United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, cited in case citations as 3d Cir., is the federal appellate court that hears appeals from the federal district courts of Delaware, New Jersey, and the Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Pennsylvania. It also hears appeals from the District Court of the Virgin Islands, which is an Article IV territorial court and not a district court under Article III of the Constitution. The court is composed of 14 active judges and is based at the James A. Byrne United States Courthouse in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with sittings in other venues, including the United States Virgin Islands. It is one of 13 United States courts of appeals. Congress established the circuit courts of appeals in 1891, and the Third Circuit's court took effect on June 16, 1891. Because Delaware lies within its jurisdiction and more than half of publicly traded companies in the United States incorporate there, the court handles a significant number of influential commercial cases.