This primer provides an institutional overview of the subject-matter jurisdiction of the United States courts of appeals. Authored for the Federal Judicial Center, the research and education agency of the federal judiciary, the publication outlines the statutory and procedural foundations governing appellate jurisdiction in federal courts.
The primer examines jurisdiction over appeals from final judgments and interlocutory orders, as well as the use of extraordinary writs and the review of federal administrative agency decisions. It addresses both civil and criminal appeals and explains the legal mechanisms by which appellate jurisdiction is invoked, limited, or denied.
Rather than advancing theory or advocacy, the document presents jurisdiction as it is operationally understood within the federal judiciary. It reflects the courts’ own internal articulation of appellate authority, procedural boundaries, and statutory interpretation, serving as a reference point for how jurisdiction is structured and applied in practice.
Citation
Baker, T. E. (2023). A primer on the jurisdiction of the U.S. courts of appeals (3rd ed.). Federal Judicial Center.