The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit (in case citations , 8th Cir. ) is a United States federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the following United States district courts :
7-657: The court is composed of 11 active judges and is based primarily at the Thomas F. Eagleton United States Courthouse in St. Louis , Missouri , and secondarily at the Warren E. Burger United States Courthouse in St. Paul , Minnesota . It is one of 13 United States courts of appeals . In 1929, Congress passed a statute dividing the Eighth Circuit that placed Minnesota , Iowa , North Dakota , South Dakota , Nebraska , Missouri , and Arkansas in
14-475: A circuit judge. When the office was created in 1948, the chief judge was the longest-serving judge who had not elected to retire, on what has since 1958 been known as senior status , or declined to serve as chief judge. After August 6, 1959, judges could not become or remain chief after turning 70 years old. The current rules have been in operation since October 1, 1982. The court has had thirteen seats for active judges. Two of these seats were reassigned to
21-452: A term of seven years, or until age 70, whichever occurs first. If no judge qualifies to be chief, the youngest judge over the age of 65 who has served on the court for at least one year shall act as chief until another judge qualifies. If no judge has served on the court for more than a year, the most senior judge shall act as chief. Judges can forfeit or resign their chief judgeship or acting chief judgeship while retaining their active status as
28-719: Is the largest single courthouse in the United States. It is the main office of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit . It was named after U.S. Senator Thomas F. Eagleton . The courthouse is 29 stories tall and covers 987,775 square feet (91,767.3 m ). It is the fifth tallest habitable building in Missouri . It
35-552: The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit , leaving a eleven-seat court. The seats are numbered in the order in which they were initially filled. Judges who assume senior status enter a kind of retirement in which they remain on the bench but vacate their seats, thus allowing the U.S. President to appoint new judges to fill their seats. Thomas F. Eagleton United States Courthouse The Thomas F. Eagleton United States Courthouse
42-458: The Eighth Circuit and created a Tenth Circuit that included Wyoming , Colorado , Utah , New Mexico , Kansas , and Oklahoma . As of September 12, 2024: Chief judges have administrative responsibilities with respect to their circuits, and preside over any panel on which they serve, unless the circuit justice (the Supreme Court justice responsible for the circuit) is also on
49-556: The panel. Unlike the Supreme Court, where one justice is specifically nominated to be chief, the office of chief judge rotates among the circuit judges. To be chief, a judge must have been in active service on the court for at least one year, be under the age of 65, and have not previously served as chief judge. A vacancy is filled by the judge highest in seniority among the group of qualified judges, with seniority determined first by commission date, then by age. The chief judge serves for
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