Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Reorganization Act of 1980
Public Law 96-452 · H.R. 7665 · 96th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Oct 14, 1980 · Law
Sponsor: Rep. Peter Rodino (D-NJ-10)
Cosponsors (8): Rep. Jack Brooks, Rep. Robert Kastenmeier,
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Reorganization Act of 1980 - Divides the current United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit into the following two circuits: (1) the Fifth Circuit, composed of the States of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, and the Canal Zone, consisting of 14 judges; and (2) the Eleventh Circuit, composed of the States of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and consisting of 12 judges. (The current Fifth Circuit consists of all six States and has 26 judges.) Makes this Act effective October 1, 1981.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 12 actions.
- Oct 14, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-452.
- Oct 10, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Oct 9, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- Oct 8, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Oct 1, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
- FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in House.
- Sep 25, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Judiciary Committee
- Jun 25, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.