Comment by crossroadsguy
2 hours ago
(Not American)
What does 9th circuit or some circuit court mean?
It some name of a specific court, just not the place name?
Or is it special kind of court and “9” is some sort of level? Importance or hierarchy related? Escalation level? (Assuming your SC eventually is also at the top like in India)
From my hazy recollection from law school, the US appeals courts are called "circuits" because back in the day, they weren't actual buildings but rather judges that would go around town-to-town within their jurisdiction in a horse-drawn carriage 'in a circuit' (that corresponded to a certain geographic area). The name just stuck even after they were permanently enshrined into physical structures (each corresponding to a given region).
9th is a region (includes California) circuit is a level (appeals court right below Supreme)