preside in the district court.
Congress established the Criminal Court of the District of Columbia on July 7, 1838, by 5 Stat. 306. This act authorized one judge, and granted the Criminal Court the powers of the U.S. circuit courts and the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia in criminal matters. The act of February 20, 1839, 5 Stat. 319, provided that the chief judge of the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia would preside in the absence of the Criminal Court judge. On July 9, 1846, by 9 Stat. 35, The county of Alexandria in the District of Columbia was returned to the state of Virginia
, and the division of the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia seated in that county was abolished upon the formal approval of retrocession, occurred September 7, 1846.
The circuit court, district court, and criminal court of the District of Columbia were finally abolished altogether on March 3, 1863, by 12 Stat. 762. A new court, the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia
(later renamed the "United States District Court for the District of Columbia"), was created in its place, thus terminating the service of the three U.S. circuit court judges appointed to serve during good behavior.
History
Congress established the United States circuit courtUnited States circuit court
The United States circuit courts were the original intermediate level courts of the United States federal court system. They were established by the Judiciary Act of 1789. They had trial court jurisdiction over civil suits of diversity jurisdiction and major federal crimes. They also had appellate...
s in the Judiciary Act of 1789
Judiciary Act of 1789
The United States Judiciary Act of 1789 was a landmark statute adopted on September 24, 1789 in the first session of the First United States Congress establishing the U.S. federal judiciary...
, but did not initially provide for designated judges to sit on those courts. The Circuit Court of the District of Columbia was established on February 27, 1801 by 2 Stat. 103, which authorized one chief judge and two assistant judges who were to serve during good behavior. Congress granted the court the same powers as the U.S. circuit courts as well as local civil and criminal jurisdiction within the District of Columbia. On March 3, 1801, by 2 Stat. 123, Congress authorized the chief judge of the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia to hold the United States District Court for the District of Potomac
United States District Court for the District of Potomac
The United States District Court for the District of Potomac was a short-lived United States federal court. Named for the Potomac River, it had jurisdiction over the District of Columbia and pieces of Maryland and Virginia, making it the first United States district court to cross state lines...
, but this jurisdiction was short lived. On March 8, 1802, by 2 Stat. 132, the Potomac District was abolished, effective July 1, 1802. Shortly thereafter, on April 29, 1802, by 2 Stat. 156, the Judiciary Act of 1802
Judiciary Act of 1802
The United States Judiciary Act of 1802 was a Federal statute, enacted on April 29, 1802, to reorganize the federal court system. It restored some elements of the Judiciary Act of 1801, which had been adopted by the Federalist majority in the previous Congress, but was repealed by the...
established the United States District Court for the District of Columbia
United States District Court for the District of Columbia
The United States District Court for the District of Columbia is a federal district court. Appeals from the District are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit The United States District Court for the District of Columbia (in case citations, D.D.C.) is a...
and specified that the court would have the same jurisdiction and powers as the U.S. district courts. The act authorized the chief judge of the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia to preside in the district court.
Congress established the Criminal Court of the District of Columbia on July 7, 1838, by 5 Stat. 306. This act authorized one judge, and granted the Criminal Court the powers of the U.S. circuit courts and the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia in criminal matters. The act of February 20, 1839, 5 Stat. 319, provided that the chief judge of the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia would preside in the absence of the Criminal Court judge. On July 9, 1846, by 9 Stat. 35, The county of Alexandria in the District of Columbia was returned to the state of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, and the division of the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia seated in that county was abolished upon the formal approval of retrocession, occurred September 7, 1846.
The circuit court, district court, and criminal court of the District of Columbia were finally abolished altogether on March 3, 1863, by 12 Stat. 762. A new court, the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia
United States District Court for the District of Columbia
The United States District Court for the District of Columbia is a federal district court. Appeals from the District are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit The United States District Court for the District of Columbia (in case citations, D.D.C.) is a...
(later renamed the "United States District Court for the District of Columbia"), was created in its place, thus terminating the service of the three U.S. circuit court judges appointed to serve during good behavior.
