List of former United States district courts

The following are former United States district courts, which ceased to exist because they were subdivided into smaller units. With the exception of California, each of these courts initially covered an entire U.S. state, and was subdivided as the jurisdictions which they covered increased in population. Two of the district courts—those of South Carolina and New Jersey—were subdivided but later recreated. Every change to the divisions and boundaries of these courts is effected by an act of the United States Congress, and for each such action, the statutory reference is identified.

The United States District Court for the District of Alabama was created on April 21, 1820, by 3 Stat. 564.^[1][2] It was subdivided into Northern and Southern Districts on March 10, 1824, by 4 Stat. 9.^[1][2] The Middle District was subsequently formed from parts of these two districts on February 6, 1839, by 5 Stat. 315,^[1][2][3] with legislation specifying that the Middle District Court was to be held at Tuscaloosa, the Northern District Court at Huntsville, and the Southern District Court at Mobile.^[1] The Districts were reorganized on August 7, 1848.^[4] Only one judge was ever appointed to the District of Alabama.

#	Judge	State	Born–died	Active service	Chief Judge	Senior status	Appointed by	Reason for termination
1	Charles Tait	AL	1768–1835	1820–1824	—	—	Monroe	reassignment to N.D. Ala. and S.D. Ala.

Seat 1 Seat established on April 21, 1820 by 3 Stat. 564 Tait 1820–1824 Seat reassigned to Northern and Southern Districts on March 10, 1824 by 4 Stat. 9

Arkansas, originally part of the Louisiana Purchase, became part of the Missouri Territory in 1812, when Louisiana became a state. When Missouri became a state in 1819, a territorial government, including a territorial court, was organized for Arkansas, taking effect on July 4, 1819.^[5] The United States District Court for the District of Arkansas was established with a single judge when Arkansas became a state, on June 15, 1836, by 5 Stat. 50, 51.^[5][6] The court was subdivided into Eastern and the Western Districts on March 3, 1851, by 9 Stat. 594.^[1][6][7]

#	Judge	State	Born–died	Active service	Chief Judge	Senior status	Appointed by	Reason for termination
1	Benjamin Johnson	AR	1784–1849	1836–1849	—	—	Jackson	death
2	Daniel Ringo	AR	1803–1873	1849–1851[8]	—	—	Taylor	reassignment to E.D. Ark. and W.D. Ark.

Seat 1 Seat established on June 15, 1836 by 5 Stat. 50 Johnson 1836–1849 Ringo 1849–1851 Seat reassigned to Eastern and Western Districts on March 3, 1851 by 9 Stat. 594

The United States District Court for the District of California existed from 1866 to 1886. California was admitted as a state on September 9, 1850, and was initially divided into two districts, the Northern and the Southern, by Act of Congress approved September 28 9 Stat. 521.^[9] The boundary line was at the 37th parallel north.^[10] The creating act provided that:

In addition to the ordinary jurisdiction and powers of a District Court of the United States, with which the Southern District Court of New York has been invested, the said Courts be and hereby are invested respectively within the limits of its district with the exercise of concurrent jurisdiction and power in all civil cases now exercised by the Circuit Courts of the United States; and that in all cases where said Courts shall exercise such jurisdiction, appeals may be taken from the judgments, orders or decrees of said Courts to the Supreme Court of the United States.

On February 27, 1851, President Millard Fillmore appointed Ogden Hoffman Jr., as the judge presiding over the Northern District. The Act of August 31, 1852, made the Judge of the Northern District be Judge of the Southern District as well until otherwise provided, by 10 Stat. 76, 84,^[9] effectively creating a single District in all but name until an Act of January 18, 1854 provided for the appointment of a Judge for the Southern District.^[10] The Southern District of California was abolished and the State made to constitute one district by Act of Congress approved July 27, 1866, 14 Stat. 300.^[9][10]

Twenty years later, on August 5, 1886, Congress re-created the Southern District of California (and, by extension, the Northern District) by 24 Stat. 308.^[10] Hoffman, who had continued serving as the sole district judge, again became judge of the Northern district only, there continuing in service for five more years. Erskine Mayo Ross was appointed Judge of the new Southern District and served until his promotion to the Circuit Judgeship, when he was succeeded by Olin Wellborn.^[10]

On March 18, 1966, the Eastern and Central Districts were created from portions of the Northern and Southern Districts by 80 Stat. 75.^[9]

#	Judge	State	Born–died	Active service	Chief Judge	Senior status	Appointed by	Reason for termination
1	Ogden Hoffman Jr.	CA	1822–1891	1866–1886[11]	—	—	Fillmore / Operation of law	reassignment to N.D. Cal.

Seat 1 Seat established on July 27, 1866 by 14 Stat. 300 Hoffman, Jr. 1866–1886 Seat reassigned to Northern District on August 5, 1886 by 24 Stat. 308

On the same day that Florida was admitted as a state, March 3, 1845, Congress enacted legislation creating the United States District Court for the District of Florida, 5 Stat. 788.^[12][13] On February 23, 1847, 9 Stat. 131^[12][13] divided the jurisdiction of this court between the Northern District and a Southern District Courts with the boundary between as:

[T]hat part of the State of Florida lying south of a line drawn due east and west from the northern point of Charlotte Harbor, including the islands, keys, reefs, shoals, harbors, bays and inlets, south of said line, shall be erected into a new judicial district, to be called the Southern District of Florida; a District Court shall be held in said Southern District, to consist of one judge, who shall reside at Key West, in said district...

The same statute directed the Northern District to hold court at Apalachicola, Florida, and Pensacola, Florida.

On July 30, 1962, the Middle District was created from portions of the other districts by 76 Stat. 247.^[13]

#	Judge	State	Born–died	Active service	Chief Judge	Senior status	Appointed by	Reason for termination
1	Isaac H. Bronson	FL	1802–1855	1846–1847	—	—	Polk	reassignment to N.D. Fla.

