Notices & Announcements

Court Access for the Week of July 8, 2024

From Monday, July 8, 2024 through Thursday, July 11, 2024, there will be extensive street closures and traffic restrictions near the National Courts Building. Court week will proceed as scheduled with access to the courthouse only available off of H Street, NW.  Arguing counsel are encouraged to plan for extra time in getting to and from the courthouse.  

For updates on street closures and traffic advisories, please visit the Metropolitan Police Department website and stay informed via local news.

Judge Linn Receives American Inns of Court Professionalism Award

Judge Richard Linn was presented with the prestigious American Inns of Court Professionalism Award at the Federal Circuit’s Judicial Conference on May 14, 2024. The American Inns of Court honors individuals who are dedicated to professionalism, ethics, civility, and excellence within the practice of law, and we are excited to share that Judge Linn has attained distinction in these areas of practice.

The court congratulates Judge Linn on his achievement.

Service Availability for May 14, 2024

On May 14, 2024, the Clerk’s Office and Circuit Library will be unavailable for in-person public services and support.  Nonelectronic filings and materials may be deposited in the night drop box on H Street, N.W.  Electronic filing will remain available.

Discontinuation of Online Live Chat

With the close of business on Friday, May 10, 2024, the Clerk’s Office will discontinue its online live chat feature on its public website. Clerk’s Office staff will remain available to assist over the phone at 202-275-8000 and through the Contact Us page on the court’s website during normal operating hours.

Service Availability for April 26, 2024

On April 26, 2024, the Clerk’s Office and Circuit Library will be temporarily unavailable for public services and support from 2:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. (Eastern). Nonelectronic filings and materials may be deposited in the night drop box on H Street, N.W. Electronic filing will remain available.

Notice of Inaccessibility of Nonelectronic Filing

Due to delivery issues with the United States Postal Service, mail delivery to the National Courts Building in Washington, D.C. was unavailable from Wednesday, March 20, 2024, through Friday, March 22, 2024. During this period, the Clerk’s Office was inaccessible for purposes of receiving nonelectronic filings by mail. See Fed. Cir. R. 26(a)(3).

For purposes of Federal Circuit Rule 26(a)(3), the deadlines for nonelectronic filings and submissions due on March 20 through March 22, 2024, and submitted to the court by mail will be deemed as timely filed if received on Monday, March 25, 2024. All other deadlines are unaffected.

The full notice is available on the court’s website.

New Oral Argument Scheduling Conflicts Guidance

The Clerk’s Office is providing guidance to clarify the criteria for allowable and unallowable counsel scheduling conflicts with upcoming oral argument sessions.  The provided list is neither dispositive nor exhaustive, and the Clerk’s Office reviews each submission in its entirety. However, this guidance applies to most conflicts received, and it aims to provide helpful information regarding acceptable scheduling conflicts.

The Clerk’s Office reviews identified conflicts to determine whether they are allowable for good cause, or unallowable for lack of good cause.  The key requirements for “good cause” are (1) certainty, meaning the conflict is already scheduled rather than suspected or in planning stages,  (2) specificity, meaning the Clerk’s Office will not accept generalized conflicts with no elaboration, and (3) strong basis, meaning that the conflict is one that provides a strong reason for being unable to attend oral argument and that the conflict cannot be easily resolved or rescheduled.

For detailed questions about the scheduling conflict review process or rejected conflict dates, please contact the Clerk’s Office at 202-275-8035 during normal business operating hours.

The full guidance is available on the court’s website (pdf).

Notice of New Federal Circuit Rules, Court Forms, Guide, and Fee Schedule

The December 1, 2023 amendments to the Federal Circuit Rules go into effect today.  The final version of the Federal Circuit Rules (pdf) is available on the court’s website and will apply to all cases filed or pending on or after December 1, 2023, to the extent practicable.  The court has also adopted changes to Form 6a and Form 24. These forms should be used, as required, for any filings made on or after December 1, 2023.  All updated and existing forms are located on the court’s website.

As part of the implementation of these amendments, the Clerk’s Office has issued updated the Guide for Unrepresented Parties (pdf) and the Records Request Form (pdf).

Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1914(b), the Judicial Conference of the United States has approved increases to various miscellaneous court fees, and the Federal Circuit has approved additional increases to its local fees, effective December 1, 2023. The updated fee schedule is available on our website.