United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

DC Circuit Washington, District of Columbia

About This Court

Hears appeals from the district courts of the DC Circuit, listed below. Proceedings are governed by the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure, along with the court's own rules.

Active Judges 11

Name	Appointed By	Confirmed	Law School
Julianna Childs	Joseph R. Biden	2022	University of South Carolina School of Law
Bradley Garcia	Joseph R. Biden	2023	Harvard Law School
Karen Henderson	George H.W. Bush	1990	University of North Carolina School of Law
Gregory Katsas	Donald J. Trump	2017	Harvard Law School
Patricia Millett	Barack Obama	2013	Harvard Law School
Florence Pan	Joseph R. Biden	2022	Stanford Law School
Cornelia Pillard	Barack Obama	2013	Harvard Law School
Neomi Rao	Donald J. Trump	2019	University of Chicago Law School
Srikanth Srinivasan	Barack Obama	2013	Stanford Law School
Justin Walker	Donald J. Trump	2020	Harvard Law School
Robert Wilkins	Barack Obama	2014	Harvard Law School

Senior Judges 5

Name	Appointed By	Confirmed	Law School
Harry Edwards	Jimmy Carter	1980	University of Michigan Law School
Douglas Ginsburg	Ronald Reagan	1986	University of Chicago Law School
Arthur Randolph	George H.W. Bush	1990	University of Pennsylvania Law School (now Carey Law School)
Judith Rogers	William J. Clinton	1994	Harvard Law School
David Sentelle	Ronald Reagan	1987	University of North Carolina School of Law

Local Rules

The D.C. Circuit Rules, which supplement the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure. See the court's official website for the authoritative text.

Title I. Applicability of Rules 2

Rule	Title
Circuit Rule 1	Scope of Rules; General Provisions
Circuit Rule 2	Suspension of Rules

Title II. Appeal from a Judgment or Order of a District Court 6

Rule	Title
Circuit Rule 5	Appeal by Permission
Circuit Rule 8	Stay and Emergency Relief Pending Appeal from a Judgment or Order of the District Court
Circuit Rule 9	Release in a Criminal Case
Circuit Rule 11	Forwarding the Record on Appeal from a Judgment or Order of the District Court
Circuit Rule 12	Docketing Statement in Appeal from a Judgment or Order of the District Court; Statement by Appellee, Intervenor, or Amicus Curiae
Circuit Rule 12.1	Remand After an Indicative Ruling by the District Court on a Motion for Relief that Is Barred by a Pending Appeal

Title IV. Review or Enforcement of an Order of an Administrative Agency, Board, Commission, or Officer 4

Rule	Title
Circuit Rule 15	Petition for Review or Appeal from Agency Action; Docketing Statement
Circuit Rule 15.1	Briefs and Oral Argument in National Labor Relations Board and Federal Labor Relations Authority Proceedings
Circuit Rule 17	Filing the Record for Review or Enforcement of an Agency Order
Circuit Rule 18	Stay and Emergency Relief Pending Review of an Agency Order

Title V. Extraordinary Writs 1

Rule	Title
Circuit Rule 21	Writs of Mandamus and Prohibition and Other Extraordinary Writs and Complaints of Unreasonable Delay

Title VI. Habeas Corpus; Proceedings in Forma Pauperis 2

Rule	Title
Circuit Rule 22	Habeas Corpus and Section 2255 Proceedings
Circuit Rule 24	Proceeding in Forma Pauperis

Title VII. General Provisions 28

Rule	Title
Circuit Rule 25	Filing and Service
Circuit Rule 26	Computing and Extending Time
Circuit Rule 26.1	Disclosure Statement
Circuit Rule 27	Motions
Circuit Rule 28	Briefs
Circuit Rule 28.1	Cross-Appeals
Circuit Rule 29	Brief of an Amicus Curiae
Circuit Rule 30	Appendix to the Briefs
Circuit Rule 31	Serving and Filing Briefs
Circuit Rule 32	Form of Briefs, Appendices, and Other Papers
Circuit Rule 32.1	Citing Judicial Dispositions
Circuit Rule 34	Oral Argument
Circuit Rule 35	Transferred to Rule 40
Circuit Rule 36	Entry of Judgment; Notice; Decisions of the Court
Circuit Rule 38	Sanctions
Circuit Rule 39	Costs
Circuit Rule 40	Petition for Panel Rehearing and Petition for Hearing or Rehearing En Banc
Circuit Rule 41	Issuance of Mandate; Stay of Mandate; Remand
Circuit Rule 42	Voluntary Dismissal in a Criminal Case
Circuit Rule 45	Clerk's Duties; Fees for Services
Circuit Rule 46	Attorneys; Appearance by Law Student
Circuit Rule 47	Local Rules by Courts of Appeals
Circuit Rule 47.1	Matters Under Seal
Circuit Rule 47.2	Certain Expedited Proceedings
Circuit Rule 47.3	Judicial Conference
Circuit Rule 47.4	Advisory Committee on Procedures
Circuit Rule 47.5	Processing Direct Criminal Appeals
Circuit Rule 47.6	Appeals from the Alien Terrorist Removal Court

