# United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit (in case citations, 6th Cir.) is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:
* Eastern District of Kentucky
* Western District of Kentucky
* Eastern District of Michigan
* Western District of Michigan
* Northern District of Ohio
* Southern District of Ohio
* Eastern District of Tennessee
* Middle District of Tennessee
* Western District of Tennessee
The court is composed of sixteen judges and is based at the Potter Stewart U.S. Courthouse in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is one of 13 United States courts of appeals.
The United States federal courts were divided into six circuits in 1801, but a circuit court of appeals was not established until the passage of the Judiciary Act of 1891.
William Howard Taft, the only person ever to serve as both President and Chief Justice of the United States, once served on the Sixth Circuit. Four other judges of the Sixth Circuit have been elevated to serve on the Supreme Court, the last being Potter Stewart in 1958.

## Current composition of the Court

As of September 19, 2024:
| # | Title | Judge | Duty station | Born | Term of service | Term of service | Term of service | Appointed by |
| # | Title | Judge | Duty station | Born | Active | Chief | Senior | Appointed by |
| 62 | Chief Judge | Jeffrey Sutton | Columbus, OH | 1960 | 2003–present | 2021–present | — | G.W. Bush |
| 56 | Circuit Judge | Karen Nelson Moore | Cleveland, OH | 1948 | 1995–present | — | — | Clinton |
| 58 | Circuit Judge | Eric L. Clay | Detroit, MI | 1948 | 1997–present | — | — | Clinton |
| 65 | Circuit Judge | Richard Allen Griffin | Traverse City, MI | 1952 | 2005–present | — | — | G.W. Bush |
| 67 | Circuit Judge | Raymond Kethledge | Ann Arbor, MI | 1966 | 2008–present | — | — | G.W. Bush |
| 69 | Circuit Judge | Jane Branstetter Stranch | Nashville, TN | 1953 | 2010–present | — | — | Obama |
| 71 | Circuit Judge | Amul Thapar | Covington, KY | 1969 | 2017–present | — | — | Trump |
| 72 | Circuit Judge | John K. Bush | Louisville, KY | 1964 | 2017–present | — | — | Trump |
| 73 | Circuit Judge | Joan Larsen | Ann Arbor, MI | 1968 | 2017–present | — | — | Trump |
| 74 | Circuit Judge | John Nalbandian | Cincinnati, OH | 1969 | 2018–present | — | — | Trump |
| 75 | Circuit Judge | Chad Readler | Columbus, OH | 1972 | 2019–present | — | — | Trump |
| 76 | Circuit Judge | Eric E. Murphy | Columbus, OH | 1979 | 2019–present | — | — | Trump |
| 77 | Circuit Judge | Stephanie D. Davis | Detroit, MI | 1967 | 2022–present | — | — | Biden |
| 78 | Circuit Judge | Andre Mathis | Memphis, TN | 1980 | 2022–present | — | — | Biden |
| 79 | Circuit Judge | Rachel Bloomekatz | Columbus, OH | 1982 | 2023–present | — | — | Biden |
| 80 | Circuit Judge | Kevin G. Ritz | Memphis, TN | 1974 | 2024–present | — | — | Biden |
| 47 | Senior Circuit Judge | Ralph B. Guy Jr. | Ann Arbor, MI | 1929 | 1985–1994 | — | 1994–present | Reagan |
| 49 | Senior Circuit Judge | James L. Ryan | inactive | 1932 | 1985–2000 | — | 2000–present | Reagan |
| 50 | Senior Circuit Judge | Danny Julian Boggs | Louisville, KY | 1944 | 1986–2017 | 2003–2009 | 2017–present | Reagan |
| 51 | Senior Circuit Judge | Alan Eugene Norris | Columbus, OH | 1935 | 1986–2001 | — | 2001–present | Reagan |
| 52 | Senior Circuit Judge | Richard Fred Suhrheinrich | Lansing, MI | 1936 | 1990–2001 | — | 2001–present | G.H.W. Bush |
| 53 | Senior Circuit Judge | Eugene Edward Siler Jr. | London, KY | 1936 | 1991–2001 | — | 2001–present | G.H.W. Bush |
| 54 | Senior Circuit Judge | Alice M. Batchelder | Medina, OH | 1944 | 1991–2019 | 2009–2014 | 2019–present | G.H.W. Bush |
| 55 | Senior Circuit Judge | Martha Craig Daughtrey | Nashville, TN | 1942 | 1993–2009 | — | 2009–present | Clinton |
| 57 | Senior Circuit Judge | R. Guy Cole Jr. | Columbus, OH | 1951 | 1995–2023 | 2014–2021 | 2023–present | Clinton |
| 59 | Senior Circuit Judge | Ronald Lee Gilman | Memphis, TN | 1942 | 1997–2010 | — | 2010–present | Clinton |
| 60 | Senior Circuit Judge | Julia Smith Gibbons | Memphis, TN | 1950 | 2002–2024 | — | 2024–present | G.W. Bush |
| 61 | Senior Circuit Judge | John M. Rogers | Lexington, KY | 1948 | 2002–2018 | — | 2018–present | G.W. Bush |
| 63 | Senior Circuit Judge | Deborah L. Cook | Akron, OH | 1952 | 2003–2019 | — | 2019–present | G.W. Bush |
| 64 | Senior Circuit Judge | David McKeague | Lansing, MI | 1946 | 2005–2017 | — | 2017–present | G.W. Bush |
| 68 | Senior Circuit Judge | Helene White | Detroit, MI | 1954 | 2008–2022 | — | 2022–present | G.W. Bush |

