United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
Encyclopedia
Vacancies and pending nominations
| Seat | Seat Last Held By | Vacancy Reason | Date of Vacancy | Nominee | Date of Nomination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paul Redmond Michel Paul Redmond Michel Paul Redmond Michel was an American federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit from 1988 until 2010, and served as its chief judge from 2004 until his retirement.... |
Retirement | May 31, 2010 | Richard G. Taranto Richard G. Taranto Richard Gary Taranto, born , is a lawyer who has been nominated by President Obama to serve on the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.-Biography:... |
November 10, 2011 |
List of former judges
Chief judges
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. 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 statusSenior status
Senior status is a form of semi-retirement for United States federal judges, and judges in some state court systems. After federal judges have reached a certain combination of age and years of service on the federal courts, they are allowed to assume senior status...
remain on the bench but leave their seat vacant. That seat is filled by the next circuit judge appointed by the President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
.
See also
- United States Court of Federal ClaimsUnited States Court of Federal ClaimsThe United States Court of Federal Claims is a United States federal court that hears monetary claims against the U.S. government. The court is established pursuant to Congress's authority under Article One of the United States Constitution...
- Federal Circuit Bar AssociationFederal Circuit Bar AssociationHeadquartered in Washington, DC, the Federal Circuit Bar Association is an organization for the bar of the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. It functions as a forum for dialogue between bar members and the court and between government counsel and private practitioners.-External links:* *...
- Federal Circuit appointment history
- List of United States patent law cases