A bipartisan team of senators is proposing legislation that they say will broaden the pool of qualified judges available to serve on two powerful federal courts with nationwide jurisdiction.Sens.Chris Coons, D-Delaware, and Ashley Moody, R-Florida, introduced a bill on Tuesday that would remove the requirement that judges sitting on the Court of Federal Claims and the Federal Circuit live within 50 miles of Washington, D.C.Both courts have nationwide jurisdiction, though their specialized dockets differ.
The Court of Federal Claims primarily handles claims against the federal government, while the Federal Circuit hears appeals involving patents, trademarks, government contracts and other areas.A decision from either court, for example, could affect Coons’ constituents in Delaware or Moody’s in Florida.The claims court hears arguments from entities seeking money or other relief from the federal government whereas the circuit court, which is a feeder for Supreme Court justices, reviews decisions from lower courts and agencies in relation to the federal government.MIKE DAVIS: FEDERAL COURT SETS DANGEROUS PRECEDENT AGAINST 99-YEAR-OLD JUDGESen.
Ashley Moody, R-Fla., leaves the Senate floor after a vote in the U.S.Capitol on Tuesday, October 21, 2025 (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)"Americans deserve the best, most qualified judges, especially in areas like intellectual property law where expertise is key to understanding complex cases and fairly deciding the future of many entrepreneurs’ businesses," Coons said of the legislation.
"For too long, we have limited the pool of judges available to take on the toughest IP and federal contract cases to those willing to uproot their lives and move to Washington, D.C.No longer.
This bipartisan bill ensures that courts of national jurisdiction can draw from a pool of national talent."Legal scholars who spoke with Fox News Digital saw merit in the senators' proposal."It's often difficult to recruit top-lev...