## Vacancies and pending nominations

| Seat | Prior judge's duty station | Seat last held by | Vacancy reason | Date of vacancy | Nominee | Date of nomination |
| 16 | Nashville, TN | Jane Branstetter Stranch | Senior status | TBD | — | — |

## List of former judges

| # | Judge | State | Born–died | Active service | Chief Judge | Senior status | Appointed by | Reason for termination |
| 1 | Howell E. Jackson | TN | 1832–1895 | 1891–1893 | — | — | Cleveland / Operation of law | elevation to Supreme Court |
| 2 | William Howard Taft | OH | 1857–1930 | 1892–1900 | — | — | B. Harrison | resignation |
| 3 | Horace Harmon Lurton | TN | 1844–1914 | 1893–1909 | — | — | Cleveland | elevation to Supreme Court |
| 4 | William R. Day | OH | 1849–1923 | 1899–1903 | — | — | McKinley | elevation to Supreme Court |
| 5 | Henry Franklin Severens | MI | 1835–1923 | 1900–1911 | — | — | McKinley | resignation |
| 6 | John K. Richards | OH | 1856–1909 | 1903–1909 | — | — | T. Roosevelt | death |
| 7 | John Wesley Warrington | OH | 1844–1921 | 1909–1919 | — | 1919–1921 | Taft | death |
| 8 | Loyal Edwin Knappen | MI | 1854–1930 | 1910–1924 | — | 1924–1930 | Taft | death |
| 9 | Arthur Carter Denison | MI | 1861–1942 | 1911–1931 | — | — | Taft | resignation |
| 10 | Maurice H. Donahue | OH | 1864–1928 | 1919–1928 | — | — | Wilson | death |
| 11 | Charles Harwood Moorman | KY | 1876–1938 | 1925–1938 | — | — | Coolidge | death |
| 12 | Xenophon Hicks | TN | 1872–1952 | 1928–1952 | 1948–1952 | 1952 | Coolidge | death |
| 13 | Smith Hickenlooper | OH | 1880–1933 | 1928–1933 | — | — | Coolidge | death |
| 14 | Julian Mack | IL | 1866–1943 | 1929–1930 | — | — | | reassignment to 2nd Cir. |
| 15 | Charles C. Simons | MI | 1876–1964 | 1932–1959 | 1952–1958 | 1959–1964 | Hoover | death |
| 16 | Florence E. Allen | OH | 1884–1966 | 1934–1959 | 1958–1959 | 1959–1966 | F. Roosevelt | death |
| 17 | Elwood Hamilton | KY | 1883–1945 | 1938–1945 | — | — | F. Roosevelt | death |
| 18 | Herschel W. Arant | OH | 1887–1941 | 1939–1941 | — | — | F. Roosevelt | death |
| 19 | John Donelson Martin Sr. | TN | 1883–1962 | 1940–1962 | 1959 | — | F. Roosevelt | death |
| 20 | Thomas Francis McAllister | MI | 1896–1976 | 1941–1963 | 1959–1961 | 1963–1976 | F. Roosevelt | death |
| 21 | Shackelford Miller Jr. | KY | 1892–1965 | 1945–1965 | 1961–1962 | 1965–1965 | Truman | death |
| 22 | Potter Stewart | OH | 1915–1985 | 1954–1958 | — | — | Eisenhower | elevation to Supreme Court |
