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Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Feb 2, 2017
Circuit Court of Appeals Restructuring and Modernization Act
This bill divides the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit into: (1) a new Ninth Circuit, to be composed of California, Guam, Hawaii, and Northern Mariana Islands; and (2) a newly established Twelfth Circuit, to be composed of Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington.
The President must appoint five additional judges for the new Ninth Circuit and two additional temporary judges for the former Ninth Circuit.
The bill designates the locations where the new circuits are to hold regular sessions.
The Circuit Executive and the Clerk of the Court of the Twelfth Circuit shall be located in Phoenix, Arizona.
The bill distributes active circuit judges of the former Ninth Circuit to the new circuits. Senior circuit judges of the former Ninth Circuit may elect their circuit assignment.
The bill authorizes the temporary assignment of circuit and district judges of the former Ninth Circuit between the new circuits.
People & committees
Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT] · R–MT
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced in Senate
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Source last updated: Aug 10, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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