Judges
Judges of the D.C. Circuit:| Judge | Appointed by | Began active service |
Ended active service |
End reason |
| William Cranch William Cranch William Cranch was an American judge and the second reporter of decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States.-Early life:Born in Weymouth, Massachusetts, he was a nephew of Abigail Adams... |
John Adams John Adams John Adams was an American lawyer, statesman, diplomat and political theorist. A leading champion of independence in 1776, he was the second President of the United States... Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia... (as chief judge) |
February 28, 1801 February 24, 1806 |
February 24, 1806 September 1, 1855 |
reappointment death |
| Allen Bowie Duckett Allen Bowie Duckett Allen Bowie Duckett was a Maryland and a United States federal judge.Born in Prince George's County, Maryland, Duckett graduated from Princeton University in 1790, and read law to enter the Bar... |
Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia... |
March 17, 1806 | July 19, 1809 | death |
| James Dunlop James Dunlop (judge) James Dunlop was a United States federal judge.Dunlop was born in Georgetown, which was then part of Maryland, but was ceded to the District of Columbia by the District of Columbia Organic Act of 1801. He received an A.B. from Princeton University in 1811, and read law to enter the Bar... |
James K. Polk James K. Polk James Knox Polk was the 11th President of the United States . Polk was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He later lived in and represented Tennessee. A Democrat, Polk served as the 17th Speaker of the House of Representatives and the 12th Governor of Tennessee... Franklin Pierce Franklin Pierce Franklin Pierce was the 14th President of the United States and is the only President from New Hampshire. Pierce was a Democrat and a "doughface" who served in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Pierce took part in the Mexican-American War and became a brigadier general in the Army... (as chief judge) |
October 3, 1845 November 27, 1855 |
November 27, 1855 March 3, 1863 |
reappointment death |
| Nicholas Battalle Fitzhugh Nicholas Battalle Fitzhugh Nicholas Battalle Fitzhugh was a United States federal judge.Born in King George County, Virginia, Fitzhugh was in private practice in Fairfax County, Virginia, with some brief interruptions, from 1790 to 1803... |
Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia... |
November 25, 1803 | December 31, 1814 | death |
| William Kilty William Kilty William Kilty was a United States federal judge.Born in London, England, Kilty read law at the College of St. Omer to enter the bar. He also studied medicine under Edward Johnson, of Annapolis. In the American Revolutionary War, Kilty served in the 4th Maryland Regiment as a Surgeon's Mate from... |
Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia... (as chief judge) |
January 26, 1802 | January 27, 1806 | death |
| James Markham Marshall James Markham Marshall James Markham Marshall was a United States federal judge.Born in Fauquier County, Virginia, Marshall was a Captain in the 1st Virginia Artillery in 1779... |
John Adams John Adams John Adams was an American lawyer, statesman, diplomat and political theorist. A leading champion of independence in 1776, he was the second President of the United States... |
March 3, 1801 | November 16, 1803 | resignation |
| William Matthew Merrick William Matthew Merrick William Matthew Merrick was a United States Circuit Court judge for the District of Columbia and congressman from the fifth district of the state of Maryland.-Early life, career, and family:... |
Franklin Pierce Franklin Pierce Franklin Pierce was the 14th President of the United States and is the only President from New Hampshire. Pierce was a Democrat and a "doughface" who served in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Pierce took part in the Mexican-American War and became a brigadier general in the Army... |
December 14, 1855 | March 3, 1863 | abolition of the court |
| James Sewall Morsell James Sewall Morsell James Sewall Morsell was a United States federal judge.Born in Calvert County, Maryland, Morsell was in the United States Army from 1813 to 1814, and had a private legal practice in Georgetown, District of Columbia unil 1815.On January 7, 1815, Morsell was nominated by President James Madison to a... |
James Madison James Madison James Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United... |
January 11, 1815 | March 3, 1863 | abolition of the court |
| Buckner Thruston Buckner Thruston Buckner Thruston was a Democratic-Republican U.S. Senator from Kentucky, and later a long-serving a United States federal judge.-Early life, education, and career:... |
James Madison James Madison James Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United... |
December 14, 1809 | August 30, 1845 | death |
External links
- Federal Courts of the District of Columbia from the Federal Judicial CenterFederal Judicial CenterThe Federal Judicial Center is the education and research agency of the United States federal courts. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1967, at the recommendation of the Judicial Conference of the United States....