Seat 1 Seat established on March 3, 1845 by 5 Stat. 788 Bronson 1846–1847 Seat reassigned to Northern District on February 23, 1847 by 9 Stat. 131

The United States District Court for the District of Georgia was one of the original 13 courts established by the Judiciary Act of 1789, 1 Stat. 73, on September 24, 1789.^[14] The District was subdivided into Northern and Southern Districts on August 11, 1848, by 9 Stat. 280.^[1][7][14] The Middle District was formed from portions of those two Districts on May 28, 1926, by 44 Stat. 670.^[14]

#	Judge	State	Born–died	Active service	Chief Judge	Senior status	Appointed by	Reason for termination
1	Nathaniel Pendleton	GA	1756–1821	1789–1796	—	—	Washington	resignation
2	Joseph Clay Jr.	GA	1764–1811	1796–1801[15]	—	—	Washington	resignation
3	William Stephens	GA	1752–1819	1801–1818[16]	—	—	Jefferson	resignation
4	William Davies	GA	1775–1829	1819–1821	—	—	Monroe	resignation
5	Jeremiah La Touche Cuyler	GA	1768–1839	1821–1839[17]	—	—	Monroe	death
6	John Cochran Nicoll	GA	1793–1863	1839–1848[18]	—	—	Van Buren	reassignment to N.D. Ga. and S.D. Ga.

Seat 1 Seat established on September 24, 1789 by 1 Stat. 73 Pendleton 1789–1796 Clay 1796–1801 Stephens 1801–1818 Davies 1819–1821 Cuyler 1821–1839 Nicoll 1839–1848 Seat reassigned to Northern and Southern Districts on August 11, 1848 by 9 Stat. 280

Further information: United States Attorney for the District of Georgia

Map of the changing Districts of Illinois.

The United States District Court for the District of Illinois was established by a statute passed by the United States Congress on March 3, 1819, 3 Stat. 502.^[12][19] The act established a single office for a judge to preside over the court. Initially, the court was not within any existing judicial circuit, and appeals from the court were taken directly to the United States Supreme Court. In 1837, Congress created the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, placing it in Chicago, Illinois and giving it jurisdiction over the District of Illinois, 5 Stat. 176.^[19] The District itself was eliminated by a statute passed on February 13, 1855, 10 Stat. 606, under which it was subdivided into the Northern and the Southern Districts.^[19] The boundaries of the District and the seats of the courts were set forth in the statute:

The counties of Hancock, McDonough, Peoria, Woodford, Livingston, and Iroquois, and all the counties in the said State north of them, shall compose one district, to be called the northern district of Illinois, and courts shall be held for the said district at the city of Chicago; and the residue of the counties of the said State shall compose another district, to be called the southern district of Illinois, and courts shall be held for the same at the city of Springfield.

The district has since been re-organized several times. The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Illinois was created on March 3, 1905, by 33 Stat. 992,^[19] by splitting counties out of the Northern and Southern Districts. It was later eliminated in a reorganization on October 2, 1978, which replaced it with a Central District, 92 Stat. 883,^[19] also formed from parts of the Northern and Southern Districts.

#	Judge	State	Born–died	Active service	Chief Judge	Senior status	Appointed by	Reason for termination
1	Nathaniel Pope	IL	1784–1850	1819–1850	—	—	Monroe	death
2	Thomas Drummond	IL	1809–1890	1850–1855	—	—	Taylor	reassignment to N.D. Ill.

Seat 1 Seat established on March 3, 1819 by 3 Stat. 502 Pope 1819–1850 Drummond 1850–1855 Seat reassigned to Northern District on February 13, 1855 by 10 Stat. 606

The United States District Court for the District of Indiana was established on March 3, 1817, by 3 Stat. 390.^[20][21] The District was subdivided into Northern and Southern Districts on April 21, 1928, by 45 Stat. 437.^[21] Of all district courts that have been subdivided, Indiana existed for the longest time as a single court, 111 years.

#	Judge	State	Born–died	Active service	Chief Judge	Senior status	Appointed by	Reason for termination
1	Benjamin Parke	IN	1777–1835	1817–1835	—	—	Monroe	death
2	Jesse Lynch Holman	IN	1784–1842	1835–1842[22]	—	—	Jackson	death
3	Elisha Mills Huntington	IN	1806–1862	1842–1862	—	—	Tyler	death
4	Caleb Blood Smith	IN	1808–1864	1862–1864	—	—	Lincoln	death
5	Albert Smith White	IN	1803–1864	1864	—	—	Lincoln	death
6	David McDonald	IN	1803–1869	1864–1869	—	—	Lincoln	death
7	Walter Q. Gresham	IN	1832–1895	1869–1883[23]	—	—	Grant	resignation
8	William Allen Woods	IN	1837–1901	1883–1892[24]	—	—	Arthur	elevation to 7th Cir.
9	John Baker	IN	1832–1915	1892–1902	—	—	B. Harrison	retirement
10	Albert B. Anderson	IN	1857–1938	1902–1925	—	—	T. Roosevelt	elevation to 7th Cir.
11	Robert C. Baltzell	IN	1879–1950	1925–1928	—	—	Coolidge	reassignment to S.D. Ind.
12	Thomas Whitten Slick	IN	1869–1959	1925–1928	—	—	Coolidge	reassignment to N.D. Ind.

Seat 1 Seat established on March 3, 1817 by 3 Stat. 390 Parke 1817–1835 Holman 1835–1842 Huntington 1842–1862 Smith 1862–1864 White 1864 McDonald 1864–1869 Gresham 1869–1883 Woods 1883–1892 Baker 1892–1902 Anderson 1902–1925 Baltzell 1925–1928 Seat reassigned to Southern District on April 21, 1928 by 45 Stat. 437

Seat 2 Seat established on January 16, 1925 by 43 Stat. 751 Slick 1925–1928 Seat reassigned to Northern District on April 21, 1928 by 45 Stat. 437

Further information: United States Attorney for the District of Indiana

The United States District Court for the District of Iowa was established on March 3, 1845, by 5 Stat. 789.^[25][26] The District was subdivided into Northern and Southern Districts on July 20, 1882, by 22 Stat. 172.^[26]

#	Judge	State	Born–died	Active service	Chief Judge	Senior status	Appointed by	Reason for termination
1	John James Dyer	IA	1809–1855	1847–1855	—	—	Polk	death
2	James M. Love	IA	1820–1891	1855–1882[27]	—	—	Pierce	reassignment to S.D. Iowa

