Also known as: U.S. Claims Court · United States Claims Court · Court of Federal Claims
Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
A specialized federal court of record established under Article I of the Constitution with exclusive jurisdiction to hear monetary claims against the United States. The court applies the Federal Rules of Evidence in its civil proceedings.
Atlas Hedge Fund filed a civil action in the United States Court of Federal Claims against the Office of the Comptroller of Finance seeking damages for wrongful denial of a federal banking license. At a pretrial conference the regulator argued that relaxed administrative standards should continue to control admissibility. The court applied the Federal Rules of Evidence to determine whether prior hearing transcripts could be admitted.
Cobalt Energy sued the United States in the Court of Federal Claims for breach of a procurement contract. The trial judge issued an interlocutory order containing a controlling-question certification. The Federal Circuit exercised discretion to hear the appeal from that order.
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Cedar Creek Farms brought an action in the Court of Federal Claims alleging that temporary flooding caused by federal flood-control operations effected a taking of its property. The court exercised jurisdiction to decide whether the government action constituted a compensable taking.
The Marvin M. Brandt Revocable Trust sued the United States in the Court of Federal Claims asserting ownership of land subject to an abandoned railroad right-of-way. The court resolved the competing claims to title under the governing federal land-grant statutes.
Horne, a raisin grower, filed suit in the Court of Federal Claims contending that a federal marketing order requiring surrender of a portion of the crop effected a physical taking. The court addressed whether the mandated transfer of specific property constituted a per se taking.
Eastern Enterprises sued the United States in the Court of Federal Claims asserting that the Coal Act's retroactive premium obligations violated the Takings Clause. The court examined whether the statutory scheme effected an unconstitutional taking of the company's property.
Yes. Federal Rule of Evidence 1101(a) expressly lists the United States Court of Federal Claims among the courts in which the rules govern proceedings. The rules therefore control admissibility determinations in civil actions filed in that court.
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Congress established the court as an Article I tribunal under 28 U.S.C. § 171(a). It possesses jurisdiction to render judgment on monetary claims against the United States, including contract and takings claims.
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Yes. Under 28 U.S.C. § 1292(d)(2) the Federal Circuit may permit an appeal from an interlocutory order of the Court of Federal Claims when the order contains the required certification of a controlling question of law.
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…complaint: Whether petitioner's takings claim was properly filed in Federal District Court rather than the United States Court of Federal Claims. See App. (CA1) 40. Although the Commissioner no longer challenges the Court's adjudication of this action, see Brief for Federal Respondent 38-39, n. 30, it is appropriate that we clarify…