United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit is a federal appellate court established in 1982 with exclusive nationwide jurisdiction over patent appeals, international trade, federal claims, and veterans benefits. It serves attorneys, litigants, and the public via electronic case filing, PACER, and live oral argument streaming.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1982
- HeadquartersWashington, DC, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit does
The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit is a U.S. federal appellate court established by Congress in 1982 with nationwide jurisdiction over specialized subject matters. It is the sole appellate venue for patent law appeals from federal district courts, appeals from the U.S. Court of International Trade, appeals from the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, and certain veterans benefits and government contract matters. The court is headquartered in the Howard T. Markey National Courts Building at 717 Madison Place NW, Washington, D.C., sharing the facility with the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. It operates with a staff in the 11-50 range, funded by congressional appropriations and overseen by the Judicial Conference of the United States.
The court's technology infrastructure centers on the Case Management/Electronic Case Files (CM/ECF) system for attorney filings, integration with the federal PACER system for public case lookup, and a dedicated YouTube channel (UC78NfBf28AQe3x7-SbbMC2A) that live-streams oral argument audio and archives recordings. Additional products and services include a searchable Opinions & Orders database, court forms, a voluntary Mediation Program, RSS feeds for announcements, self-service electronic filing for unrepresented parties, and the Innovation Center for Law, which runs civic education and outreach programs. The court's digital presence was substantially expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic with telephonic arguments and live audio streaming, and these capabilities have been retained alongside the resumption of in-person arguments.
The Federal Circuit does not operate as a commercial enterprise and has no revenue model in the traditional sense. Court services are provided as part of the federal judiciary with filing fees set by federal statute, and there are no commercial products or pricing tiers. Information dissemination occurs through the official website, RSS subscriptions, press inquiries handled by a Public Information Office, and civic outreach initiatives rather than conventional marketing channels. The court serves attorneys and law firms, litigants (individuals and organizations including corporations and government agencies), and the general public, with attorneys and litigants representing the primary user segments.
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- Legal name
- United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- Website
- https://cafc.uscourts.gov
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1982
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit is a federal appellate court established in 1982 with exclusive nationwide jurisdiction over patent appeals, international trade, federal claims, and veterans benefits. It serves attorneys, litigants, and the public via electronic case filing, PACER, and live oral argument streaming.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Federal Appellate Court Services
- NAICS
- Courts (92211), Courts (922110)
- SIC
- Services-Legal Services (8111)
- akta.pro industry
- Court Services & Operations (Clerks, Records, Jury, Interpreters)Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Justice System (Courts, Prosecution & Corrections)Judicial Courts & Court AdministrationBusiness & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Justice System (Courts, Prosecution & Corrections)Dispute Resolution, Appeals & Tax TribunalsBusiness & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Tax, Revenue & Customs Administration
Keywords
Where United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington, DC
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit is a nationwide federal appellate court that provides judicial review of specialized cases including patent appeals, international trade disputes, federal claims, veterans benefits, government contracts, and certain trademark matters. It supports this core function with electronic case filing through CM/ECF, public case lookup via PACER, searchable opinions and orders, live and archived oral argument audio, and structured mediation services.
Product overview
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit operates as a single national appellate court with a unified digital infrastructure offering case management, filing, and public access services. The core product portfolio consists of CM/ECF electronic case filing for attorneys, PACER case lookup for public access, searchable Opinions & Orders database, and live/archived Oral Arguments audio streaming. Supporting services include Court Forms repository, Mediation Program, Electronic Filing for Unrepresented Parties, RSS Feeds for announcements, and the Innovation Center for civic education.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Electronic Case Filing (CM/ECF) Electronic filing system used by attorneys to submit case documents, motions, briefs, and other filings to the Federal Circuit.
- PACER Case Lookup
- Opinions & Orders
- Oral Arguments Audio Live and recorded audio of Federal Circuit oral arguments, streamed via the court's YouTube channel and archived on the court website.
- Court Forms
- Mediation Program
- Electronic Filing for Unrepresented Parties Self-service electronic filing pathway that allows unrepresented individuals to file documents in Federal Circuit cases without an attorney.
- RSS Feeds
- Innovation Center
Companies that use United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature3 records
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- U.S. Court of Federal ClaimscoreThe U.S. Court of Federal Claims shares the Howard T. Markey National Courts Building with the Federal Circuit in Washington, D.C. Both courts operate under joint administrative orders for building access and security, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic period.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit: Largest regional federal circuit by caseload, hearing appeals including IP matters; comparable in operating model (electronic filing, oral argument streaming, appellate review) though without the Federal Circuit's nationwide specialized jurisdiction.
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit: A regional federal appellate court handling a broad docket including patent cases on a circuit-by-circuit basis before Federal Circuit review; comparable as a federal appellate institution with parallel CM/ECF operations and procedural infrastructure.
Direct peers
- U.S. Court of International Trade: Specialized federal court whose decisions are appealed to the Federal Circuit; comparable as a specialized federal tribunal sharing the same appellate review path and operating within the same national jurisdiction.
- U.S. Supreme Court: The highest federal appellate body, also under the U.S. federal judiciary and housed in Washington, D.C.; comparable in function as an appellate venue setting binding national precedent in federal matters, including patent cases that often originate in the Federal Circuit.
- U.S. Tax Court: Specialized federal court with nationwide jurisdiction over tax matters; analogous as a congressionally created Article I court with a single national venue and electronic case management infrastructure.
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims: Specialized federal trial court whose decisions are appealed to the Federal Circuit; co-located in the National Courts Building and operates under the same CM/ECF and PACER infrastructure, making it a tightly aligned peer for jurisdiction and operations.
Regional players
- Delaware Court of Chancery: State-level specialized court with concentrated corporate and commercial jurisdiction; comparable as a niche, high-prestige adjudicative venue with outsized influence relative to its size, though state rather than federal.
Emerging players
- Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB): Administrative tribunal within the USPTO that decides patentability issues and is frequently appealed to the Federal Circuit; directly comparable because its decisions are a major input to the Federal Circuit's docket and subject matter focus.
Others
- Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts: Central administrative agency that supports all federal courts including the Federal Circuit, operating the PACER system and CM/ECF infrastructure; relevant as the enabling/administrative counterpart to the court's operations.
- Judicial Conference of the United States: National policy-making body for the federal courts that oversees funding, rules, and administration affecting the Federal Circuit; relevant as the governing and funding authority for the court.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit social profiles
Digital presenceUnited States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
What does United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit do?
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit is a nationwide federal appellate court that provides judicial review of specialized cases including patent appeals, international trade disputes, federal claims, veterans benefits, government contracts, and certain trademark matters. It supports this core function with electronic case filing through CM/ECF, public case lookup via PACER, searchable opinions and orders, live and archived oral argument audio, and structured mediation services.
Is United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit a public or private company?
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit founded?
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit was founded in 1982. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit based?
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit is headquartered in Washington, DC, United States, in the North America region.
Who are United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Direct peers are U.S. Court of International Trade, U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Tax Court and U.S. Court of Federal Claims. Delaware Court of Chancery is listed as a regional player. Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) is listed as an emerging player. Others are Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts and Judicial Conference of the United States.
Does United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit have an API?
No public API is recorded for United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
What industry is United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in?
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit's product category is Federal Appellate Court Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIAFAH, Court Services & Operations (Clerks, Records, Jury, Interpreters), with a secondary code of BPAIAFAA, Judicial Courts & Court Administration. Its NAICS code is 92211 and its SIC code is 8111.