Seat 1 Seat established on March 3, 1845 by 5 Stat. 789 Dyer 1847–1855 Love 1855–1882 Seat reassigned to Southern District on July 20, 1882 by 22 Stat. 172

The United States District Court for the District of Kentucky was part of one of the original 13 courts established by the Judiciary Act of 1789, 1 Stat. 73, on September 24, 1789.^[4][28] At the time, Kentucky was not yet a state, but was within the territory of the state of Virginia. The District was unchanged when Kentucky became a state on June 1, 1792. On February 13, 1801, the Judiciary Act of 1801, 2 Stat. 89, abolished the U.S. district court in Kentucky,^[28] but the repeal of this Act restored the District on March 8, 1802, 2 Stat. 132.^[28] The District was subdivided into Eastern and Western Districts on February 12, 1901, by 31 Stat. 781.^[28]

#	Judge	State	Born–died	Active service	Chief Judge	Senior status	Appointed by	Reason for termination
1	Harry Innes	KY	1752–1816	1789–1816	—	—	Washington	death
2	Robert Trimble	KY	1776–1828	1817–1826	—	—	Madison	elevation to Supreme Court
3	John Boyle	KY	1774–1834	1826–1834[29]	—	—	J.Q. Adams	death
4	Thomas Bell Monroe	KY	1791–1865	1834–1861	—	—	Jackson	resignation
5	Bland Ballard	KY	1819–1879	1861–1879[30]	—	—	Lincoln	death
6	William Hercules Hays	KY	1820–1880	1879–1880[31]	—	—	Hayes	death
7	John W. Barr	KY	1826–1907	1880–1899	—	—	Hayes	retirement
8	Walter Evans	KY	1842–1923	1899–1901	—	—	McKinley	reassignment to W.D. Ky.

Seat 1 Seat established on September 24, 1789 by 1 Stat. 73 Innes 1789–1816 Trimble 1817–1826 Boyle 1826–1834 Monroe 1834–1861 Ballard 1861–1879 Hays 1879–1880 Barr 1880–1899 Evans 1899–1901 Seat reassigned to Western District on July 1, 1901 by 31 Stat. 781

On March 26, 1804, Congress organized the Territory of Orleans and created the United States District Court for the District of Orleans – the first time Congress provided a territory with a district court equal in its authority and jurisdiction to those of the states.^[32] The United States District Court for the District of Louisiana was established on April 8, 1812, by 2 Stat. 701,^[20][32] several weeks before Louisiana was formally admitted as a state of the union. The District was thereafter subdivided and reformed several times. It was first subdivided into Eastern and Western Districts on March 3, 1823, by 3 Stat. 774.^[20][32]

On February 13, 1845, Louisiana was reorganized into a single District with one judgeship, by 5 Stat. 722,^[32] but was again divided into Eastern and the Western Districts on March 3, 1849, by 9 Stat. 401.^[32] Congress again abolished the Western District of Louisiana and reorganized Louisiana as a single judicial district on July 27, 1866, by 14 Stat. 300.^[32] On March 3, 1881, by 21 Stat. 507, Louisiana was for a third time divided into Eastern and the Western Districts, with one judgeship authorized for each.^[32] The Middle District was formed from portions of those two Districts on December 18, 1971, by 85 Stat. 741.^[32]

During the course of its frequent subdivisions and reunifications, four judges served as judge of the District of Louisiana: Dominic Augustin Hall, (1812–1820), John Dick, (1821–1823), Theodore Howard McCaleb (1845–1849), and Edward Henry Durell (1866–1874).^[33] Hall was appointed to the District of Louisiana twice. He briefly resigned from the District Court to serve as a Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court. He was shortly thereafter reappointed to the same seat on the District Court, which had remained vacant in his absence.

#	Judge	State	Born–died	Active service	Chief Judge	Senior status	Appointed by	Reason for termination
1	Dominic Augustin Hall	LA	1765–1820	1812–1813 1813–1820	—	—	Madison Madison	resignation death
2	John Dick	LA	1788–1824	1820–1823	—	—	Monroe	reassignment to E.D. La. and W.D. La.
3	Theodore Howard McCaleb	LA	1810–1864	1845–1849[34]	—	—	Tyler/Operation of law	reassignment to E.D. La.
4	Edward Henry Durell	LA	1810–1887	1866–1874[35]	—	—	Lincoln/Operation of law	resignation
5	Edward Coke Billings	LA	1829–1893	1876–1881	—	—	Grant	reassignment to E.D. La.

Seat 1 Seat established on April 8, 1812 by 2 Stat. 701 Hall 1812–1813 Hall 1813–1820 Dick 1821–1823 Seat reassigned to Eastern and Western Districts on March 3, 1823 by 3 Stat. 774 Seat reassigned from Eastern and Western Districts on February 13, 1845 by 5 Stat. 772 McCaleb 1845–1849 Seat reassigned to Eastern District on March 3, 1849 by 9 Stat. 401 Seat reassigned from Eastern District on July 27, 1866 by 14 Stat. 300 Durell 1866–1874 Billings 1876–1881 Seat reassigned to Eastern District on March 3, 1881 by 21 Stat. 507

Further information: United States Attorney for the District of Louisiana

The United States District Court for the District of Michigan was established on July 1, 1836, by 5 Stat. 61, with a single judgeship.^[36] The district court was not assigned to a judicial circuit, but was granted the same jurisdiction as United States circuit courts, except in appeals and writs of error, which were the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court. Due to the so-called "Toledo War", a boundary dispute with Ohio, Michigan did not become a state of the Union until January 26, 1837. On March 3, 1837, Congress passed an act that repealed the circuit court jurisdiction of the U.S. District Court for the District of Michigan, assigned the District of Michigan to the Seventh Circuit, and established a U.S. circuit court for the district, 5 Stat. 176.^[36]

On July 15, 1862, Congress reorganized the circuits and assigned Michigan to the Eighth Circuit by 12 Stat. 576,^[36] and on January 28, 1863, the Congress again reorganized the Seventh and Eight Circuits and assigned Michigan to the Seventh Circuit, by 12 Stat. 637.^[36] On February 24, 1863, Congress divided the District of Michigan into the Eastern and the Western Districts, with one judgeship authorized for each district, by 12 Stat. 660.^[36]

Ross Wilkins was the only district judge to serve the District of Michigan. He was nominated by President Andrew Jackson on July 2, 1836, to the newly created seat, and was confirmed by the United States Senate on July 2, 1836. He received his commission on January 26, 1837. Upon termination of the District of Michigan, Wilkins was reassigned to the Eastern District of Michigan.^[36][37]

#	Judge	State	Born–died	Active service	Chief Judge	Senior status	Appointed by	Reason for termination
1	Ross Wilkins	MI	1799–1872	1837–1863	—	—	Jackson	reassignment to E.D. Mich.

