U.S. Courts History

The Federal Judiciary has a rich history that begins with the U.S. Constitution and the creation of the Supreme Court of the United States. But, district and appellate courts have also issued thousands of decisions which have impacted the lives of Americans. These sites provide a glimpse into the histories of those lower courts.

Featured resources:

Eleventh Circuit

Alabama, Florida, Georgia

Eleventh Circuit Historical Society
  

First Circuit

Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island

History of the First Circuit

District of Maine

District of Rhode Island Historical and Educational Information

Second Circuit

Connecticut, New York, Vermont

Southern District of New York

Third Circuit

Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, U.S. Virgin Islands

A Bicentennial Celebration of Liberty and Justice for All

Fourth Circuit

North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia, Virginia

Fourth Circuit

District of Maryland

Southern District of West Virginia

Fifth Circuit

Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas

Fifth Circuit

Eastern District of Louisiana 

Middle District of Louisiana 

Northern District of Mississippi

Sixth Circuit

Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee

Sixth Circuit

Western District of Michigan

Southern District of Ohio

Historical Society of the Eastern District of Tennessee

Middle District of Tennessee

Seventh Circuit

Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin

Court History Museum

A Court At the Heart of America: Northern District of Illinois Documentary 

And Justice for All: Indiana's Federal Courts

History of the Federal Court in the Western District of Wisconsin

Eighth Circuit

Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, South Dakota

Eighth Circuit Historical Society 

District of Minnesota

Eastern District of Missouri

Ninth Circuit

Alaska, Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington

A Court Transformed: The Ninth Circuit, the 1978 Judgeship Act, and the Carter Judges (in four parts)

Central District of California Historical Decades

Southern District of California

Tenth Circuit

Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah, Wyoming

Tenth Circuit Historical Society

Eleventh Circuit

Alabama, Florida, Georgia

Eleventh Circuit Historical Society

District of Columbia Circuit

District of Columbia

Historical Society of the D.C. Circuit

D.C. Circuit Historical Society Oral History Gallery***

Federal Circuit

District of Columbia

History of the Homes

*** Indicates an oral history resource is available