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The United States Court of Appeals for the sixth circuit is a federal court that has jurisdiction over numerous district courts located in the Midwestern United States. The districts that currently report to the 6th US Circuit Court of Appeals include the Eastern District of Kentucky, the Western District of Kentucky, the Eastern District of Michigan, the Western District of Michigan, the Northern District of Ohio, the Southern District of Ohio, the Western District of Tennessee, the Middle District of Tennessee, and the Eastern District of Tennessee. Because of the large swath of territory covered by this court of appeals, it is one of the largest courts in the country.
Right now, the 6th US Circuit Court of Appeals is based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The cases are typically heard by the appeals judges at the Potter Stewart U.S. Courthouse, located in Cincinnati. There are a total of 16 judges that sit on this appeals court, and the chief judge is currently Jeffrey Sutton. Cases that are appealed from this court to the Supreme Court are generally reviewed by Brett Kavanaugh.
There are several famous judges who have served in the 6th circuit, but without a doubt, the most famous judge is William Howard Taft. He is the only person to have served as the Chief Justice of the United States and as president of the United States. He was the 27th president of the United States, serving from 1909 to 1913. He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1857, and he died in Washington DC in 1930. Generally, Supreme Court Justices are appointed to the bench for life, so it is highly unusual for them to declare a run for the presidency. Prior to his nomination to the Supreme Court, he served as a Circuit Judge in the 6th circuit, serving in his home state. William Taft also suggested a reorganization of the Circuit Court structure because the country was rapidly growing during his lifetime.
There are several judges who have been selected from this circuit to serve on the Supreme Court. The first judge to be selected was Howell Edmunds Jackson, who was originally appointed to the Circuit by Grover Cleveland. He was nominated to the Supreme Court in 1893. The next judge to be nominated to the Supreme Court from the 6th circuit was William Howard Taft, who served in the circuit from 1892 to 1900. He was appointed to his position by Benjamin Harrison. Grover Cleveland also elevated Horace Harmon Lurton to the Supreme Court in 1909. Judge Lurton served in the sixth circuit from 1893 to 1909. Finally, Potter Stewart, who was appointed to the Circuit by Eisenhower, was also eventually elevated to the Supreme Court of the United States in 1958.