The **Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals** is the largest federal appellate court in the United States, serving as the final arbiter for nearly all federal appeals in its jurisdiction.[1][3] Headquartered in San Francisco's James R. Browning U.S. Courthouse, it handles appellate review of cases from district courts across the western region.[4] ## Jurisdiction and Geographic Scope The Ninth Circuit possesses appellate authority over 15 federal district courts spanning nine states—Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington—plus the territories of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.[1][3] This vast geographic footprint makes it the largest circuit court in terms of both territory and population.[3] ## Historical Development Originally created in 1837 to cover the South, the current Ninth Circuit was established in its modern form in 1891 when Congress reorganized the federal court system into nine circuits.[3] Subsequent expansions occurred as western territories gained statehood and were incorporated: Hawaii (1900), Arizona (1912), Alaska and Guam (1960), and the Northern Mariana Islands (1980).[3] ## Current Operations and Staffing The court stands apart as the most substantial circuit court, managing over 8,000 annual filings and employing 29 active circuit judges—significantly more than other circuits, which range from six to seventeen judges.[2][3] The Ninth Circuit also features unique administrative innovations, including an Appellate Commissioner position created in 1994 to handle non-dispositive matters, a role uncommon among federal circuits.[2] ## Notable Characteristics The court has implemented distinctive operational practices tailored to its sprawling geography. Senior judges are not assigned to distant chambers unless willing to travel, acknowledging the demanding geography