Within the past month, Judge Peter J. Phipps joined the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit from the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. Phipps is the fourth appointee of President Donald Trump, joining (in order of appointment) Judges Stephanos Bibas, David J. Porter and Paul B. Matey on that court. The court now has its full complement of 14 active judges, eight of whom were appointed by Republican presidents, and the remaining six of whom were appointed by Democratic presidents.

The Third Circuit also has another eight senior judges who continue to hear and decide cases, and six of those eight were appointed by Republican presidents, while the remaining two were appointed by Democratic presidents. In addition, the Third Circuit is likely to continue to use district judges from within and outside the circuit as visiting judges sitting by designation, along with active and senior federal appellate judges from other circuits who wish to sit by designation with the Third Circuit.