United States Court Of Appeals For The Third Circuit Article Index for
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It also has appellate jurisdiction over the District Court Of The Virgin Islands which, in spite of the name, is a Territorial Court and belongs to no federal judicial district.

The court is composed of 14 active judges and is based at the U.S. Courthouse in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania . It is one of thirteen United States Courts Of Appeals .


CURRENT COMPOSITION OF THE COURT

As Of Michael Chagares' confirmation on April 4 , 2006 , the judges on the court are:

  Index 44
  Title Chief Judge
  Name Anthony Joseph Scirica
  Duty Station Philadelphia, PA
  Born 1940
  Term 1987–present
  Chief Term 2003–present
  Senior Term —
  Appointer Reagan


  Index 38
  Title Circuit Judge
  Name Dolores Korman Sloviter
  Duty Station Philadelphia, PA
  Born 1932
  Term 1979–present
  Chief Term 1991–1998
  Senior Term —
  Appointer Carter


  Index 48
  Title Circuit Judge
  Name Jane Richards Roth
  Duty Station Wilmington, DE
  Born 1935
  Term 1991–present
  Chief Term —
  Senior Term —
  Appointer GHW Bush


  Index 50
  Title Circuit Judge
  Name Theodore Alexander McKee
  Duty Station Philadelphia, PA
  Born 1947
  Term 1994–present
  Chief Term —
  Senior Term —
  Appointer Clinton


  Index 52
  Title Circuit Judge
  Name Marjorie Rendell
  Duty Station Philadelphia, PA
  Born 1947
  Term 1997–present
  Chief Term —
  Senior Term —
  Appointer Clinton


  Index 53
  Title Circuit Judge
  Name Maryanne Trump Barry
  Duty Station Newark, NJ
  Born 1937
  Term 1999–present
  Chief Term —
  Senior Term —
  Appointer Clinton


  Index 54
  Title Circuit Judge
  Name Thomas L Ambro
  Duty Station Wilmington, DE
  Born 1949
  Term 2000–present
  Chief Term —
  Senior Term —
  Appointer Clinton


  Index 55
  Title Circuit Judge
  Name Julio M Fuentes
  Duty Station Newark, NJ
  Born 1946
  Term 2000–present
  Chief Term —
  Senior Term —
  Appointer Clinton


  Index 56
  Title Circuit Judge
  Name D Brooks Smith
  Duty Station Duncansville, PA
  Born 1951
  Term 2002–present
  Chief Term —
  Senior Term —
  Appointer GW Bush


  Index 58
  Title Circuit Judge
  Name D Michael Fisher
  Duty Station Pittsburgh, PA
  Born 1944
  Term 2003–present
  Chief Term —
  Senior Term —
  Appointer GW Bush


  Index 59
  Title Circuit Judge
  Name Franklin Stuart Van Antwerpen
  Duty Station Easton, PA
  Born 1941
  Term 2004–present
  Chief Term —
  Senior Term —
  Appointer GW Bush


  Index 60
  Title Circuit Judge
  Name Michael A Chagares 1
  Duty Station Newark, NJ
  Born 1962
  Term 2006–present
  Chief Term —
  Senior Term —
  Appointer GW Bush


  Index —
  Title Circuit Judge
  Name ''(vacant - seat 1)''
  Duty Station ''(n/a)''
  Born ''(n/a)''
  Term ''(n/a)''
  Chief Term ''(n/a)''
  Senior Term ''(n/a)''
  Appointer ''(n/a)''


  Index —
  Title Circuit Judge
  Name ''(vacant - seat 4)''
  Duty Station ''(n/a)''
  Born ''(n/a)''
  Term ''(n/a)''
  Chief Term ''(n/a)''
  Senior Term ''(n/a)''
  Appointer ''(n/a)''


  Index 28
  Title Senior Circuit Judge
  Name Ruggero J Aldisert
  Duty Station Santa Barbara, CA
  Born 1919
  Term 1968–1986
  Chief Term 1984–1986
  Senior Term 1986–present
  Appointer L Johnson