Seat 1 Seat established on July 1, 1836 by 5 Stat. 61 Wilkins 1837–1863 Seat reassigned to Eastern District on February 24, 1863 by 12 Stat. 660

Further information: United States Attorney for the District of Michigan

The United States District Court for the District of Mississippi was established on April 3, 1818, by 3 Stat. 413.^[1][38] It existed for over twenty years, and was subdivided into Northern and Southern Districts on June 18, 1838, by 5 Stat. 247:^[1][38]

The State of Mississippi, at the date of the act of March 3, 1837... constituted one district, in which the District Court was invested with the powers of a Circuit Court. By that act the extraordinary jurisdiction of the District Court was abrogated. But by the acts of June 18, 1838, and of February 16, 1839, the district of Mississippi was divided into two districts, the Northern and Southern; and by the latter act the powers of a Circuit Court were conferred on the District Court for the Northern District.^[39]

#	Judge	State	Born–died	Active service	Chief Judge	Senior status	Appointed by	Reason for termination
1	William Bayard Shields	MS	1780–1823	1818–1823	—	—	Monroe	death
2	Peter Randolph	MS	1779–1832	1823–1832[40]	—	—	Monroe	death
3	Powhatan Ellis	MS	1790–1863	1832–1836	—	—	Jackson	resignation
4	George Adams	MS	1784–1844	1836–1858	—	—	Jackson	reassignment to N.D. Miss. and S.D. Miss.

Seat 1 Seat established on April 3, 1818 by 3 Stat. 413 Shields 1818–1823 Randolph 1823–1832 Ellis 1832–1836 Adams 1836–1838 Seat reassigned to Northern and Southern Districts on June 18, 1838 by 5 Stat. 247

Further information: United States Attorney for the District of Mississippi

The United States District Court for the District of Missouri was established on March 16, 1822, by 3 Stat. 653.^[12][41] However, an act of Congress passed in 1845 and upheld by the United States Supreme Court in 1851, extending federal admiralty jurisdiction to inland waterways, resulted in a substantial increase in the number of admiralty cases arising from traffic on the Mississippi River.^[42] These disputes involved "contracts of affreightment, collisions, mariners' wages, and other causes of admiralty jurisdiction", and litigants of matters arising in the port city of St. Louis found it inconvenient to travel far inland to Jefferson City for their cases to be tried.^[42] The District was therefore subdivided into Eastern and Western Districts on March 3, 1857, by 11 Stat. 197.^[41]

#	Judge	State	Born–died	Active service	Chief Judge	Senior status	Appointed by	Reason for termination
1	James H. Peck	MO	1790–1836	1822–1836	—	—	Monroe	death
2	Robert William Wells	MO	1795–1864	1836–1857	—	—	Jackson	reassignment to W.D. Mo.

Seat 1 Seat established on March 16, 1822 by 3 Stat. 653 Peck 1822–1836 Wells 1836–1857 Seat reassigned to Western District on March 3, 1857 by 11 Stat. 197

The United States District Court for the District of New Jersey was one of the original 13 courts established by the Judiciary Act of 1789, 1 Stat. 73, on September 24, 1789.^[43] The District was subdivided into the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New Jersey and the United States District Court for the Western District of New Jersey on February 13, 1801, by the Judiciary Act of 1801, 2 Stat. 89,^[43] with the judicial districts being headquartered in New Brunswick and Burlington, respectively. The repeal of the 1801 Act on March 8, 1802, by 2 Stat. 132, restored New Jersey as a single judicial district.^[43] The only judge to serve on the briefly subdivided courts was Robert Morris, who had begun serving as a recess appointment to the District of New Jersey on August 28, 1790 and continued serving after the restoration of the single court, until June 2, 1815.^[44]

#	Judge	State	Born–died	Active service	Chief Judge	Senior status	Appointed by	Reason for termination
1	Robert Morris	NJ	1745–1815	1801–1802[45]	—	—	Washington/Operation of law	reassignment to D.N.J.

Seat 1 Seat reassigned from the District of New Jersey on February 13, 1801 by 2 Stat. 89 Morris 1801–1802 Seat reassigned to the District of New Jersey on June 1, 1802 by 2 Stat. 132

The United States District Court for the District of New York was one of the original 13 courts established by the Judiciary Act of 1789, 1 Stat. 73, on September 24, 1789.^[46][47] It existed for nearly twenty-five years before, on April 9, 1814, New York was divided into Northern and Southern Districts by 3 Stat. 120.^[46][47] These Districts were later further subdivided with the creation of Eastern District on February 25, 1865 by 13 Stat. 438,^[47] and the Western District on May 12, 1900, by 31 Stat. 175.^[47]

#	Judge	State	Born–died	Active service	Chief Judge	Senior status	Appointed by	Reason for termination
1	James Duane	NY	1733–1797	1789–1794	—	—	Washington	resignation
2	John Laurance	NY	1750–1810	1794–1796	—	—	Washington	resignation
3	Robert Troup	NY	1757–1832	1796–1798	—	—	Washington	resignation
4	John Sloss Hobart	NY	1738–1805	1798–1805	—	—	J. Adams	death
5	Matthias B. Tallmadge	NY	1774–1819	1805–1812[48]	—	—	Jefferson	reassignment to N.D.N.Y.
6	William P. Van Ness	NY	1778–1826	1812–1814	—	—	Madison	reassignment to S.D.N.Y.

