Circuit Court of Appeals Act

The Circuit Court of Appeals Act of 1891 established nine intermediate appellate courts within the United States federal judicial system. These courts were created to alleviate the growing caseload of the Supreme Court and to provide a more efficient review of appeals from federal district courts. The Act aimed to give these new circuit courts final authority over most appeals, reserving only cases of exceptional public importance for the Supreme Court's review. This reform significantly altered the structure of the federal judiciary, with the 12 regional Courts of Appeals and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit continuing this role today.12