  Index 35
  Title Senior Circuit Judge
  Name Joseph Francis Weis, Jr
  Duty Station Pittsburgh, PA
  Born 1923
  Term 1973–1988
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term 1988–present
  Appointer Nixon


  Index 36
  Title Senior Circuit Judge
  Name Leonard I Garth
  Duty Station Newark, NJ
  Born 1921
  Term 1973–1986
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term 1986–present
  Appointer Nixon


  Index 39
  Title Senior Circuit Judge
  Name Edward Roy Becker
  Duty Station Philadelphia, PA
  Born 1933
  Term 1981–2003
  Chief Term 1998–2003
  Senior Term 2003–present
  Appointer Reagan


  Index 41
  Title Senior Circuit Judge
  Name Walter King Stapleton
  Duty Station Wilmington, DE
  Born 1934
  Term 1985–1999
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term 1999–present
  Appointer Reagan


  Index 42
  Title Senior Circuit Judge
  Name Morton Ira Greenberg
  Duty Station Trenton, NJ
  Born 1933
  Term 1987–2000
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term 2000–present
  Appointer Reagan


  Index 45
  Title Senior Circuit Judge
  Name Robert E Cowen
  Duty Station Trenton, NJ
  Born 1930
  Term 1987–1998
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term 1998–present
  Appointer Reagan


  Index 46
  Title Senior Circuit Judge
  Name Richard Lowell Nygaard
  Duty Station Erie, PA
  Born 1940
  Term 1988–2005
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term 2005 – present
  Appointer Reagan



LIST OF FORMER JUDGES


  Index 1
  Name Marcus Wilson Acheson
  State PA
  Borndied 1828–1906
  Term 1891–1906
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term ''(none)''
  Appointer <sup>(a)</sup>
  Termination death


  Index 2
  Name George M Dallas
  State PA
  Borndied 1839–1917
  Term 1892–1909
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term ''(none)''
  Appointer B Harrison
  Termination retirement


  Index 3
  Name George Gray
  State DE
  Borndied 1840–1925
  Term 1899<sup>(b)</sup>–1914
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term ''(none)''
  Appointer McKinley
  Termination retirement


  Index 4
  Name Joseph Buffington
  State PA
  Borndied 1855–1947
  Term 1906<sup>(b)</sup>–1938
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term 1938–1947
  Appointer T Roosevelt
  Termination death


  Index 5
  Name William Mershon Lanning
  State NJ
  Borndied 1849–1912
  Term 1909–1912
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term ''(none)''
  Appointer Taft
  Termination death


  Index —
  Name Robert W Archbald
  State PA
  Borndied 1848–1926
  Term 1911–1913
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term ''(none)''
  Appointer <sup>(c)</sup>
  Termination impeachment and conviction


  Index 6
  Name John Bayard McPherson
  State PA
  Borndied 1846–1919
  Term 1912–1919
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term ''(none)''
  Appointer Taft
  Termination death


  Index 7
  Name Victor Baynard Woolley
  State DE
  Borndied 1867–1945
  Term 1914–1938
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term 1938–1945
  Appointer Wilson
  Termination death


  Index 8
  Name Thomas Griffith Haight
  State NJ
  Borndied 1879–1942
  Term 1919<sup>(b)</sup>–1920
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term ''(none)''
  Appointer Wilson
  Termination resignation


  Index 9
  Name John Warren Davis
  State NJ
  Borndied 1867–1945
  Term 1920–1939
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term 1939–1941
  Appointer Wilson
  Termination resignation


  Index 10
  Name Joseph Whitaker Thompson
  State PA
  Borndied 1861–1946
  Term 1931–1938
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term 1938–1946
  Appointer Hoover
  Termination death


  Index 11
  Name John Biggs, Jr
  State DE
  Borndied 1895–1979
  Term 1937–1965
  Chief Term 1948–1965
  Senior Term 1965–1979
  Appointer F Roosevelt
  Termination death


  Index 12
  Name Albert Branson Maris
  State PA
  Borndied 1893–1989
  Term 1938–1958
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term 1958–1989
  Appointer F Roosevelt
  Termination death


