Federal Appeals Guides by State — Districts & Circuits

For every state: the federal judicial district(s) that cover it, the circuit that hears its appeals, and how the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure apply to cases arising there.

The federal judicial districts are defined by 28 U.S.C. §§ 81–131 and circuit membership by 28 U.S.C. § 41. District boundaries decide where a federal case arising in a state is filed; circuit membership decides which court of appeals hears the appeal.

Select a state below for its district court(s), circuit, and the appeal deadlines that apply — including the 14-day criminal notice-of-appeal rule under Fed. R. App. P. 4(b)(1)(A).

Circuit shown per 28 U.S.C. § 41
Districts per 28 U.S.C. §§ 81–131
Alabama AL
Eleventh CircuitN., M., S. Districts
Alaska AK
Ninth CircuitDistrict of Alaska
Arizona AZ
Ninth CircuitDistrict of Arizona
Arkansas AR
Eighth CircuitE., W. Districts
California CA
Ninth CircuitN., E., C., S. Districts
Colorado CO
Tenth CircuitDistrict of Colorado
Connecticut CT
Second CircuitDistrict of Connecticut
Delaware DE
Third CircuitDistrict of Delaware
Florida FL
Eleventh CircuitN., M., S. Districts
Georgia GA
Eleventh CircuitN., M., S. Districts
Hawaii HI
Ninth CircuitDistrict of Hawaii
Idaho ID
Ninth CircuitDistrict of Idaho
Illinois IL
Seventh CircuitN., C., S. Districts
Indiana IN
Seventh CircuitN., S. Districts
Iowa IA
Eighth CircuitN., S. Districts
Kansas KS
Tenth CircuitDistrict of Kansas
Kentucky KY
Sixth CircuitE., W. Districts
Louisiana LA
Fifth CircuitE., M., W. Districts
Maine ME
First CircuitDistrict of Maine
Maryland MD
Fourth CircuitDistrict of Maryland
Massachusetts MA
First CircuitDistrict of Massachusetts
Michigan MI
Sixth CircuitE., W. Districts
Minnesota MN
Eighth CircuitDistrict of Minnesota
Mississippi MS
Fifth CircuitN., S. Districts
Missouri MO
Eighth CircuitE., W. Districts
Montana MT
Ninth CircuitDistrict of Montana
Nebraska NE
Eighth CircuitDistrict of Nebraska
Nevada NV
Ninth CircuitDistrict of Nevada
New Hampshire NH
First CircuitDistrict of New Hampshire
New Jersey NJ
Third CircuitDistrict of New Jersey
New Mexico NM
Tenth CircuitDistrict of New Mexico
New York NY
Second CircuitN., S., E., W. Districts
North Carolina NC
Fourth CircuitE., M., W. Districts
North Dakota ND
Eighth CircuitDistrict of North Dakota
Ohio OH
Sixth CircuitN., S. Districts
Oklahoma OK
Tenth CircuitN., E., W. Districts
Oregon OR
Ninth CircuitDistrict of Oregon
Pennsylvania PA
Third CircuitE., M., W. Districts
Rhode Island RI
First CircuitDistrict of Rhode Island
South Carolina SC
Fourth CircuitDistrict of South Carolina
South Dakota SD
Eighth CircuitDistrict of South Dakota
Tennessee TN
Sixth CircuitE., M., W. Districts
Texas TX
Fifth CircuitN., S., E., W. Districts
Utah UT
Tenth CircuitDistrict of Utah
Vermont VT
Second CircuitDistrict of Vermont
Virginia VA
Fourth CircuitE., W. Districts
Washington WA
Ninth CircuitE., W. Districts
West Virginia WV
Fourth CircuitN., S. Districts
Wisconsin WI
Seventh CircuitE., W. Districts
Wyoming WY
Tenth CircuitDistrict of Wyoming

Additional research notes are published as new court decisions are issued.

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