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The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (Federal Circuit; in case citations, Fed. Cir. or C.A.F.C.) is a United States court of appeals headquartered in Washington, D.C. The court was created by Congress with passage of the Federal Courts Improvement Act of 1982, which merged the United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals and the appellate division of the United States Court of Claims, making the judges of the former courts into circuit judges.〔 §165, .〕 The Federal Circuit is particularly known for its decisions on patent law, as it is the only appellate-level court with the jurisdiction to hear patent case appeals.〔USCAFC (Court Jurisdiction )〕 The court occupies the Howard T. Markey National Courts Building, and the adjacent Benjamin Ogle Tayloe House, the former Cosmos Club, and the Cutts-Madison House in Washington, D.C. The court sits from time to time in locations other than Washington, and its judges can and do sit by designation on the bench of other courts of appeals and federal district courts. ==Jurisdiction== The Federal Circuit is unique among the courts of appeals as it is the only court that has its jurisdiction based wholly upon subject matter rather than geographic location. The Federal Circuit is an appellate court with jurisdiction generally given in . The court hears certain appeals from all of the United States District Courts, appeals from certain administrative agencies, and appeals arising under certain statutes. Among other things, the Federal Circuit has exclusive jurisdiction over appeals from:〔(History of the Federal Circuit )〕 * Article I tribunals: * * United States Court of Federal Claims * * United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims * * United States Trademark Trial and Appeal Board * * United States Patent Trial and Appeal Board (formerly known as the United States Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences) * * Boards of contract appeals (for Government contract disputes pursuant to the Contract Disputes Act of 1978): * * * Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals * * * Civilian Board of Contract Appeals * * * Postal Service Board of Contract Appeals * * United States Merit Systems Protection Board (federal employment and employment benefits) * * United States International Trade Commission * Article III tribunals: * * United States Court of International Trade * * United States district courts relating to: * * *Patents, including appeals arising from an action against the Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks under * * *The Little Tucker Act, * * *Section 211 of the Economic Stabilization Act of 1970; * * *Section 5 of the Emergency Petroleum Allocation Act of 1973; * * *Section 523 of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975; and * * *Section 506(c) of the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978 * Congressional Office of Compliance Although the Federal Circuit typically hears all appeals from any of the United States district courts where the original action included a complaint arising under the patent laws, the Supreme Court decided that it does not if the patent claims arose solely as counterclaims by the defendant.〔(''Holmes Group, Inc. v. Vornado Air Circulation Systems, Inc.'' ), 2005. 〕 Congress, however, overruled the Supreme Court in the America Invents Act of 2011. As a result, the Federal Circuit hears all appeals where the original action included a complaint or compulsory counterclaim arising under the patent laws. The decisions of the Federal Circuit, particularly in regard to patent cases, are unique in that they are binding precedent throughout the U.S. within the bounds of the court's subject-matter jurisdiction. This is unlike the other courts of appeals as the authority of their decisions is restricted by geographic location and thus there may be differing judicial standards depending on location. Decisions of the Federal Circuit are only superseded by decisions of the Supreme Court or by applicable changes in the law. Also, review by the Supreme Court is discretionary, so Federal Circuit decisions are often the final word, especially since there are usually no circuit splits given the Federal Circuit's exclusive subject-matter jurisdiction. In its first decision, the Federal Circuit incorporated as binding precedent the decisions of its predecessor courts, the United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals and the appellate division of the United States Court of Claims.〔''South Corp. v. United States'', 690 F. 2d 1368 (Fed. Cir. 1982)〕 Because the Court is one of national jurisdiction, panels from the court may sit anywhere in the country. Typically, once or twice a year, the court will hold oral arguments in a city outside of its native Washington D.C. The panels may sit in Federal courthouses, state courthouses, or even at law schools. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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