Sometimes litigants will seek an immediate stay of a lower court ruling before a particular Supreme Court justice. The circuits are divided among the nine justices for them to consider these emergency applications. As of February 1, 2006, the circuit assignments for the current Court are:
| Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. |
District of Columbia, Federal and Fourth Circuits |
| Justice John Paul Stevens |
Sixth and Seventh Circuits |
| Justice Antonin Scalia |
Fifth Circuit |
| Justice Anthony Kennedy |
Ninth Circuit |
| Justice David Souter |
First and Third Circuits |
| Justice Clarence Thomas |
Eleventh Circuit |
| Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg |
Second Circuit |
| Justice Stephen Breyer |
Tenth Circuit |
| Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. |
Eighth Circuit |