| 23 | Lester LeFevre Cecil | OH | 1893–1982 | 1959–1965 | 1962–1963 | 1965–1982 | Eisenhower | death |
| 24 | Paul Charles Weick | OH | 1899–1997 | 1959–1981 | 1963–1969 | 1981–1997 | Eisenhower | death |
| 25 | Clifford Patrick O'Sullivan | MI | 1897–1975 | 1960–1969 | — | 1969–1975 | Eisenhower | death |
| 26 | Harry Phillips | TN | 1909–1985 | 1963–1979 | 1969–1979 | 1979–1985 | Kennedy | death |
| 27 | George Clifton Edwards Jr. | MI | 1914–1995 | 1963–1985 | 1979–1983 | 1985–1995 | L. Johnson | death |
| 28 | Anthony J. Celebrezze | OH | 1910–1998 | 1965–1980 | — | 1980–1998 | L. Johnson | death |
| 29 | John Weld Peck II | OH | 1913–1993 | 1966–1978 | — | 1978–1993 | L. Johnson | death |
| 30 | Wade H. McCree | MI | 1920–1987 | 1966–1977 | — | — | L. Johnson | resignation |
| 31 | Bert Combs | KY | 1911–1991 | 1967–1970 | — | — | L. Johnson | resignation |
| 32 | Henry Luesing Brooks | KY | 1905–1971 | 1969–1971 | — | — | Nixon | death |
| 33 | William Ernest Miller | TN | 1908–1976 | 1970–1976 | — | — | Nixon | death |
| 34 | W. Wallace Kent | MI | 1916–1973 | 1970–1973 | — | — | Nixon | death |
| 35 | Pierce Lively | KY | 1921–2016 | 1972–1989 | 1983–1988 | 1989–2016 | Nixon | death |
| 36 | Albert J. Engel Jr. | MI | 1924–2013 | 1973–1989 | 1988–1989 | 1989–2013 | Nixon | death |
| 37 | Damon Keith | MI | 1922–2019 | 1977–1995 | — | 1995–2019 | Carter | death |
| 38 | Gilbert S. Merritt Jr. | TN | 1936–2022 | 1977–2001 | 1989–1996 | 2001–2022 | Carter | death |
| 39 | Bailey Brown | TN | 1917–2004 | 1979–1982 | — | 1982–1997 | Carter | retirement |
| 40 | Cornelia Groefsema Kennedy | MI | 1923–2014 | 1979–1999 | — | 1999–2014 | Carter | death |
| 41 | Boyce F. Martin Jr. | KY | 1935–2016 | 1979–2013 | 1996–2003 | — | Carter | retirement |
| 42 | Nathaniel R. Jones | OH | 1926–2020 | 1979–1995 | — | 1995–2002 | Carter | retirement |
| 43 | Leroy John Contie Jr. | OH | 1920–2001 | 1982–1986 | — | 1986–2001 | Reagan | death |
| 44 | Robert B. Krupansky | OH | 1921–2004 | 1982–1991 | — | 1991–2004 | Reagan | death |
| 45 | Harry W. Wellford | TN | 1924–2021 | 1982–1991 | — | 1991–2021 | Reagan | death |
| 46 | Herbert Theodore Milburn | TN | 1931–2016 | 1984–1996 | — | 1996–2016 | Reagan | death |
| 48 | David Aldrich Nelson | OH | 1932–2010 | 1985–1999 | — | 1999–2010 | Reagan | death |
| 66 | Susan Bieke Neilson | MI | 1956–2006 | 2005–2006 | — | — | G.W. Bush | death |
| 70 | Bernice B. Donald | TN | 1951–present | 2011–2022 | — | 2022–2023 | Obama | retirement |

