Federal RuleAug 21
62
DOL Rewrites Disability Rules for 'Merit-Based Opportunity' Push
RuleLabor DepartmentFederal Contract Compliance Programs OfficeSignificant Wallet
119-hr-9290119th Congress
Supreme Court Justice Circuit Riding Act
Sponsored By: Representative Morelle, Joseph D. [D-NY-25]
Introduced
Summary
Would restore circuit riding by assigning Supreme Court justices to sit on federal appeals panels. The bill would set clear rules for how often justices must serve on Courts of Appeals, how those visits are scheduled, how travel is paid, and when a justice must step aside from a case they handled as a circuit justice.
Show full summary
- Supreme Court justices: Would have to sit on at least one Court of Appeals panel and take part in oral argument for at least 10 days per year. They could not use video or teleconference to meet that requirement and would be ineligible to vote on en banc rehearings.
- Circuit courts and judges: Chief judges would schedule the visits and ensure compliance, and no single justice would sit with the same judge for more than 10 days of oral argument during any two-year period. Only one justice may sit on a panel to fulfill the statutory service requirement.
- Public and litigants: Would add a new disqualification rule barring a justice from considering a matter after participating in it as a circuit justice, and would require the Chief Justice, after public notice and comment, to issue implementing regulations within 180 days.
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
Travel pay for justices and staff
If enacted, the bill would require reimbursement for reasonable travel, lodging, and related expenses for Supreme Court justices and any staff accompanying them while performing circuit justice duties. Payments would follow federal travel rules in 5 U.S.C. § 5702 and be paid by judicial administrative offices or other responsible officials.
Justices assigned to circuit courts
If enacted, the bill would require the Chief Justice and associate justices to be allotted as circuit justices among the federal circuits. Allotments could cover recesses from July 1 through October 1 or other court vacations. An allotted justice would have to sit on at least one Court of Appeals panel and participate in panels for at least 10 days of oral argument each year, in person (no video). The bill would limit sitting with the same judge over a two-year period, bar a justice from participating in en banc rehearings, allow panel rehearing votes only if the justice was on the original panel, and require the Chief Justice to issue implementing regulations within 180 days.
New recusal rule after circuit work
If enacted, the bill would add a new disqualification rule to 28 U.S.C. § 455(b): a justice would be disqualified from consideration of any matter after the justice had participated in that matter as a circuit justice. The change would take effect upon enactment and apply when a justice served as a circuit justice in the matter.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Morelle, Joseph D. [D-NY-25]
NY • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5]
GA • D
Sponsored 6/11/2026
Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/11/2026
Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3]
IL • D
Sponsored 6/11/2026
Rep. Johnson, Julie [D-TX-32]
TX • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov