Federal Courts Improvement Act of 1981

Summary

Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit Act of 1981 - Title I: United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and United States Claims Court - Establishes the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, composed of all Federal judicial districts and consisting of 12 judges. Grants the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit exclusive jurisdiction over: (1) patent, copyright, and trademark appeals from district courts (except cases involving copyrights or trademarks and no other issues, which shall continue to be appealed to the circuit courts); (2) appeals of claims against the Government (except cases under the Federal Tort Claims Act which shall continue to be appealed to the circuit courts); (3) appeals from the United States Claims Courts; (4) certain other trademark and patent appeals not involving de novo review; (5) appeals from final decisions of the United States Court of International Trade; (6) appeals from final determinations of the United States International Trade Commission relating to unfair practices in import trade; (7) certain findings of the Secretary of Commerce relating to importation of instruments; (8) appeals under the Plant Variety Protection Act and from final orders of the Merit Systems Protection Board; and (9) appeals from final decisions of agency boards of contract appeals pursuant to the Contract Disputes Act of 1978. Replaces the Court of Claims with the United States Claims Court, consisting of 16 judges serving 15-year terms. Directs the President to designate the chief judge of the Claims Court. Abolishes the Court of Customs and Patent Appeals. Title II: Conforming Amendments Outside Title 28 - Makes conforming amendments. Title III: Miscellaneous Provisions - Declares that the provisions of this Act shall take effect on October 1, 1982. Provides that the judges of the United States Court of Claims and United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals in regular active service shall continue in office as judges of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Provides that commissioners of the United States Court of Claims shall become judges of the United States Claims Court. Declares it the suggestion of Congress that the President select from a broad range of qualified individuals when nominating persons to judgeships on the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the Claims Court. Transfers certain pending cases to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the Claims Court.

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Documents

6 official files

• Public Law (PDF)

  Public Law · EN · 3 April 1982

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• House agreed to Senate amendment with amendment

  summary · EN · 9 March 1982

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• Passed Senate amended

  summary · EN · 8 December 1981

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• Passed House amended

  summary · EN · 18 November 1981

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• Reported to House with amendment(s)

  summary · EN · 4 November 1981

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• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 15 September 1981

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