  Index 13
  Name William Clark
  State NJ
  Borndied 1891–1957
  Term 1938–1943
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term ''(none)''
  Appointer F Roosevelt
  Termination resignation


  Index 14
  Name Francis Biddle
  State
  Borndied 1886–1968
  Term 1939–1940
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term ''(none)''
  Appointer F Roosevelt
  Termination resignation


  Index 15
  Name Charles Alvin Jones
  State PA
  Borndied 1887–1966
  Term 1939–1944
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term ''(none)''
  Appointer F Roosevelt
  Termination resignation


  Index 16
  Name Herbert Funk Goodrich
  State PA
  Borndied 1889–1962
  Term 1940–1962
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term ''(none)''
  Appointer F Roosevelt
  Termination death


  Index 17
  Name Gerald McLaughlin
  State NJ
  Borndied 1893–1977
  Term 1943–1968
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term 1968–1977
  Appointer F Roosevelt
  Termination death


  Index 18
  Name John Joseph O'Connell
  State PA
  Borndied 1894–1949
  Term 1945–1949
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term ''(none)''
  Appointer Truman
  Termination death


  Index 19
  Name Harry Ellis Kalodner
  State PA
  Borndied 1896–1977
  Term 1946–1969
  Chief Term 1965–1966
  Senior Term 1969–1977
  Appointer Truman
  Termination death


  Index 20
  Name William Henry Hastie
  State VI
  Borndied 1904–1976
  Term 1949<sup>(b)</sup>–1971
  Chief Term 1968–1971
  Senior Term 1971–1976
  Appointer Truman
  Termination death


  Index 21
  Name Austin Leander Staley
  State PA
  Borndied 1902–1978
  Term 1950–1967
  Chief Term 1966–1967
  Senior Term 1967–1978
  Appointer Truman
  Termination death


  Index 22
  Name Phillip Forman
  State NJ
  Borndied 1895–1978
  Term 1959–1961
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term 1961–1978
  Appointer Eisenhower
  Termination death


  Index 23
  Name James Cullen Ganey
  State PA
  Borndied 1899–1972
  Term 1961–1966
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term 1966–1972
  Appointer Kennedy
  Termination death


  Index 24
  Name William Francis Smith
  State NJ
  Borndied 1903–1968
  Term 1961–1968
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term ''(none)''
  Appointer Kennedy
  Termination death


  Index 25
  Name Abraham Lincoln Freedman
  State PA
  Borndied 1904–1971
  Term 1964–1971
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term ''(none)''
  Appointer L Johnson
  Termination death


  Index 26
  Name Collins Jacques Seitz
  State DE
  Borndied 1914–1998
  Term 1966–1989
  Chief Term 1971–1984
  Senior Term 1989–1998
  Appointer L Johnson
  Termination death


  Index 27
  Name Francis Lund Van Dusen
  State PA
  Borndied 1912–1993
  Term 1967–1977
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term 1977–1993
  Appointer L Johnson
  Termination death


  Index 29
  Name David Henry Stahl
  State PA
  Borndied 1920–1970
  Term 1968–1970
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term ''(none)''
  Appointer L Johnson
  Termination death


  Index 30
  Name Arlin Marvin Adams
  State PA
  Borndied 1921–present
  Term 1969–1987
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term ''(none)''
  Appointer Nixon
  Termination retirement


  Index 31
  Name John Joseph Gibbons
  State NJ
  Borndied 1924–present
  Term 1969–1990
  Chief Term 1987–1990
  Senior Term ''(none)''
  Appointer Nixon
  Termination retirement


  Index 32
  Name Max Rosenn
  State PA
  Borndied 1910-20062
  Term 1970–1981
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term 1981–2006
  Appointer Nixon
  Termination death


  Index 33
  Name James Rosen
  State NJ
  Borndied 1909–1972
  Term 1971–1972
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term ''(none)''
  Appointer Nixon
  Termination death


  Index 34
  Name James Hunter III
  State NJ
  Borndied 1916–1989
  Term 1971–1986
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term 1986–1989
  Appointer Nixon
  Termination death


