By most measures, the D.C. Circuit is among the least busy appeals courts in the nation, while the 9th Circuit is the busiest. Nevertheless, the D.C. Circuit is considered the second-most powerful court in the nation as a result of the important national security and administrative law cases it hears. The court is currently split between four Democratic and four Republican appointees.
| Circuit | Authorized judges |
Active judges | Appeals filed per authorized judge, Sept. 2011 to Sept. 2012 |
Appeals filed per active judge, Sept. 2011 to Sept. 2012 |
Pending appeals per authorized judge, Sept. 2012 |
Pending appeals per active judge, Sept. 2012 |
Median months for disposal of appeal, Sept. 2011 to Sept. 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DC | 11 | 8 | 108 | 149 | 120 | 164 | 10.4 |
| 1st | 6 | 5 | 265 | 317 | 204 | 245 | 11.1 |
| 2nd | 13 | 13 | 425 | 425 | 343 | 343 | 12.2 |
| 3rd | 14 | 14 | 269 | 269 | 171 | 171 | 7.7 |
| 4th | 15 | 15 | 333 | 333 | 168 | 168 | 5.7 |
| 5th | 17 | 15 | 449 | 509 | 282 | 320 | 9.0 |
| 6th | 16 | 16 | 303 | 303 | 258 | 258 | 14.7 |
| 7th | 11 | 10 | 272 | 299 | 170 | 187 | 8.3 |
| 8th | 11 | 11 | 280 | 280 | 132 | 132 | 5.5 |
| 9th | 29 | 27 | 437 | 570 | 487 | 523 | 15.3 |
| 10th | 12 | 9 | 181 | 241 | 115 | 154 | 8.3 |
| 11th | 12 | 10 | 583 | 700 | 323 | 388 | 7.2 |
SOURCE: Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts