Federal Reserve and Court of Appeals borders

Factual Questions
1

Are the borders of the various districts of the Federal Reserve Banks, and the Circuits of the Court of Appeal carved in stone, or can Congress modify them?

2

I can’t speak for the Federal Reserve banks, but the Court of Appeal circuit boundaries are defined by Congress.

3

Since both would have been created through Acts of Congress, it makes sense that Congress could modify their borders.

4

The Eleventh Circuit was originally part of the Fifth Circuit, but was split off in 1981. Fifth Circuit cases from before the split remain binding precedent in the Eleventh.

5

Who could have carved these boundaries in stone in the first place? How could Congress not have control? The only authority above Congress is the Constitution and very few things are fixed in the Constitution.

6

The US Courts of Appeals circuits are determined by Congress. The boundaries of the Federal Reserve districts are actually delegated to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, except that Congress requires that there be between eight and twelve districts. For the relevant law-talking, see the following:

28 USC § 41, which defines the circuit boundaries:

12 USC § 222, which lays out the requirements for the Fed districts.