  Index 37
  Name Aloyisus Leon Higginbotham, Jr
  State PA
  Borndied 1928–1998
  Term 1977–1991
  Chief Term 1990–1991
  Senior Term 1991–1993
  Appointer Carter
  Termination retirement


  Index 40
  Name Carol Los Mansmann
  State PA
  Borndied 1942–2002
  Term 1985–2002
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term ''(none)''
  Appointer Reagan
  Termination death


  Index 43
  Name William D Hutchinson
  State PA
  Borndied 1932–1995
  Term 1987–1995
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term ''(none)''
  Appointer Reagan
  Termination death


  Index 47
  Name Samuel A Alito, Jr
  State NJ
  Borndied 1950–present
  Term 1990–2006
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term ''(none)''
  Appointer GHW Bush
  Termination elevation to Supreme Court


  Index 49
  Name Timothy K Lewis
  State PA
  Borndied 1954–present
  Term 1992–1999
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term ''(none)''
  Appointer GHW Bush
  Termination resignation


  Index 51
  Name H Lee Sarokin
  State NJ
  Borndied 1928–present
  Term 1994–1996
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term ''(none)''
  Appointer Clinton
  Termination retirement


  Index 57
  Name Michael Chertoff
  State NJ
  Borndied 1953–present
  Term 2003–2005
  Chief Term ''(none)''
  Senior Term ''(none)''
  Appointer GW Bush
  Termination resignation to become United States<br>Secretary Of Homeland Security


(a) ''Acheson was appointed as a Circuit Judge for the Third Circuit in 1891 by Benjamin Harrison . The Judiciary Act Of 1891 reassigned his seat to what is now the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.''

(b) ''Recess appointment, confirmed by the Senate at a later date.''

(c) ''Archbald 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. Archbald was assigned to the Third Circuit upon his commission.''


PENDING NOMINATIONS


  • There are currently no nominations pending to Circuit vacancies.



CHIEF JUDGES

  Name Biggs
  Term 1948–1965


  Name Kalodner
  Term 1965–1966


  Name Hastie
  Term 1968–1971


  Name Staley
  Term 1966–1967


  Name Seitz
  Term 1971–1984


  Name Aldisert
  Term 1984–1986


  Name Gibbons
  Term 1987–1990


  Name Higginbotham
  Term 1990–1991


  Name Sloviter
  Term 1991–1998


  Name Becker
  Term 1998–2003


  Name ''' Scirica '''
  Term 2003–present



  { Align "center" cellspacing="5"
  Text Established on December 10 , 1869 by the Judiciary Act Of 1869 as a Circuit Judgeship for the Third Circuit


  Text Reassigned on June 16 , 1891 to the newly formed United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit by the Judiciary Act Of 1891


