| September 24, 1789 1 Stat. 73 |
The Judiciary Act of 1789 organized New Jersey as one judicial district, authorized one judgeship for the U.S. district court, and assigned the district to the Middle Circuit. |
| February 13, 1801 2 Stat. 89 |
The Judiciary Act of 1801 reorganized the federal courts into six circuits and assigned the District of New Jersey to the Third Circuit. The act divided New Jersey into two judicial districts, the Eastern and the Western, with one judgeship authorized to serve both districts. |
| March 8, 1802 2 Stat. 132 |
Repeal of the Judiciary Act of 1801 restored New Jersey as a single judicial district, effective July 1, 1802. |
| April 29, 1802 2 Stat. 156 |
The Judiciary Act of 1802 again organized the federal courts into six circuits and assigned the District of New Jersey to the Third Circuit. |
| March 3, 1905 33 Stat. 987 |
One additional judgeship authorized. |
| April 11, 1916 39 Stat. 48 |
One additional judgeship authorized. |
| September 14, 1922 42 Stat. 837 |
One temporary judgeship authorized. The temporary increase in the court's authorized membership expired in 1931 but was reauthorized in 1932. |
| May 20, 1932 47 Stat. 161 |
Temporary judgeship authorized in 1922 reauthorized and made permanent. |
| May 24, 1940 54 Stat. 219 |
One temporary judgeship authorized. The temporary increase in the court's authorized membership expired in 1941, was reauthorized in 1942 (56 Stat. 247), expired again in 1944, and was reauthorized in 1944.* |
| December 22, 1944 58 Stat. 887 |
Temporary judgeship authorized in 1940 reauthorized and made permanent. |
| August 3, 1949 63 Stat. 493 |
One additional judgeship authorized. |
| February 10, 1954 68 Stat. 8 |
One additional judgeship authorized. |
| May 19, 1961 75 Stat. 80 |
One additional judgeship authorized. |
| June 2, 1970 84 Stat. 294 |
One additional permanent and one temporary judgeship authorized. The temporary increase in the court's authorized membership expired in 1972. |
| October 20, 1978 92 Stat. 1629 |
Two additional judgeships authorized. |
| July 10, 1984 98 Stat. 333 |
Three additional judgeships authorized. |
| December 1, 1990 104 Stat. 5089 |
Three additional judgeships authorized. |
| *In 1941, the temporary increase in the court's membership authorized in 1940 expired. In 1942, Congress passed an act purporting to create an additional temporary judgeship for the district. It appears, however, that the 1942 act was interpreted and applied in accordance with its title, which referenced eliminating the prohibition on filling the first vacancy to occur after the enactment of the 1940 statute. The next judge to be appointed was nominated to fill the 1941 vacancy (which could not have been filled under the terms of the 1940 act) rather than a new seat created in 1942. In practical terms, then, the 1942 act served as a reauthorization and extension of the 1940 temporary judgeship. In 1944, the temporary increase in the court's membership expired again; later that year, Congress repealed the 1942 act and made the 1940 judgeship permanent. | |