United States Court Of Appeals For The Third Circuit

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 2007 , 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	50
	Title	Circuit Judge
	Name	Theodore 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	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	61
	Title	Circuit Judge
	Name	Kent A Jordan ²
	Duty Station	Wilmington, DE
	Born	1957
	Term	2006–present
	Chief Term	—
	Senior Term	—
	Appointer	GW Bush

	Index	62
	Title	Circuit Judge
	Name	Thomas M Hardiman
	Duty Station	Pittsburgh, PA
	Born	1965
	Term	2007–present
	Chief Term	—
	Senior Term	—
	Appointer	GW Bush

	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	—
	Title	Circuit Judge
	Name	''(vacant - seat 9)''
	Duty Station	''(n/a)''
	Born	''(n/a)''
	Term	''(n/a)''
	Chief Term	''(n/a)''
	Senior Term	''(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	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

	Index	48
	Title	Senior Circuit Judge
	Name	Jane Richards Roth
	Duty Station	Wilmington, DE
	Born	1935
	Term	1991–2006
	Chief Term	''(none)''
	Senior Term	2006–present
	Appointer	GHW Bush

	Index	59
	Title	Senior Circuit Judge
	Name	Franklin Stuart Van Antwerpen
	Duty Station	Easton, PA
	Born	1941
	Term	2004–2006
	Chief Term	''(none)''
	Senior Term	2006–present

	Index	1
	Name	Marcus Wilson Acheson
	State	PA
	Borndied	1828–1906
	Term	1891–1906
	Chief Term	''(none)''
	Senior Term	''(none)''
	Appointer	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 US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
	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	1899Recess appointment, confirmed by the Senate at a later date–1914
	Chief Term	''(none)''
	Senior Term	''(none)''
	Appointer	McKinley
	Termination	retirement

	Index	4
	Name	Joseph Buffington
	State	PA
	Borndied	1855–1947
	Term	1906–1938
	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	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
	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	1919–1920
	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	1949–1971
	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	1910-2006³
	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	39
	Name	Edward Roy Becker ⁴
	State	PA
	Borndied	1933–2006
	Term	1981–2003
	Chief Term	1998–2003
	Senior Term	2003–2006
	Appointer	Reagan
	Termination	death

	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

{ Align

right cellspacing=5

	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

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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	'''Hardiman'''
	State	PA
	Term	2007–present

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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

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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

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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

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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	1991–2006

	Name	'''Jordan'''
	State	DE
	Term	2006–present

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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

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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

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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

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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	2004–2006

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

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Seat Title

Seat 10

Text

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

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

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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

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Text

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

	Name	Stapleton
	State	DE
	Term	1985–1999

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

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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

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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

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	CATEGORIES ABOUT UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT

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Information About

United States Court Of Appeals For The Third Circuit