  Name Acheson
  State PA
  Term 1891–1906


  Name Buffington
  State PA
  Term 1906–1938


  Name Biddle
  State
  Term 1939–1940


  Name Goodrich
  State PA
  Term 1940–1962


  Name Freedman
  State PA
  Term 1964–1971


  Name Weis
  State PA
  Term 1973–1988


  Name Nygaard
  State PA
  Term 1988–2005


  Name ''(vacant)''
  State ''(n/a)''
  Term 2005–present


  Valign "top"
  Seat Title Seat 2


  Text Established on June 16 , 1891 by the Judiciary Act Of 1891


  Name Dallas
  State PA
  Term 1892–1909


  Name Lanning
  State NJ
  Term 1909–1912


  Name McPherson
  State PA
  Term 1912–1919


  Name Haight
  State NJ
  Term 1919–1920


  Name Davis
  State NJ
  Term 1920–1939


  Name Jones
  State PA
  Term 1939–1944


  Name Kalodner
  State PA
  Term 1946–1969


  Name Adams
  State PA
  Term 1969–1987


  Name Hutchinson
  State PA
  Term 1987–1995


  Name ''' Rendell '''
  State PA
  Term 1997–present


  Valign "top"
  Seat Title Seat 3


  Text Established on February 23 , 1899 by 30&nbspStat&nbsp846


  Name Gray
  State DE
  Term 1899–1914


  Name Woolley
  State DE
  Term 1914–1938


  Name Maris
  State PA
  Term 1938–1958


  Name Forman
  State NJ
  Term 1959–1961


  Name W Smith
  State NJ
  Term 1961–1968


  Name Hunter
  State NJ
  Term 1971–1986


  Name Cowen
  State NJ
  Term 1987–1998


  Name ''' Fuentes '''
  State NJ
  Term 2000–present


  Valign "top"
  Seat Title Seat 4


  Text Established on June 10 , 1930 by 46&nbspStat&nbsp538


  Name Thompson
  State PA
  Term 1931–1938


  Name Clark
  State NJ
  Term 1938–1943


  Name McLaughlin
  State NJ
  Term 1943–1968


  Name Gibbons
  State NJ
  Term 1969–1990


  Name Alito
  State NJ
  Term 1990–2006


  Name ''(vacant)''
  State ''(n/a)''
  Term 2006–present




  { Align "center" cellspacing="5"
  Text Established as a temporary judgeship on June 24 , 1936 by 49&nbspStat&nbsp1903


  Text Made permanent on May 31 , 1938 by 52&nbspStat&nbsp584


  Name Biggs
  State DE
  Term 1937–1965


  Name Seitz
  State DE
  Term 1966–1989


  Name ''' Roth '''
  State DE
  Term 1991–present


  Valign "top"
  Seat Title Seat 6


  Text Established on December 7 , 1944 by 58&nbspStat&nbsp796


  Name O'Connell
  State PA
  Term 1945–1949


  Name Staley
  State PA
  Term 1950–1967


  Name Aldisert
  State PA
  Term 1968–1986


  Name ''' Scirica '''
  State PA
  Term 1987–present


  Valign "top"
  Seat Title Seat 7


  Text Established on August 3 , 1949 by 63&nbspStat&nbsp493


  Name Hastie
  State VI
  Term 1949–1971


  Name Rosen
  State NJ
  Term 1971–1972


  Name Garth
  State NJ
  Term 1973–1986


  Name Greenberg
  State NJ
  Term 1987–2000


  Name Chertoff
  State NJ
  Term 2003–2005


  Name ''' Chagares '''
  State NJ
  Term 2006–present


  Valign "top"
  Seat Title Seat 8


  Text Established on May 19 , 1961 by 75&nbspStat&nbsp80


  Name Ganey
  State PA
  Term 1961–1966


  Name Van Dusen
  State PA
  Term 1967–1977


  Name Higginbotham
  State PA
  Term 1977–1991


  Name ''' McKee '''
  State PA
  Term 1994–present




  { Align "center" cellspacing="5"
  Text Established on June 18 , 1968 by 82&nbspStat&nbsp184


  Name Stahl
  State PA
  Term 1968–1970


  Name Rosenn
  State PA
  Term 1970–1981


  Name Becker
  State PA
  Term 1981–2003


  Name ''' Van Antwerpen '''
  State PA
  Term 2004–present


  Valign "top"
  Seat Title Seat 10


  Text Established on October 20 , 1978 by 92&nbspStat&nbsp1629


  Name ''' Sloviter '''
  State PA
  Term 1979–present


  Valign "top"
  Seat Title Seat 11


  Text Established on July 10 , 1984 by 98&nbspStat&nbsp333


  Name Mansmann
  State PA
  Term 1985–2002


  Name ''' Fisher '''
  State PA
  Term 2003–present




  { Align "center" cellspacing="5"
  Text Established on July 10 , 1984 by 98&nbspStat&nbsp333


  Name Stapleton
  State DE
  Term 1985–1999


  Name ''' Ambro '''
  State DE
  Term 2000–present


  Valign "top"
  Seat Title Seat 13


  Text Established on December 1 , 1990 by 104&nbspStat&nbsp5089


  Name Lewis
  State PA
  Term 1992–1999


  Name ''' B Smith '''
  State PA
  Term 2002–present


  Valign "top"
  Seat Title Seat 14


  Text Established on December 1 , 1990 by 104 ''Stat'' 5089


  Name Sarokin
  State NJ
  Term 1994–1996


  Name ''' Barry '''
  State NJ
  Term 1999–present