Seat 1 Seat established on September 24, 1789 by 1 Stat. 73 Duane 1789–1794 Laurance 1794–1796 Troup 1796–1798 Hobart 1798–1805 Tallmadge 1805–1814 Seat reassigned to Northern District on April 9, 1814 by 3 Stat. 120

Seat 2 Seat established on April 29, 1812 by 2 Stat. 719 Van Ness 1812–1814 Seat reassigned to Southern District on April 9, 1814 by 3 Stat. 120

Further information: United States Attorney for the District of New York

The United States District Court for the District of North Carolina has a unique history among defunct district courts. It was established on June 4, 1790, by 1 Stat. 126.^[49][50] On June 9, 1794 it was subdivided into three districts by 1 Stat. 395,^[50] but on March 3, 1797, the three districts were abolished and the single District restored by 1 Stat. 517,^[50] until April 29, 1802, when the state was again subdivided into three different districts by 2 Stat. 156.^[49][50]

In both instances, these districts, unlike those with geographic designations that existed in other states, were titled by the names of the cities in which the courts sat. After the first division, they were styled the District of Edenton, the District of New Bern, and the District of Wilmington; after the second division, they were styled the District of Albemarle, the District of Cape Fear, and the District of Pamptico. However, in both instances, only one judge was authorized to serve all three districts, causing them to effectively operate as a single district.^[50] The latter combination was occasionally referred to by the cumbersome title of the United States District Court for the Albemarle, Cape Fear & Pamptico Districts of North Carolina. Judge Henry Potter's 55 years of service on this court during the period in which the state contained a single district, from April 1802 to December 1857, represents one of the longest terms ever held by a United States federal judge.

On June 4, 1872, North Carolina was re-divided into two Districts, Eastern and Western, by 17 Stat. 215.^[50] The Middle District was created from portions of the Eastern and Western Districts on March 2, 1927, by 44 Stat. 1339.^[50]

#	Judge	State	Born–died	Active service	Chief Judge	Senior status	Appointed by	Reason for termination
1	John Stokes	NC	1756–1790	1790	—	—	Washington	death
2	John Sitgreaves	NC	1757–1802	1790–1802	—	—	Washington	death
3	Henry Potter	NC	1766–1857	1802–1857	—	—	Jefferson	death
4	Asa Biggs	NC	1811–1878	1858–1861	—	—	Buchanan	resignation
5	George Washington Brooks	NC	1821–1882	1865–1872[51]	—	—	A. Johnson	reassignment to E.D.N.C

Seat 1 Seat established on June 4, 1790 by 1 Stat. 126 Stokes 1790 Sitgreaves 1790–1802 Potter 1802–1857 Biggs 1858–1861 Brooks 1865–1872 Seat reassigned to Eastern District on June 4, 1872 by 17 Stat. 215

Further information: United States Attorney for the District of North Carolina

The United States District Court for the District of Ohio was established on February 19, 1803, by 2 Stat. 201.^[20][52] The District was subdivided into Northern and Southern Districts on February 10, 1855, by 10 Stat. 604.^[52]

#	Judge	State	Born–died	Active service	Chief Judge	Senior status	Appointed by	Reason for termination
1	Charles Willing Byrd	OH	1756–1790	1803–1828	—	—	Jefferson	death
2	William Creighton Jr.	OH	1778–1851	1828–1829[53]	—	—	J.Q. Adams	not confirmed
3	John Wilson Campbell	OH	1782–1833	1829–1833	—	—	Jackson	death
4	Benjamin Tappan	OH	1773–1857	1833–1834[54]	—	—	Jackson	not confirmed
5	Humphrey H. Leavitt	OH	1796–1873	1834–1855	—	—	Jackson	reassignment to S.D. Ohio

Seat 1 Seat established on February 19, 1803 by 2 Stat. 201 Byrd 1803–1828 Creighton 1828–1829 Campbell 1829–1833 Tappan 1833–1834 Leavitt 1834–1855 Seat reassigned to Southern District on February 10, 1855 by 10 Stat. 604

Term start	Term end	United States Attorney[55]
1802	1803	William McMillan[56]
1803	1804	Michael Baldwin
1804	1810	William Creighton Jr.
1810	1818	Samuel Herrick
1818	1823	John Crafts Wright
1823	1830	Joseph Benham
1830	1839	Noah Haynes Swayne
1839	1841	Israel Hamilton
1841	1846	Charles Anthony
1846	1850	Thomas W. Bartley
1850	1854	Samson Mason
1854	1855	Daniel O. Morton

The United States District Court for the District of Pennsylvania was one of the original 13 courts established by the Judiciary Act of 1789, 1 Stat. 73, on September 24, 1789.^[57][58] It was subdivided on April 20, 1818, by 3 Stat. 462,^[57][58] into the Eastern and Western Districts, to be headquartered in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, respectively.^[57] Portions of these districts were subsequently subdivided into the Middle District on March 2, 1901, by 31 Stat. 880.^[58]

#	Judge	State	Born–died	Active service	Chief Judge	Senior status	Appointed by	Reason for termination
1	Francis Hopkinson	PA	1737–1791	1789–1791	—	—	Washington	death
2	William Lewis	PA	1752–1819	1791–1792[59]	—	—	Washington	resignation
3	Richard Peters	PA	1744–1828	1792–1818	—	—	Washington	reassignment to E.D. Pa.

