Federal Circuit US Court of Appeals Case Law

The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit was created in 1982 by merging the US Court of Customs and Patent Appeals with the US Court of Claims and is the only federal appellate court to hear patent appeals. The court sits primarily in Washington, DC. and is different from the other US federal appeals courts in that it hears cases based upon subject matter versus those matters brought in a specific geographic location. The decisions of the court, in particular in regard to cases involving patents are unique in that they are binding precedent Decisions of this circuit are only superseded by changes in specific law or from decisions rendered by the US Supreme Court.

The court has jurisdiction over appeals from:

• Article I Tribunals
• Article III Tribunals
• The Congressional Office of Compliance

More information regarding the history of the court and the judges who have served on it can be found at the Federal Circuit Historical Society.