United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, Federal appellate court in Richmond, United States
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit sits in the Lewis F. Powell Jr. Courthouse in Richmond, serving five states in the mid-Atlantic and southeastern regions. The building houses courtrooms, chambers for the judges, and a law library that supports the daily operations of the appellate system.
The court began hearing cases in 1891 when Congress created the federal circuit court system to ease the workload of the Supreme Court. Over the decades, the number of judges increased several times to handle the growing number of appeals from district courts across the region.
The courthouse honors Lewis F. Powell Jr., a former Supreme Court Justice from Virginia who served with distinction. Richmond residents regard the building as part of the civic architecture that shapes downtown identity.
The building opens on weekdays between 8:30 in the morning and 5:00 in the afternoon, with security screening at the entrance. Visitors can access court records through the electronic system called PACER, provided they register in advance.
Judges sometimes hold brief conversations with attorneys after oral arguments, a practice less common in other federal circuits. These informal exchanges help foster dialogue and deepen understanding of regional legal issues beyond the formal proceedings.
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