Seat 1 Seat established on September 24, 1789 by 1 Stat. 73 Hopkinson 1789–1791 Lewis 1791–1792 Peters 1792–1818 Seat reassigned to Eastern District on April 20, 1818 by 3 Stat. 462

The United States District Court for the District of South Carolina was one of the original 13 courts established by the Judiciary Act of 1789, 1 Stat. 73, on September 24, 1789.^[60] It was subdivided into the United States District Court for the Eastern District of South Carolina and the United States District Court for the Western District of South Carolina Districts on February 21, 1823 by 3 Stat. 726.^[60] The Eastern District was headquartered at Florence,^[61] and the Western District was headquartered in Greenville.^[62] The division was solely for the purposes of holding court – a single judge presided over both districts, and the act authorized no additional court staff.^[60]

In 1898 the United States Supreme Court held in Barrett v. United States^[63] that South Carolina legally constituted a single judicial district. Congress made a more explicit effort to subdivide the District on March 3, 1911, by 36 Stat. 1087, 36 Stat. 1123. South Carolina was again Eastern and the Western Districts, with one judgeship authorized to serve both districts, effective January 1, 1912.^[60] Congress finally authorized an additional judgeship for the Western District, and assigned the sitting judge exclusively to the Eastern District, on March 3, 1915, by 38 Stat. 961.^[60] However, on October 7, 1965, by 79 Stat. 951, South Carolina was reorganized as a single judicial district with four judgeships authorized for the district court,^[60] and it has since remained a single District.

Judges of the Eastern District of South Carolina:

#	Judge	State	Born–died	Active service	Chief Judge	Senior status	Appointed by	Reason for termination
1	Henry Augustus Middleton Smith	SC	1853–1923	1912–1923[64][65]	—	—	Taft/Operation of law	death
2	Ernest Ford Cochran	SC	1865–1934	1923–1934[66]	—	—	Coolidge	death
3	John Lyles Glenn Jr.	SC	1892–1938	1929–1938[67]	—	—	Hoover	death
4	Francis Kerschner Myers	SC	1874–1940	1934–1940	—	—	F. Roosevelt	death
5	Alva M. Lumpkin	SC	1886–1941	1939–1941[67]	—	—	F. Roosevelt	death
6	George Bell Timmerman Sr.	SC	1881–1966	1942–1962[67]	1952–1962	1962–1965	F. Roosevelt	reassignment to D.S.C.
7	Julius Waties Waring	SC	1880–1968	1942–1952	1948–1952	1952–1965	F. Roosevelt	reassignment to D.S.C.
8	Ashton Hilliard Williams	SC	1891–1962	1952–1962	—	—	Truman	death
9	James Robert Martin Jr.	SC	1909–1984	1961–1965[67]	—	—	Kennedy	reassignment to D.S.C.
10	Robert W. Hemphill	SC	1915–1984	1964–1965[67]	1964–1965	—	L. Johnson	reassignment to D.S.C.
11	Charles Earl Simons Jr.	SC	1916–1999	1964–1965	—	—	L. Johnson	reassignment to D.S.C.

Chief Judge
Waring	1948–1952
Timmerman	1952–1962
Hemphill	1964–1965
Abolished on November 1, 1965 by 79 Stat. 951

Seat 1 Seat reassigned from the District of South Carolina on January 1, 1912 by 36 Stat. 1087 (concurrent with Western District) Seat reassigned solely to the Eastern District on March 3, 1915 by 38 Stat. 961 Smith 1912–1923 Cochran 1923–1934 Myers 1934–1940 Waring 1942–1952 Williams 1952–1962 Simons 1962–1965 Seat reassigned to the District of South Carolina on November 1, 1965 by 79 Stat. 951

Seat 2 Seat established on February 26, 1929 by 45 Stat. 1319 (concurrent with Western District) Glenn 1929–1938 Lumpkin 1939–1941 Timmerman 1942–1962 Hemphill 1964–1965 Seat reassigned to the District of South Carolina on November 1, 1965 by 79 Stat. 951

Seat 3 Seat established on May 19, 1961 by 75 Stat. 80 (concurrent with Western District) Martin 1961–1965 Seat reassigned to the District of South Carolina on November 1, 1965 by 79 Stat. 951

Judges of the Western District of South Carolina:

#	Judge	State	Born–died	Active service	Chief Judge	Senior status	Appointed by	Reason for termination
1	Henry Augustus Middleton Smith	SC	1853–1923	1912–1915[64][67]	—	—	Taft/Operation of law	seat abolished
2	Joseph T. Johnson	SC	1858–1919	1915–1919[68]	—	—	Wilson	death
3	Henry Hitt Watkins	SC	1866–1947	1919–1936	—	1936–1947	Wilson	death
4	John Lyles Glenn Jr.	SC	1892–1938	1929–1938[67]	—	—	Hoover	death
4	Charles Cecil Wyche	SC	1885–1966	1937–1965	1948–1962	—	F. Roosevelt	reassignment to D.S.C.
5	Alva M. Lumpkin	SC	1886–1941	1939–1941[67]	—	—	F. Roosevelt	death
6	George Bell Timmerman Sr.	SC	1881–1966	1942–1962[67]	—	1962–1965	F. Roosevelt	reassignment to D.S.C.
7	James Robert Martin Jr.	SC	1909–1984	1961–1965[67]	1962–1965	—	Kennedy	reassignment to D.S.C.
8	Robert W. Hemphill	SC	1915–1984	1964–1965[67]	—	—	L. Johnson	reassignment to D.S.C.

Chief Judge
Wyche	1948–1962
Martin	1962–1965
Abolished on November 1, 1965 by 79 Stat. 951

Seat 1 Seat reassigned from the District of South Carolina on January 1, 1912 by 36 Stat. 1087 (concurrent with Eastern District) Smith 1912–1915 Seat reassigned solely to the Eastern District on March 3, 1915 by 38 Stat. 961

Seat 2 Seat established on March 3, 1915 by 38 Stat. 961 Johnson 1915–1919 Watkins 1919–1936 Wyche 1937–1965 Seat reassigned to the District of South Carolina on November 1, 1965 by 79 Stat. 951

Seat 3 Seat established on February 26, 1929 by 45 Stat. 1319 (concurrent with Eastern District) Glenn 1929–1938 Lumpkin 1939–1941 Timmerman 1942–1962 Hemphill 1964–1965 Seat reassigned to the District of South Carolina on November 1, 1965 by 79 Stat. 951

Seat 4 Seat established on May 19, 1961 by 75 Stat. 80 (concurrent with Eastern District) Martin 1961–1965 Seat reassigned to the District of South Carolina on November 1, 1965 by 79 Stat. 951

The United States District Court for the District of Tennessee was established with one judgeship on January 31, 1797, by 1 Stat. 496.^[4][69] The judgeship was filled by President George Washington's appointment of John McNairy. Since Congress failed to assign the district to a circuit, the court had the jurisdiction of both a district court and a circuit court. Appeals from this one district court went directly to the United States Supreme Court.

