D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals Judges
Washington, D.C. · 11 active judgeships · Nationwide jurisdiction.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit hears appeals from the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and reviews the actions of many federal agencies. Because so much of its docket concerns the federal government, it is often regarded as the second-most influential court in the country and a frequent stepping-stone to the Supreme Court.
D.C. Circuit judges by appointing president
Of 11 active judges: 4 appointed by Republican presidents, 7 by Democratic.
| Judge | Appointed by | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Karen LeCraft Henderson | G.H.W. Bush | Republican |
| Patricia Ann Millett | Obama | Democratic |
| Cornelia Thayer Livingston Pillard | Obama | Democratic |
| Srikanth Srinivasan | Obama | Democratic |
| Robert Leon Wilkins | Obama | Democratic |
| Gregory George Katsas | Trump | Republican |
| Neomi Jehangir Rao | Trump | Republican |
| Justin Reed Walker | Trump | Republican |
| Julianna Michelle Childs | Biden | Democratic |
| Florence Y. Pan | Biden | Democratic |
| Bradley Nelson Garcia | Biden | Democratic |
Party letters here are the appointing president’s, never a judge’s own: D Democratic, R Republican, N pre-modern-party era (Federalist, Whig, and other early parties); “–” means no recorded party. Counts cover the court’s entire history.
Judges in active service
- Karen L. Henderson
- Patricia A. Millett
- Cornelia T. L. Pillard
- Srikanth Srinivasan
- Robert L. Wilkins
- Gregory G. Katsas
- Neomi J. Rao
- Justin R. Walker
- Julianna M. Childs
- Florence Y. Pan
- Bradley N. Garcia
Senior judges
Still members of the court: senior judges have stepped back from a full docket but continue to hear cases.
Seats over time
Each band is one judgeship, from the court’s founding to today. A segment’s width is the holder’s tenure; its color is the appointing president’s party. Gaps are vacancies.
Julianna Michelle Childs (current) · Douglas Howard Ginsburg (current) · Cornelia Thayer Livingston Pillard (current) · David Bryan Sentelle (current) · Robert Leon Wilkins (current) · Judith Ann Wilson Rogers (current) · Bradley Nelson Garcia (current) · Patricia Ann Millett (current) · Gregory George Katsas (current) · Harry Thomas Edwards (current) · Karen LeCraft Henderson (current) · Arthur Raymond Randolph (current) · Srikanth Srinivasan (current) · Justin Reed Walker (current) · Florence Y. Pan (current) · Neomi Jehangir Rao (current) · David L. Bazelon · James Lane Buckley · Laurence Hirsch Silberman
Former judges
District courts in the D.C. Circuit
The federal trial courts whose appeals this circuit reviews.
Historical district courts
Earlier districts in this circuit’s territory that no longer operate: reorganized or split into today’s districts. Kept for the judges who served on them.
Practicing before this court
The rules that govern a case here (the D.C. Circuit’s local rules, standing orders, and each judge’s own procedures) live on the court’s official site. Direct links:
Links to the court’s own site, verified 2026-07-05. Rules change. Confirm against the court’s current posting before filing.
How a judge gets here. Each judge is nominated by a president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, then holds a numbered seat, for life, until they take senior status, or until they leave the bench. Open any judge to see who appointed them, how the Senate voted, and whom they succeeded, a chain that runs back to 1893. Read more on how federal judges are appointed.
Source: FJC Biographical Directory. Data as of 2026-08-10 (FJC). Verify against the primary source before relying.