United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
Encyclopedia
The United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia (in case citation
s, N.D. Ga.) is a United States District Court
which serves the residents of forty-six counties. These are divided up into four divisions.
Appeals from cases brought in the Northern District of Georgia are to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
(except for patent
claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act
, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit
).
, 1 Stat. 73, on September 24, 1789. The District was subdivided into Northern and Southern
Districts on August 11, 1848, by 9 Stat. 280. The Middle
District was formed from portions of those two Districts on May 28, 1926, by 44 Stat. 670.
division includes: Cherokee
, Clayton
, Cobb
, DeKalb
, Douglas
, Fulton
, Gwinnett
, Henry
, Newton
, and Rockdale
counties.
The Gainesville
division serves: Banks
, Barrow
, Dawson
, Fannin
, Forsyth
, Gilmer
, Habersham
, Hall
, Jackson
, Lumpkin
, Pickens
, Rabun
, Stephens
, Towns
, Union
, and White
counties.
The Newnan
division hears cases for: Carroll
, Coweta
, Fayette
, Haralson
, Heard
, Meriwether
, Pike
, Spalding
, and Troup
counties.
The Rome
division serves: Bartow
, Catoosa
, Chattooga
, Dade
, Floyd
, Gordon
, Murray
, Paulding
, Polk
, Walker
, and Whitfield
counties.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia represents the United States in civil and criminal litigation in the court. The current Acting United States Attorney is Sally Quillian Yates.
Case citation
Case citation is the system used in many countries to identify the decisions in past court cases, either in special series of books called reporters or law reports, or in a 'neutral' form which will identify a decision wherever it was reported...
s, N.D. Ga.) is a United States District Court
United States district court
The United States district courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal court system. Both civil and criminal cases are filed in the district court, which is a court of law, equity, and admiralty. There is a United States bankruptcy court associated with each United States...
which serves the residents of forty-six counties. These are divided up into four divisions.
Appeals from cases brought in the Northern District of Georgia are to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* Middle District of Alabama...
(except for patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act
Tucker Act
Through the Tucker Act , the United States government has waived its sovereign immunity with respect to certain lawsuits....
, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
-Vacancies and pending nominations:-List of former judges:-Chief judges:Notwithstanding the foregoing, when the court was initially created, Congress had to resolve which chief judge of the predecessor courts would become the first chief judge...
).
History
The United States District Court for the District of Georgia was one of the original 13 courts established by the Judiciary Act of 1789Judiciary Act of 1789
The United States Judiciary Act of 1789 was a landmark statute adopted on September 24, 1789 in the first session of the First United States Congress establishing the U.S. federal judiciary...
, 1 Stat. 73, on September 24, 1789. The District was subdivided into Northern and Southern
United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia is a United States District Court which serves the residents of thirty-four counties in Georgia through six divisions....
Districts on August 11, 1848, by 9 Stat. 280. The Middle
United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia
The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia is a United States District Court which serves the residents of sixty-nine counties from seven divisions from its headquarters in Macon, Georgia....
District was formed from portions of those two Districts on May 28, 1926, by 44 Stat. 670.
Jurisdiction
The AtlantaAtlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
division includes: Cherokee
Cherokee County, Georgia
As of the census of 2000, there were 141,903 people, 49,495 households, and 39,200 families residing in the county. The population density was 335 people per square mile . There were 51,937 housing units at an average density of 123 per square mile...
, Clayton
Clayton County, Georgia
Clayton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 236,517. The 2008 Census estimate placed the population at 273,718. The county seat is Jonesboro...
, Cobb
Cobb County, Georgia
Cobb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. Its county seat and largest city is Marietta, which is located in the center of the county. The county was named for Thomas Willis Cobb, who in the early 19th century was a United States representative and senator from Georgia...
, DeKalb
DeKalb County, Georgia
DeKalb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population of the county was 691,893 at the 2010 census. Its county seat is the city of Decatur. It is bordered to the west by Fulton County and contains roughly 10% of the city of Atlanta...
, Douglas
Douglas County, Georgia
Douglas County, Georgia has been experiencing numerous natural disasters over the most recent decades. Being located in the South Eastern United States the county experiences strong storms and tornadoes often because of its location in Dixie Alley....
, Fulton
Fulton County, Georgia
Fulton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. Its county seat is Atlanta, the state capital since 1868 and the principal county of the Atlanta metropolitan area...