On February 13, 1801, in the famous "Midnight Judges" Act of 1801, 2 Stat. 89, Congress abolished the U.S. district court in Tennessee,^[69] and expanded the number of circuits to six, provided for independent circuit court judgeships, and abolished the necessity of Supreme Court Justices riding the circuits. It was this legislation which created the grandfather of the present Sixth Circuit. The act provided for a "Sixth Circuit" comprising two districts in the State of Tennessee, one district in the State of Kentucky and one district, called the Ohio District, composed of the Ohio and Indiana territories (the latter including the present State of Michigan). The new Sixth Circuit Court was to be held at "Bairdstown" in the District of Kentucky, at Knoxville in the District of East Tennessee, at Nashville in the District of West Tennessee, and at Cincinnati in the District of Ohio. Unlike the other circuits which were provided with three circuit judges, the Sixth Circuit was to have only one circuit judge with district judges from Kentucky and Tennessee comprising the rest of the court. Any two judges constituted a quorum. New circuit judgeships were to be created as district judgeships in Kentucky and Tennessee became vacant.^[70]

The repeal of this Act restored the District on March 8, 1802, 2 Stat. 132.^[69] The District was divided into the Eastern and Western Districts on April 29, 1802.^[4] On February 24, 1807, Congress again abolished the two districts and created the United States Circuit for the District of Tennessee. On March 3, 1837, Congress assigned the judicial district of Tennessee to the Eighth Circuit. On June 18, 1839, by 5 Stat. 313, Congress divided Tennessee into three districts, Eastern, Middle, and Western.^[4][39][69] Again, only one judgeship was allotted for all three districts. On July 15, 1862, Congress reassigned appellate jurisdiction to the Sixth Circuit. Finally, on June 14, 1878, Congress authorized a separate judgeship for each district of Tennessee.

#	Judge	State	Born–died	Active service	Chief Judge	Senior status	Appointed by	Reason for termination
1	John McNairy	TN	1762–1837	1797–1802	—	—	Washington	reassignment to E.D. Tenn. and W.D. Tenn.

Seat 1 Seat established on January 31, 1797 by 1 Stat. 496 McNairy 1797–1802 Seat reassigned to Eastern and Western Districts on April 29, 1802 by 2 Stat.165

Further information: United States Attorney for the District of Tennessee

The oldest federal civil building in Texas, the 1861 Customs and Courthouse in Galveston, once housed the Southern District of Texas.

The United States District Court for the District of Texas was established on December 29, 1845, by 9 Stat. 1. and based in Galveston, then the largest city in the state.^[25][71] John Charles Watrous, appointed to the court by President James K. Polk in May 1846, was the only federal judge to sit for the district.^[72] The District was subdivided into Eastern and Western Districts on February 21, 1857, by 11 Stat. 164.^[71] When the District was subdivided, Watrous continued as judge for the Eastern District only, while Thomas Howard DuVal^[73] was appointed to the Western District. Watrous continued serving in the Eastern District until 1870. From these Districts, Texas was further subdivided with the creation of a Northern District on February 24, 1879, by 20 Stat. 318.^[71] The new Southern District was created on March 11, 1902, by 32 Stat. 64.^[71]

#	Judge	State	Born–died	Active service	Chief Judge	Senior status	Appointed by	Reason for termination
1	John Charles Watrous	TX	1801–1874	1846–1857	—	—	Polk	reassignment to E.D. Tex.

Seat 1 Seat established on December 29, 1845 by 9 Stat. 1 Watrous 1846–1857 Seat reassigned to Eastern District on February 21, 1857 by 11 Stat. 164

Further information: United States Attorney for the District of Texas

The United States District Court for the District of Virginia was one of the original 13 courts established by the Judiciary Act of 1789, 1 Stat. 73, on September 24, 1789.^[57][74]

On February 13, 1801, the Judiciary Act of 1801, 2 Stat. 89, divided Virginia into three judicial districts: the District of Virginia, which included the counties west of the Tidewater and south of the Rappahannock River; the District of Norfolk, which included the Tidewater counties south of the Rappahannock; and the District of Potomac, which included the counties north and east of the Rappahannock as well as Maryland counties along the Potomac.^[74] Just over a year later, on March 8, 1802, the Judiciary Act of 1801 was repealed and Virginia became a single District again, 2 Stat. 132, effective July 1, 1802.^[74]

The District of Virginia was subdivided into Eastern and Western Districts on February 4, 1819, by 3 Stat. 478.^[57][74] At that time, West Virginia was still part of Virginia, and was encompassed in Virginia's Western District. With the division of West Virginia from Virginia during the American Civil War, the Western District of Virginia became the District of West Virginia, and those parts of the Western District that were not part of West Virginia were combined with the Eastern District to again form a single District of Virginia on June 11, 1864, by 13 Stat. 124.^[74] Congress again divided Virginia into Eastern and the Western Districts on February 3, 1871, by 16 Stat. 403.^[74]

#	Judge	State	Born–died	Active service	Chief Judge	Senior status	Appointed by	Reason for termination
1	Cyrus Griffin	VA	1748–1810	1789–1810[75]	—	—	Washington	death
2	John Tyler Sr.	VA	1747–1812	1811–1813	—	—	Madison	death
3	St. George Tucker	VA	1810–1864	1813–1819	—	—	Madison	reassignment to E.D. Va.
4	John Curtiss Underwood	VA	1809–1873	1864–1871[76]	—	—	Lincoln/Operation of law	reassignment to E.D. Va.

Seat 1 Seat established on September 24, 1789 by 1 Stat. 73 Griffin 1789–1810 Tyler 1811–1813 Tucker 1813–1819 Seat reassigned to Eastern District on February 4, 1819 by 3 Stat. 478 Seat reassigned from Eastern District on June 11, 1864 by 13 Stat. 124 Underwood 1864–1871 Seat reassigned to Eastern District on February 3, 1871 by 16 Stat. 403

Further information: United States Attorney for the District of Virginia

The United States District Court for the District of Washington was established on April 5, 1890, by 26 Stat. 45.^[77] The District was subdivided into Eastern and Western Districts on March 2, 1905, by 33 Stat. 824.^[77] Only one judge was ever appointed to the District of Washington.

