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H.R. 250House115th Congress (2017-2019)In Committee

Judicial Administration and Improvement Act of 2016

Sponsored by Andy BiggsRep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ)
Introduced January 4, 2017

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 15, 2026 at 11:17 AM UTC

The Judicial Administration and Improvement Act of 2016 would split the existing Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals into two separate circuits. One would keep the current Ninth Circuit covering California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, while a new Twelfth Circuit would serve Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Montana and Nevada. The bill changes the number of federal appellate circuits, reassigns judges, and updates court locations and staffing.

Key Provisions

  • Increases the total number of U.S. Courts of Appeals from 13 to 14, creating a new Twelfth Circuit.
  • Redefines the Ninth Circuit to include only California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands; establishes the Twelfth Circuit for Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Montana and Nevada.
  • Sets the number of judges for the revised Ninth Circuit at 21 and creates 8 judgeships for the new Twelfth Circuit.
  • Designates Las Vegas, Phoenix, Anchorage and Missoula as the primary locations for the Twelfth Circuit’s courts.
  • Reassigns existing Ninth Circuit judges based on their duty stations, with options for judges to elect which circuit they will serve; provides for additional presidential appointments to fill any resulting vacancies.
  • Specifies how pending cases will be transferred to the appropriate circuit and how rehearing petitions will be handled after the split.
  • Allows the former Ninth Circuit to continue administrative functions for two years, after which it will cease to exist for administrative purposes.
  • Sets the effective date of the changes to be one year after the law’s enactment and authorizes necessary funding for new judgeships and facilities.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions
HouseCommittee Latest Action

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

Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet Subcommittee

January 13, 2017

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

January 4, 2017

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

January 4, 2017

HouseCommittee

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

Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet Subcommittee

January 13, 2017

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued January 4, 2017

I

115th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 250

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 4, 2017

Mr. Biggs (for himself, Mr. Franks of Arizona, Mr. Schweikert, Mr. Gosar, and Ms. McSally) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To amend title 28, United States Code, to divide the ninth judicial circuit of the United States into 2 circuits, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Judicial Administration and Improvement Act of 2016.

2.

Definitions

In this Act:

(1)

Former ninth circuit

The term former ninth circuit means the ninth judicial circuit of the United States as in existence on the day before the effective date of this Act.

(2)

New ninth circuit

The term new ninth circuit means the ninth judicial circuit of the United States established by the amendment made by section 3.

(3)

Twelfth circuit

The term twelfth circuit means the twelfth judicial circuit of the United States established by the amendment made by section 3.

3.

Number and composition of circuits

Section 41 of title 28, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

in the matter preceding the table, by striking thirteen and inserting fourteen; and

(2)

in the table—

(A)

by striking the item relating to the ninth circuit and inserting the following:

NinthCalifornia, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands.

;

and
(B)

by inserting after the item relating to the eleventh circuit the following:

TwelfthAlaska, Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Nevada.

.

4.

Number of circuit judges

The table contained in section 44(a) of title 28, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

by striking the item relating to the ninth circuit and inserting the following:

Ninth21

;

and
(2)

by inserting after the item relating to the eleventh circuit the following:

Twelfth8

.

5.

Places of circuit court

The table contained in section 48(a) of title 28, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to the eleventh circuit the following:

TwelfthLas Vegas, Phoenix, Anchorage, Missoula.

.

6.

Election of assignment of circuit judges

(a)

In general

Each circuit judge of the former ninth circuit who is in regular active service and whose official duty station on the day before the effective date of this Act—

(1)

is in California, Oregon, Washington, Guam, Hawaii, or the Northern Mariana Islands shall be a circuit judge of the new ninth circuit as of such effective date; and

(2)

subject to subsection (b), is in Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Montana, or Nevada, shall be a circuit judge of the twelfth circuit as of such effective date.

(b)

Election by certain circuit judges

A circuit judge in regular active service as described in subsection (a)(2) may elect to be permanently assigned to the new ninth circuit as of such effective date by notifying the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts of such election.

(c)

Vacancies

For each individual serving in the position of circuit judge of the former ninth circuit whose official duty station on the day before the effective date of this Act is in Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Montana, or Nevada, after the date on which such individual ceases to serve as a circuit judge, the President shall appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, 1 additional circuit judge for the twelfth circuit, without regard to whether such individual makes an election described in subsection (b).

7.

Election of assignment by senior judges

Each judge who is a senior circuit judge of the former ninth circuit, whose official duty station on the day before the effective date of this Act is in Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Montana, or Nevada, may elect to be assigned to the new ninth circuit or the twelfth circuit as of such effective date and shall notify the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts of such election.

8.

Authorization of temporary judgeships

(a)

In general

For each circuit judge in regular active service who elects to be assigned to the new ninth circuit under section 6(b), the President shall appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, 1 additional circuit judge for the twelfth circuit, resident in the duty station of the circuit judge making the election as of the day before the effective date of this Act.

(b)

Vacancies

For each appointment made under subsection (a) for the twelfth circuit, an equal number of corresponding vacancies in the position of circuit judge for the twelfth circuit shall not be filled.

9.

Seniority of judges

(a)

In general

The seniority of each judge—

(1)

who elects to be assigned to the twelfth circuit under section 6(b);

(2)

who elects to be assigned to the new ninth circuit under section 6(b); or

(3)

who elects to be assigned to the twelfth circuit under section 7,

shall run from the date of commission of such judge as a judge of the former ninth circuit.
(b)

Temporary twelfth circuit judges

The seniority of each judge appointed under section 8(a) shall run from the date of commission of such judge as a judge of the twelfth circuit.

10.

Application to cases

The following apply to any case in which, on the day before the effective date of this Act, an appeal or other proceeding has been filed with the former ninth circuit:

(1)

Except as provided in paragraph (3), if the matter has been submitted for decision, further proceedings with respect to the matter shall be had in the same manner and with the same effect as if this Act had not been enacted.

(2)

If the matter has not been submitted for decision, the appeal or proceeding, together with the original papers, printed records, and record entries duly certified, shall, by appropriate orders, be transferred to the court to which the matter would have been submitted had this Act been in full force and effect on the date on which such appeal was taken or other proceeding commenced, and further proceedings with respect to the case shall be had in the same manner and with the same effect as if the appeal or other proceeding had been filed in such court.

(3)

If a petition for rehearing en banc is pending on or after the effective date of this Act, the petition shall be considered by the court of appeals to which the petition would have been submitted had this Act been in full force and effect on the date on which the appeal or other proceeding was filed with the court of appeals.

11.

Administration

(a)

In general

The court of appeals for the ninth circuit as constituted on the day before the effective date of this Act may take such administrative action as may be required to carry out this Act and the amendments made by this Act.

(b)

Administrative termination

The court described in subsection (a) shall cease to exist for administrative purposes 2 years after the effective date of this Act.

12.

Effective date

This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall take effect 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act.

13.

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act and the amendments made by this Act, including such sums as may be necessary to provide appropriate space and facilities for any judicial positions created by this Act or an amendment made by this Act.