could be authorized to act as a circuit judge, only fifty judges solely designated as circuit court judges were ever appointed. These can be broadly categorized into four groups: Judges appointed pursuant to the Midnight Judges Act on or after February 20, 1801, and thereafter removed from office with the repeal of that Act on July 1, 1802. Judges appointed to the D.C. Circuit, abolished on March 3, 1863 Judges appointed after 1869 pursuant to the Circuit Judges Act of 1869; those in office on June 16, 1891 were transferred to the newly created United States courts of appeals by operation of law, that is, without action on the part of the President. One judge appointed to the California circuit, established in 1855 and abolished on March 3, 1863. Three circuit court judges, Samuel M. Blatchford, David Josiah Brewer, and William Burnham Woods, were later appointed to the Supreme Court. Circuit court judges appointed pursuant to the Midnight Judges Act Judges of the D.C. Circuit Circuit court judges appointed pursuant to the 1869 Act Circuit court judge of California See also List of presidents of the United States by judicial appointments Explanatory notes References External links Federal Judicial Center 1789 establishments in the United States 1911 disestablishments in the United States Courts and tribunals disestablished in 1911 Courts and tribunals established in 1789 Circuit court