## Chief judges

Chief Judge :
| Hicks | 1948–1952 |
| Simons | 1952–1958 |
| Allen | 1958–1959 |
| Martin | 1959 |
| McAllister | 1959–1961 |
| S. Miller, Jr. | 1961–1962 |
| Cecil | 1962–1963 |
| Weick | 1963–1969 |
| Phillips | 1969–1979 |
| Edwards, Jr. | 1979–1983 |
| Lively | 1983–1988 |
| Engel, Jr. | 1988–1989 |
| Merritt, Jr. | 1989–1996 |
| Martin, Jr. | 1996–2003 |
| Boggs | 2003–2009 |
| Batchelder | 2009–2014 |
| Cole, Jr. | 2014–2021 |
| Sutton | 2021–present |
Chief judges have administrative responsibilities with respect to their circuits, and preside over any panel on which they serve, unless the circuit justice (the Supreme Court justice responsible for the circuit) is also on the panel. Unlike the Supreme Court, where one justice is specifically nominated to be chief, the office of chief judge rotates among the circuit judges.
To be chief, a judge must have been in active service on the court for at least one year, be under the age of 65, and have not previously served as chief judge. A vacancy is filled by the judge highest in seniority among the group of qualified judges, with seniority determined first by commission date, then by age. The chief judge serves for a term of seven years, or until age 70, whichever occurs first. If no judge qualifies to be chief, the youngest judge over the age of 65 who has served on the court for at least one year shall act as chief until another judge qualifies. If no judge has served on the court for more than a year, the most senior judge shall act as chief. Judges can forfeit or resign their chief judgeship or acting chief judgeship while retaining their active status as a circuit judge.
When the office was created in 1948, the chief judge was the longest-serving judge who had not elected to retire, on what has since 1958 been known as senior status, or declined to serve as chief judge. After August 6, 1959, judges could not become or remain chief after turning 70 years old. The current rules have been in operation since October 1, 1982.

