# 119-hr-634: Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judgeship and Reorganization Act of 2025

119-hr-634, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judgeship and Reorganization Act of 2025, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Simpson, Michael K. [R-ID-2] (R-ID); status introduced (as of 2026-04-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-634
- As of: 2026-04-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-634
- Congress: 119
- Title: Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judgeship and Reorganization Act of 2025
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-01-22
- Sponsor: Rep. Simpson, Michael K. [R-ID-2] (R-ID)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Policy area: Law
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-04-21

## Summary

**This bill would split the oversized Ninth Circuit and create a new Twelfth Circuit, reshaping where federal appeals from western states are heard.** It would add new judges, set rules for moving sitting and senior judges between circuits, and create new court locations for the split.

## Cosponsors (1)

- Rep. Fulcher, Russ [R-ID-1] (R-ID), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Share judges and court administration: benefit, high. If enacted, the Ninth and Twelfth could temporarily assign judges to each other when it serves the public interest. Circuit and district judges could be cross‑designated, following the receiving court’s rules. Any two neighboring circuits could also choose to share administrative tasks if their cou…
- Funding to carry out split: mixed, high. The bill would authorize Congress to approve whatever money is needed to make the split work, including new court space. It would not set dollar amounts. Actual spending would need later appropriations bills.
- More judges now, later limits: mixed, high. The bill would let the President, with Senate approval, appoint two extra permanent and two extra temporary judges for the former Ninth. These judges would have duty stations in Arizona, California, or Nevada. It would also allow three judges for the new Ninth, but they could not be appointed befor…
- Ninth Circuit split; new Twelfth Court: mixed, high. The bill would split western appeals into two circuits. The new Ninth would cover California, Guam, Hawaii, and the Northern Mariana Islands. A new Twelfth would cover Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. It would set 25 judges for the Ninth and 9 for the Twelfth. Court…
- When the changes would start: mixed, high. Most changes would start on the first day of the next fiscal year after five new judges are confirmed and nine months pass. One part, allowing new judge appointments in section 4(c), would start on the date of enactment. Appeals already submitted before the effective date would finish under the old…
- Where current Ninth judges go: mixed, high. If enacted, active judges would be reassigned by duty station. Judges based in California, Guam, Hawaii, or the Northern Mariana Islands would join the new Ninth. Judges based in Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, or Washington would join the Twelfth. Senior judges could choose either…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-4754: Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026
- 119-hr-9171: Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2027
- 119-hr-9298: Stopping Harmful and Outrageous Torts Act
- 119-hr-8596: FAIR Labels Act of 2026
- 119-hr-21: Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act
- 119-hr-1383: Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-hr-634 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/634)

## Related
- [119-hr-4754: Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Ac…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4754)
- [119-hr-9171: Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Ac…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9171)
- [119-hr-9298: Stopping Harmful and Outrageous Torts Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9298)
- [119-hr-8596: FAIR Labels Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-8596)
- [119-hr-21: Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-21)
- [119-hr-1383: Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1383)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-634 (as of 2026-04-21).