#	Judge	State	Born–died	Active service	Chief Judge	Senior status	Appointed by	Reason for termination
1	Cornelius H. Hanford	WA	1849–1926	1890–1905	—	—	B. Harrison	reassignment to W.D. Wash.

Seat 1 Seat established on April 5, 1890 by 25 Stat. 676 Hanford 1890–1905 Seat reassigned to Western District on March 2, 1905 by 33 Stat. 824

Further information: United States Attorney for the District of Washington

West Virginia split from the state of Virginia during the American Civil War. At that time, Virginia was already divided into an Eastern and Western District. Congress reorganized the Western District of Virginia to conform to the boundaries of the new state of West Virginia, renaming it the United States District Court for the District of West Virginia on June 11, 1864, by 13 Stat. 124.^[78] This District was subdivided into Northern and Southern Districts on January 22, 1901, by 31 Stat. 736.^[78]

John Jay Jackson Jr., who had been appointed by Abraham Lincoln to what was then the Western District of Virginia, became the first judge of the District of West Virginia. He remained the only judge on that court until its subdivision.

#	Judge	State	Born–died	Active service	Chief Judge	Senior status	Appointed by	Reason for termination
1	John Jay Jackson Jr.	WV	1824–1907	1864–1901[79]	—	—	Lincoln/Operation of law	reassignment to N.D. W. Va.

Seat 1 Seat reassigned from Western District of Virginia on June 11, 1864 by 13 Stat. 124 Jackson 1864–1901 Seat reassigned to Northern District on July 1, 1901 by 31 Stat. 736

The United States District Court for the District of Wisconsin was established on May 29, 1848, by 9 Stat. 233.^[25][80] It was subdivided into Eastern and Western Districts on June 30, 1870, by 16 Stat. 171.^[80] Only one judge was ever appointed to the District of Wisconsin.

#	Judge	State	Born–died	Active service	Chief Judge	Senior status	Appointed by	Reason for termination
1	Andrew G. Miller	WI	1801–1874	1848–1870	—	—	Polk	reassignment to E.D. Wis.

Seat 1 Seat established on May 29, 1848 by 9 Stat. 56 Miller 1848–1870 Seat reassigned to Eastern District on June 30, 1870 by 16 Stat. 171

Further information: United States Attorney for the District of Wisconsin

• List of courts of the United States
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1. Asbury Dickens, A Synoptical Index to the Laws and Treaties of the United States of America (1852), p. 390.
2. U.S. District Courts of Alabama, Legislative history, Federal Judicial Center.
3. Alfred Conkling, A Treatise on the Organization, Jurisdiction and Practice of the Courts of the United States (1864), p. 178.
4. Asbury Dickens, A Synoptical Index to the Laws and Treaties of the United States of America (1852), p. 391.
5. Lynn Foster, Their Pride and Ornament: Judge Benjamin Johnson and the Federal Courts in Early Arkansas, 22 U. Ark. Little Rock L. Rev. 21 (1999).
6. U.S. District Courts of Arkansas, Legislative history, Federal Judicial Center.
7. Alfred Conkling, A Treatise on the Organization, Jurisdiction and Practice of the Courts of the United States (1864), p. 179.
8. Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 21, 1849, confirmed by the United States Senate on June 10, 1850, and received commission on June 10, 1850.
9. U.S. District Courts of California, Legislative history, Federal Judicial Center.
10. Willoughby Rodman, History of the Bench and Bar of Southern California (1909), p. 46.
11. Reassigned from the Northern District of California.
12. Asbury Dickens, A Synoptical Index to the Laws and Treaties of the United States of America (1852), p. 393.
13. U.S. District Courts of Florida, Legislative history, Federal Judicial Center.
14. U.S. District Courts of Georgia, Legislative history, Federal Judicial Center.
15. Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 21, 1796, confirmed by the United States Senate on December 27, 1796, and received commission on January 2, 1797.
16. Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 6, 1802, confirmed by the United States Senate on January 26, 1802, and received commission on January 26, 1802.
17. Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 19, 1821, confirmed by the United States Senate on January 10, 1822, and received commission on January 10, 1822.
18. Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 23, 1840, confirmed by the United States Senate on February 17, 1840, and received commission on February 17, 1840.
19. U.S. District Courts of Illinois, Legislative history, Federal Judicial Center.
20. Asbury Dickens, A Synoptical Index to the Laws and Treaties of the United States of America (1852), p. 392.
21. U.S. District Courts of Indiana, Legislative history, Federal Judicial Center.
22. Recess appointment; formally nominated on March 21, 1836, confirmed by the United States Senate on March 29, 1836, and received commission on March 29, 1836.
23. Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 6, 1869, confirmed by the United States Senate on December 21, 1869, and received commission on December 21, 1869.
24. Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 18, 1883, confirmed by the United States Senate on January 7, 1884, and received commission on January 7, 1884.
25. Asbury Dickens, A Synoptical Index to the Laws and Treaties of the United States of America (1852), p. 394.
26. U.S. District Courts of Iowa, Legislative history, Federal Judicial Center.
27. Recess appointment; formally nominated on February 7, 1856, confirmed by the United States Senate on February 25, 1856, and received commission on December 21, 1856.
28. U.S. District Courts of Kentucky, Legislative history, Federal Judicial Center.
29. Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 13, 1826, confirmed by the United States Senate on February 12, 1827, and received commission on February 12, 1827.
30. Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 9, 1861, confirmed by the United States Senate on January 22, 1862, and received commission on January 22, 1862.
31. Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 1, 1879, confirmed by the United States Senate on December 10, 1879, and received commission on December 10, 1879.
32. U.S. District Courts of Louisiana, Legislative history, Federal Judicial Center.
33. Judges of the District of Louisiana, Federal Judicial Center.
34. Reassigned from the Eastern District of Louisiana and the Western District of Louisiana.
35. Reassigned from the