## Succession of seats

The court has 16 seats for active judges, numbered in the order in which they were initially filled. Judges who assume senior status enter a kind of retirement in which they remain on the bench but vacate their seats, thus allowing the U.S. President to appoint new judges to fill their seats.
Seat 1 :
| Established on December 10, 1869 by the Judiciary Act of 1869 as a circuit judgeship for the Sixth Circuit ||||
| Reassigned to the United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit by the Judiciary Act of 1891 ||||
| Jackson | TN | 1891–1893 |
| Lurton | TN | 1893–1909 |
| Knappen | MI | 1910–1924 |
| Moorman | KY | 1925–1938 |
| Hamilton | KY | 1938–1945 |
| S. Miller, Jr. | KY | 1945–1965 |
| Combs | KY | 1967–1970 |
| Kent | MI | 1971–1973 |
| Engel, Jr. | MI | 1973–1989 |
| Suhrheinrich | MI | 1990–2001 |
| McKeague | MI | 2005–2017 |
| Larsen | MI | 2017–present |
Seat 2 :
| Established on June 16, 1891 by the Judiciary Act of 1891 ||||
| Taft | OH | 1892–1900 |
| Severens | MI | 1900–1911 |
| Denison | MI | 1911–1931 |
| Simons | MI | 1932–1959 |
| O'Sullivan | MI | 1960–1969 |
| W. Miller | TN | 1970–1976 |
| Merritt, Jr. | TN | 1977–2001 |
| Gibbons | TN | 2002–2024 |
| Ritz | TN | 2024–present |
Seat 3 :
| Established on January 25, 1899 by 30 Stat. 803 ||||
| Day | OH | 1899–1903 |
| Richards | OH | 1903–1909 |
| Warrington | OH | 1909–1919 |
| Donahue | OH | 1919–1928 |
| Hickenlooper | OH | 1928–1933 |
| Allen | OH | 1934–1959 |
| Weick | OH | 1959–1981 |
| Krupansky | OH | 1982–1991 |
| Moore | OH | 1995–present |
Seat 4 :
| Established on May 8, 1928 by 45 Stat. 492 ||||
| Hicks | TN | 1928–1952 |
| Stewart | OH | 1954–1958 |
| Cecil | OH | 1959–1965 |
| Celebrezze | OH | 1965–1980 |
| Contie, Jr. | OH | 1982–1986 |
| Norris | OH | 1986–2001 |
| Cook | OH | 2003–2019 |
| Readler | OH | 2019–present |
Seat 5 :
| Established on May 31, 1938 by 52 Stat. 584 ||||
| Arant | OH | 1939–1941 |
| McAllister | MI | 1941–1963 |
| Edwards, Jr. | MI | 1963–1985 |
| Ryan | MI | 1985–2000 |
| Kethledge | MI | 2008–present |
Seat 6 :
| Established on May 24, 1940 by 54 Stat. 219 ||||
| J. Martin | TN | 1940–1962 |
| Phillips | TN | 1963–1979 |
| Brown | TN | 1979–1982 |
| Wellford | TN | 1982–1991 |
| Siler, Jr. | KY | 1991–2001 |
| Rogers | KY | 2002–2018 |
| Nalbandian | KY | 2018–present |
Seat 7 :
| Established on March 18, 1966 by 80 Stat. 75 ||||
| Peck | OH | 1966–1978 |
| Jones | OH | 1979–1995 |
| Cole, Jr. | OH | 1995–2023 |
| Bloomekatz | OH | 2023–present |
Seat 8 :
| Established on March 18, 1966 by 80 Stat. 75 ||||
| McCree | MI | 1966–1977 |
| Keith | MI | 1977–1995 |
| Griffin | MI | 2005–present |
Seat 9 :
| Established on June 18, 1968 by 82 Stat. 184 ||||
| Brooks | KY | 1969–1971 |
| Lively | KY | 1972–1989 |
| Batchelder | OH | 1991–2019 |
| Murphy | OH | 2019–present |
Seat 10 :
| Established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 ||||
| Kennedy | MI | 1979–1999 |
| Neilson | MI | 2005–2006 |
| White | MI | 2008–2022 |
| Davis | MI | 2022–present |
Seat 11 :
| Established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 ||||
| B. Martin, Jr. | KY | 1979–2013 |
| Thapar | KY | 2017–present |
Seat 12 :
| Established on July 10, 1984 by 98 Stat. 333 ||||
| Milburn | TN | 1984–1996 |
| Gilman | TN | 1997–2010 |
| Donald | TN | 2011–2022 |
| Mathis | TN | 2022–present |
Seat 13 :
| Established on July 10, 1984 by 98 Stat. 333 ||||
| Nelson | OH | 1985–1999 |
| Sutton | OH | 2003–present |
Seat 14 :
| Established on July 10, 1984 by 98 Stat. 333 ||||
| Guy, Jr. | MI | 1985–1994 |
| Clay | MI | 1997–present |
Seat 15 :
| Established on July 10, 1984 by 98 Stat. 333 ||||
| Boggs | KY | 1986–2017 |
| Bush | KY | 2017–present |
Seat 16 :
| Established on December 1, 1990 by 104 Stat. 5089 ||||
| Daughtrey | TN | 1993–2009 |
| Stranch | TN | 2010–present |

## Case law

* Rogers v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. 230 F.3d 868 (6th Cir. 2000)