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HR 162 112th Congress House

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judgeship and Reorganization Act of 2011

Official title: To amend title 28, United States Code, to provide for the appointment of additional Federal circuit judges, to divide the Ninth Judicial Circuit of the United … Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To amend title 28, United States Code, to provide for the appointment of additional Federal circuit judges, to divide the Ninth Judicial Circuit of the United States into two judicial circuits, and for other purposes.

Introduced: January 5, 2011 Introduced by: Simpson, Michael K. Republican · Idaho See on congress.gov
Law AlaskaArizonaCaliforniaFederal appellate courts
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GuamHawaiiIdahoJudgesJudicial procedure and administrationMontanaNevadaNorthern Mariana IslandsOregonWashington State
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This bill died when the 112th Congress ended
It never became law before the 112th Congress (2011–2012) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jan 24, 2011
Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, Commercial and Administrative Law.
Jan 5, 2011
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Jan 5, 2011
Introduced in House
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 Latest action January 24, 2011

Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, Commercial and Administrative Law.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judgeship and Reorganization Act of 2011 - Divides the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit into: (1) the Ninth Circuit, composed of California, Guam, Hawaii, and Northern Mariana Islands; and (2) the Twelfth Circuit, composed of Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington.

Directs the President to appoint two additional judges for the former Ninth Circuit, three judges for the new Ninth Circuit, and two additional temporary judges for the former Ninth Circuit.

Specifies the locations where new circuits are to hold regular sessions.

Distributes active circuit judges of the former Ninth Circuit to the new circuits. Allows senior circuit judges of the former Ninth Circuit to elect assignment.

Provides for the disposition of cases pending in the former Ninth Circuit before the effective date of this Act as follows: (1) proceedings in matters that have been submitted for decision shall continue without regard to this Act; (2) matters not yet submitted for decision must be transferred to the court to which they would have been submitted under this Act; and (3) proceedings on petitions for rehearing or rehearing en banc in matters submitted or decided shall continue without regard to this Act.

Authorizes the temporary assignment of circuit and district judges of the former Ninth Circuit between the new circuits. Authorizes administrative coordination between any two contiguous new circuits.

Directs that the former Ninth Circuit shall cease to exist for administrative purposes two years after enactment of this Act.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 162: Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judgeship and Reorganization Act of 2011. 112th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/112-HR-162/
MLA
"H.R. 162: Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judgeship and Reorganization Act of 2011." 112th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/112-HR-162/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 162, 112th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/112-HR-162/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 162: Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judgeship and Reorganization Act of 2011](https://openamerica.io/bill/112-HR-162/)
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