What are the 12 federal courts of appeals?

The 12 Federal Courts of Appeals (United States Courts of Appeals) are organized by geographic circuits:

1. First Circuit – Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island
2. Second Circuit – Connecticut, New York, Vermont
3. Third Circuit – Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virgin Islands
4. Fourth Circuit – Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia
5. Fifth Circuit – Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas
6. Sixth Circuit – Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee
7. Seventh Circuit – Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin
8. Eighth Circuit – Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota
9. Ninth Circuit – Alaska, Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Northern Mariana Islands, Oregon, Washington
10. Tenth Circuit – Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah, Wyoming
11. Eleventh Circuit – Alabama, Florida, Georgia
12. D.C. Circuit – Washington, D.C.

Note: There is also a Federal Circuit (U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit) that has nationwide jurisdiction over specific types of cases (patents, trademarks, international trade, etc.), but it’s separate from the 12 regional circuits.

These appellate courts handle appeals from federal district courts and review decisions from federal agencies.