, Gwinnett
Gwinnett County, Georgia
, Gwinnett County had a population of 805,321. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 53.3% white , 23.6% black , 2.7% Korean, 2.6% Asian Indian, 2.0% Vietnamese, 3.3% other Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 8.8% some other race and 3.1% from two or more races...
, Henry
Henry County, Georgia
Henry County is a growing suburban county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 119,341. As of 2010, the county's population swelled to 203,922, up 70.9% from the previous census and becoming Georgia's 8th most populous county and the 10th fastest growing...
, Newton
Newton County, Georgia
Newton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 62,001. The 2010 Census showed a population of 99,958. The county seat is Covington....
, and Rockdale
Rockdale County, Georgia
Rockdale County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 70,111. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 82,052. Two years later, the population was 84,569. The county seat is Conyers.-Geography:...
counties.
The Gainesville
Gainesville, Georgia
-Severe Weather:Gainesville sits on the very fringe of Tornado Alley, a region of the United States where severe weather is common. Supercell thunderstorms can sweep through any time between March and November, but are concentrated most in the spring...
division serves: Banks
Banks County, Georgia
Banks County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2010, the population is 18,395. The county seat is Homer.-History:*The Georgia General Assembly passed legislation to create Banks County on February 1, 1859, from Franklin and Habersham Counties.*The county is named for Richard...
, Barrow
Barrow County, Georgia
Barrow County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 46,144. The 2007 Census Estimate placed the population at 67,139...
, Dawson
Dawson County, Georgia
Dawson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 3, 1857 from Gilmer and Lumpkin counties. As of 2000, the population is 15,999. The 2007 Census Estimate showed a population of 21,484...
, Fannin
Fannin County, Georgia
Fannin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on January 21, 1854. As of 2000, the population was 19,798. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 22,580...
, Forsyth
Forsyth County, Georgia
Forsyth County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. The county seat is Cumming, Georgia. Forsyth County is a part of the Atlanta metropolitan area...
, Gilmer
Gilmer County, Georgia
Gilmer County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 3, 1832 and was named for George Rockingham Gilmer. As of 2000, the population was 23,456. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 28,389...
, Habersham
Habersham County, Georgia
Habersham County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 15, 1818, and named for Colonel Joseph Habersham. As of 2000, the population was 35,902. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 42,272. Clarkesville is the county seat.Chartered in 1823, the...
, Hall
Hall County, Georgia
Hall County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. In 2000, the population was 139,277. It is included in the Gainesville, Georgia, Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Jackson
Jackson County, Georgia
Jackson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population in 2000 was 41,589. Explosive growth is evident with a population of 63,544 in the 2009 Census estimates. The county seat is Jefferson.-History:...
, Lumpkin
Lumpkin County, Georgia
Lumpkin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 29,966. Its county seat is Dahlonega.- History :...
, Pickens
Pickens County, Georgia
Pickens County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. The 2000 Census showed a population of 22,983. The 2007 Census Estimate showed a population of 30,488...
, Rabun
Rabun County, Georgia
Rabun County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 15,050. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 16,519...
, Stephens
Stephens County, Georgia
Stephens County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 Census, the population was 26,175. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 25,268. The county seat is Toccoa.-History:...
, Towns
Towns County, Georgia
Towns County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on March 6, 1856. As of the 2000 census, the population was 9,319. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 10,894. Its county seat is Hiawassee.-History:...
, Union
Union County, Georgia
Union County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 17,289. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 20,968. The county seat is Blairsville.Its Sole commissioner is Lamar Paris, who has served since 2001....
, and White
White County, Georgia
White County is a county located in the northeast corner of the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 22, 1857, from part of Habersham County. The county was named for Newton County Representative David T. White, who helped a Habersham representative successfully attain passage of an...
counties.
The Newnan
Newnan, Georgia
Newnan is a city in Coweta County, Georgia, about 30 miles southwest of Atlanta. The population was 16,242 at the 2000 Census. Newnan is one of the fastest growing cities in Georgia, with an estimated population of 27,097 in 2006 and 33,293 in July 2008...
division hears cases for: Carroll
Carroll County, Georgia
Carroll County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 87,268. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 111,954...
, Coweta
Coweta County, Georgia
Coweta County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 89,215. The 2009 Census Estimate placed the population at 131,936...
, Fayette
Fayette County, Georgia
Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 91,263. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 106,144. The county seat is Fayetteville....
