circuit split

A circuit split occurs when two or more U.S. Courts of Appeals reach different decisions on the same legal issue. This results in federal law being applied inconsistently across different regions of the country, meaning similarly situated litigants may receive different outcomes depending on the jurisdiction. The existence of a circuit split is one of the primary factors that the U.S. Supreme Court takes into consideration when deciding whether to grant certiorari.

[Last reviewed in July of 2025 by the Wex Definitions Team] 

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