The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (in case citations, Fed. Cir. or C.A.F.C.) is a United States court of appeals that has special appellate jurisdiction over certain types of specialized cases in the U.S. federal court system. It has exclusive appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal cases involving patents, trademarks, government contracts, veterans' benefits, public safety officers' benefits, federal employees' benefits, and various other categories. Unlike other federal courts, the Federal Circuit has no jurisdiction over cases involving criminal, bankruptcy, immigration, or U.S. state law. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the Federal Circuit was created in 1982 with passage of the Federal Courts Improvement Act, which merged the United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals and the appellate division of the United States Court of Claims, making the judges of the former courts into circuit judges. The court occupies the Howard T. Markey National Courts Building as well as the adjacent Benjamin Ogle Tayloe House, former Cosmos Club building, and the Cutts-Madison House in Washington, D.C., on Lafayette Square. The court sits from time to time in locations other than Washington, and its judges can and do sit by designation on the benches of other courts of appeals and federal district courts. , Washington and Lee University School of Law's Millhiser Moot Courtroom had been designated as the continuity of operations site for the court. Jurisdiction The Federal Circuit is unique among the courts of appeals as it is the only court that has its jurisdiction based wholly upon subject matter rather than geographic location. The Federal Circuit is an appellate court with jurisdiction generally given in . The court hears certain appeals from all of the United States District Courts, appeals from certain administrative agencies, and appeals arising under certain statutes. Among other things, the Federal Circuit has exclusive jurisdiction over appeals from: Article I tribunals: United States Court of Federal Claims United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims United States Trademark Trial and Appeal Board United States Patent Trial and Appeal Board (formerly known as the United States Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences) Boards of contract appeals (for Government contract disputes pursuant to the Contract Disputes Act of 1978): Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals Civilian Board of Contract Appeals Postal Service Board of Contract Appeals United States Merit Systems Protection Board (federal employment and employment benefits) United States International Trade Commission