Appendix II. Rules of Disciplinary Enforcement 14

Rule	Title
Disciplinary Enforcement Rules	Rules of Disciplinary Enforcement
Disciplinary Enforcement Rule I	Standards for Professional Conduct
Disciplinary Enforcement Rule II	Committee on Admissions and Grievances
Disciplinary Enforcement Rule III	Attorneys Convicted of Crimes
Disciplinary Enforcement Rule IV	Discipline Imposed by Other Courts or Agencies
Disciplinary Enforcement Rule V	Disbarment on Consent or Resignation in Other Courts
Disciplinary Enforcement Rule VI	Disbarment on Consent While under Disciplinary Investigation or Prosecution
Disciplinary Enforcement Rule VII	Reinstatement
Disciplinary Enforcement Rule VIII	Attorneys Specially Admitted
Disciplinary Enforcement Rule IX	Proceedings Where an Attorney Is Declared to Be Mentally Incompetent or Is Alleged to Be Incapacitated
Disciplinary Enforcement Rule X	Duty of Attorneys to Notify the Court of Convictions or Discipline by Other Courts or Agencies
Disciplinary Enforcement Rule XI	Duties of the Clerk
Disciplinary Enforcement Rule XII	Jurisdiction
Disciplinary Enforcement Rule XIII	Effective Date

Appendix III. Appellate Mediation Program 1

Rule	Title
Appendix III	Appellate Mediation Program

Handbook of Practice and Internal Procedures 1

Rule	Title
Handbook Preface	Preface

Handbook, Part I. Introduction to the Court 4

Rule	Title
Handbook I.A	Courthouse
Handbook I.B	Personnel
Handbook I.C	Court Administration
Handbook I.D	The Circuit Rules

Handbook, Part II. Preliminary Matters 5

Rule	Title
Handbook II.A	Admission to Practice
Handbook II.B	Requests for Information
Handbook II.C	Filings
Handbook II.D	Clerk's Fees
Handbook II.E	Complaints Against Judges

Handbook, Part III. Commencing the Appeal 11

Rule	Title
Handbook III.A	Preliminary Matters — Jurisdiction
Handbook III.B	Appeals from the District Court as of Right
Handbook III.C	Appeals from the District Court by Permission
Handbook III.D	Appeals from the Tax Court
Handbook III.E	Review of Administrative Agency Orders
Handbook III.F	Enforcement of Administrative Agency Orders
Handbook III.G	Original Proceedings
Handbook III.H	Joint Appeals
Handbook III.I	Cross-Appeals
Handbook III.J	Appeals Expedited by Statute
Handbook III.K	Cases with Records under Seal

Handbook, Part IV. Docketing the Appeal 4

Rule	Title
Handbook IV.A	Cases from the District Court and the Tax Court
Handbook IV.B	Cases from Administrative Agencies
Handbook IV.C	Original Proceedings
Handbook IV.D	Mediation Program

Handbook, Part V. Multi-Party Cases 2

Rule	Title
Handbook V.A	Consolidation
Handbook V.B	Appeals Management Plan

Handbook, Part VI. Appeals in Forma Pauperis and Pursuant to the Criminal Justice Act; Appointment of Counsel 4

Rule	Title
Handbook VI.A	When Permitted
Handbook VI.B	District Court Dismissal of Suits Brought in Forma Pauperis
Handbook VI.C	Procedural Consequences of in Forma Pauperis Status
Handbook VI.D	Appointment of Counsel

Handbook, Part VII. Motions Practice 6

Rule	Title
Handbook VII.A	Formal Requirements
Handbook VII.B	Processing
Handbook VII.C	Disposition by the Clerk
Handbook VII.D	Disposition by a Special Panel
Handbook VII.E	Disposition by a Merits Panel
Handbook VII.F	Distribution of Orders

Handbook, Part VIII. Specific Motions 8

Rule	Title
Handbook VIII.A	Motions for Stay or Emergency Relief
Handbook VIII.B	Motions to Expedite Consideration of the Appeal
Handbook VIII.C	Motions for Release Pending Appeal
Handbook VIII.D	Motions for Voluntary Dismissal
Handbook VIII.E	Motions for Remand
Handbook VIII.F	Motions to Transfer
Handbook VIII.G	Motions for Summary Disposition
Handbook VIII.H	Motions to Unseal

Handbook, Part IX. Briefs and Appendix 2

Rule	Title
Handbook IX.A	Briefs
Handbook IX.B	Appendix

Handbook, Part X. The Court's Calendar 6

Rule	Title
Handbook X	The Court's Calendar
Handbook X.A	Scheduling Sitting Periods
Handbook X.B	Merits Panels
Handbook X.C	Caseload and Case Mix
Handbook X.D	Scheduling Cases for Argument
Handbook X.E	Scheduling in Particular Cases

Handbook, Part XI. Oral Argument 9

Rule	Title
Handbook XI.A	Notification
Handbook XI.B	Postponements
Handbook XI.C	Argument Time
Handbook XI.D	Number of Counsel
Handbook XI.E	Arguments by Amici Curiae
Handbook XI.F	Form and Content of Argument
Handbook XI.G	Court Closings
Handbook XI.H	Procedures for Oral Argument
Handbook XI.I	Recordings and Transcripts of Arguments

Handbook, Part XII. Making the Decision 5

Rule	Title
Handbook XII.A	Forms of Decision
Handbook XII.B	Case Conferences
Handbook XII.C	Preparation of Opinions
Handbook XII.D	Timing of Decisions
Handbook XII.E	Notice of Decisions

Handbook, Part XIII. Post-Decision Procedures 3

Rule	Title
Handbook XIII.A	Terminating the Case
Handbook XIII.B	Reconsideration
Handbook XIII.C	Review by the Supreme Court of the United States

District Courts in the DC Circuit 1

District of Columbia Washington, District of Columbia