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Reorganization of the Judicial Circuits.
July 23, 1866.
14 Stat. 209.
CHAP. CCX. — An Act to fix the Number of the Judges of the Supreme Court of the United States, and to change certain Judicial Circuits.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That no vacancy in the office of associate justice of the supreme court shall be filled by appointment until the number of associate justices shall be reduced to six; and thereafter the said supreme court shall consist of a chief justice of the United States and six associate justices, any four of whom shall be a quorum; and the said court shall hold one term annually at the seat of government, and such adjourned or special terms as it may find necessary for the despatch of business.
SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the first and second circuits shall remain as now constituted; that the districts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware shall constitute the third circuit; that the districts Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina shall constitute the fourth circuit; that the districts of Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas shall constitute the fifth circuit; that the districts of Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, and Tennessee shall constitute the sixth circuit; that the districts of Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin, shall constitute the seventh circuit; that the districts of Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, and Arkansas shall constitute the eighth circuit; and the districts of California, Oregon, and Nevada shall constitute the ninth circuit.
APPROVED, July 23, 1866.
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