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HR 166 114th Congress House

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judgeship and Reorganization Act of 2015

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 6, 2015 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 114th Congress ended
It never became law before the 114th Congress (2015–2016) 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
Feb 2, 2015
Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet.
Jan 6, 2015
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Jan 6, 2015
Introduced in House
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 Latest action February 2, 2015

Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judgeship and Reorganization Act of 2015

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 circuits.

 Related & companion bills 2
  • S 2477 Related bill Circuit Court of Appeals Restructuring and Modernization Act
  • S 2490 Related bill Judicial Administration and Improvement Act of 2016
 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. 166: Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judgeship and Reorganization Act of 2015. 114th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-166/
MLA
"H.R. 166: Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judgeship and Reorganization Act of 2015." 114th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-166/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 166, 114th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-166/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 166: Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judgeship and Reorganization Act of 2015](https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-166/)
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