, Haralson
Haralson County, Georgia
Haralson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on January 26, 1856 and was named for Hugh A. Haralson. As of 2000, the population was 25,690. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 28,718...
, Heard
Heard County, Georgia
Heard County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 22, 1830. As of 2000, the population was 11,012. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 11,387...
, Meriwether
Meriwether County, Georgia
Meriwether County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 14, 1827. As of 2000, the population was 22,534. The 2009 Census Estimate reflects a population of 22,783...
, Pike
Pike County, Georgia
Pike County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 9, 1822. As of 2000, the population was 13,688. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 17,204...
, Spalding
Spalding County, Georgia
Spalding County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created December 20, 1851. As of 2000, the population was 58,417. The 2007 Census Estimate showed a population of 62,826...
, and Troup
Troup County, Georgia
Troup County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2010, the population was 67,044. The county seat is LaGrange.-History:...
counties.
The Rome
Rome, Georgia
Located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Rome is the largest city and the county seat of Floyd County, Georgia, United States. It is the principal city of the Rome, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Floyd County...
division serves: Bartow
Bartow County, Georgia
Bartow County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 100,157. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's July 1, 2009 estimate, the county's explosive growth resulted in a population of 96,217, a 26.5% increase in less than ten years...
, Catoosa
Catoosa County, Georgia
Catoosa County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 5, 1853. As of 2000, the population was 53,282. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 62,241...
, Chattooga
Chattooga County, Georgia
Chattooga County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 28, 1838. As of 2000, the population was 25,470. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 26,797. The county seat is Summerville.-Geography:...
, Dade
Dade County, Georgia
Dade County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population is 15,154. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 16,098...
, Floyd
Floyd County, Georgia
Floyd County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 90,565. Census estimates for 2007 show a population of 95,618...
, Gordon
Gordon County, Georgia
Gordon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 44,104. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 52,044. The county seat is Calhoun.- History :...
, Murray
Murray County, Georgia
Murray County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 36,506. The 2007 Census Estimate showed a population of 40,664. The county seat is Chatsworth.It is part of the Dalton, Georgia, Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, Paulding
Paulding County, Georgia
Paulding County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 142,324. The county seat is Dallas....
, Polk
Polk County, Georgia
Polk County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 38,127. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 41,460. The county seat is Cedartown.- History :...
, Walker
Walker County, Georgia
Walker County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 18, 1833 from land formerly belonging to the Cherokee Indian Nation. As of 2000, the population was 61,053. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 64,554...
, and Whitfield
Whitfield County, Georgia
Whitfield County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 30, 1851. The 2010 Census shows a population of 102,599. The county seat is Dalton.It is part of the Dalton, Georgia, Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Civil War:...
counties.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia represents the United States in civil and criminal litigation in the court. The current Acting United States Attorney is Sally Quillian Yates.
Current judges
- As of February 9, 2009, a vacancy exists in the District due to the decision of Judge Clarence Cooper to assume senior statusSenior statusSenior status is a form of semi-retirement for United States federal judges, and judges in some state court systems. After federal judges have reached a certain combination of age and years of service on the federal courts, they are allowed to assume senior status...
. On January 26, 2011, President Barack ObamaBarack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
nominated Natasha Perdew SilasNatasha Perdew SilasNatasha Perdew Silas is a staff attorney at the Federal Defender Program for the Northern District of Georgia where she is based in Atlanta. She is also the nominee to a seat on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia....
to fill the vacancy. The U.S. Senate has not yet acted on the nomination.
- On June 19, 2009, President Barack ObamaBarack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
nominated Judge Beverly B. MartinBeverly B. MartinBeverly Baldwin Martin is a United States federal judge. She was appointed to the federal bench by President Bill Clinton. On June 19, 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Martin to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit...
to a seat on the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Her confirmation by the United States Senate on January 20, 2010 created a second vacancy in the District. On January 26, 2011, President Barack ObamaBarack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
nominated Linda T. WalkerLinda T. WalkerLinda Thompson Walker is a federal magistrate judge for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia and currently a nominee for a seat on that court.- Early life:...
to fill the vacancy. The U.S. Senate has not yet acted on the nomination.
Former judges
See also
- Courts of Georgia (U.S. state)
- Garcia-Mir v. MeeseGarcia-Mir v. MeeseGarcia-Mir v. Meese, 788 F.2d 1446 , was a decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, which ruled that the United States could detain indefinitely Cuban refugees who had arrived during the Mariel boatlift....
- List of United States federal courthouses in Georgia