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U.S. District Courts for the Districts of Alabama: Legislative History

April 21, 1820
3 Stat. 564
Congress organized Alabama as one judicial district and authorized one judgeship for the U.S. district court. The district court in Alabama, not being assigned to a judicial circuit, was granted the same jurisdiction as U.S. circuit courts, except in appeals and writs of error, which were the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.
March 10, 1824
4 Stat. 9
Alabama divided into the Northern and the Southern districts, with one judgeship serving both districts.
March 3, 1837
5 Stat. 176
The act repealed the circuit court jurisdiction of the Alabama district courts, established U.S. circuit courts in the districts, and assigned Alabama to the Ninth Circuit.
February 22, 1838
5 Stat. 210
The act abolished the U.S. circuit court for the Northern District and granted the district court for the Northern District the same jurisdiction as U.S. circuit courts, except in appeals and writs of error, which were the jurisdiction of the U.S. Circuit Court for the Southern District of Alabama.
February 6, 1839
5 Stat. 315
The act established the Middle District, and provided for the existing judgeship to serve all three districts. The U.S. district court for the Middle District was granted the same jurisdiction as U.S. circuit courts, except in appeals and writs of error, which were the jurisdiction of the U.S. Circuit Court for the Southern District of Alabama.
August 4, 1842
5 Stat. 504
Act provided that appeals and writs of error from the district court for the Northern District would be directly to the Supreme Court when amount in controversy exceeded $2000.
August 16, 1842
5 Stat. 507
Congress assigned Alabama to the Fifth Circuit.
March 3, 1873
17 Stat. 484
The act repealed the circuit court jurisdiction of the district courts for the Northern District and the Middle District and provided for the transfer of qualified cases to the U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Alabama, in Mobile.
June 22, 1874
18 Stat. 195
The act established U.S. circuit courts for the Northern and Middle Districts and designated the existing circuit court as the circuit court for the Southern District.
August 2, 1886
24 Stat. 213
Judgeship authorized for the Southern District; existing judgeship assigned to the Northern and Middle Districts.
February 25, 1907
34 Stat. 931
One additional judgeship authorized for the Northern District.
June 5, 1936
49 Stat. 1476
Existing judgeship serving the Northern and Middle Districts reassigned to serve only the Middle District.
March 26, 1938
52 Stat. 120
One temporary judgeship authorized for the Northern District. This position was never made permanent.
December 24, 1942
56 Stat. 1092
One additional judgeship authorized for the Northern District.
May 19, 1961
75 Stat. 80
One additional judgeship authorized for the Northern District.
March 18, 1966
80 Stat. 75
One additional judgeship authorized to serve both the Middle and Southern Districts.
June 2, 1970
84 Stat. 294
One additional judgeship authorized for the Northern District, and one additional judgeship authorized for the Middle District. Existing judgeship serving the Middle and Southern Districts assigned to the Southern District only.
October 20, 1978
92 Stat. 1629
Three additional judgeships authorized for the Northern District and one additional judgeship authorized for the Middle District.
October 14, 1980
94 Stat. 1994
Congress assigned Alabama to the Eleventh Circuit.
July 10, 1984
98 Stat. 333
One additional judgeship authorized for the Southern District.
December 1, 1990
104 Stat. 5089
One temporary judgeship authorized for the Northern District.
(Statute revised by 109 Stat. 635.) Position never made permanent.
November 2, 2002
116 Stat. 1758
One temporary judgeship authorized for the Northern District. (Judgeship extended by 127 Stat. 418, 128 Stat. 203, 128 Stat. 2352, 129 Stat. 2443, 131 Stat. 347, 132 Stat. 556, 133 Stat. 159, 133 Stat. 2454, 134 Stat. 1401, 136 Stat. 262, 136 Stat 4672, and 138 Stat. 542.)

 

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