The following are former United States district courts, which ceased to exist because they were subdivided into smaller units. With the exception of California, each of these courts initially covered an entire U.S. state, and was subdivided as the jurisdictions which they covered increased in population. Two of the district courts—those of South Carolina and New Jersey—were subdivided but later recreated. Every change to the divisions and boundaries of these courts is effected by an act of the United States Congress, and for each such action, the statutory reference is identified.
The United States District Court for the District of Alabama was created on April 21, 1820, by 3 Stat. 564. It was subdivided into Northern and Southern Districts on March 10, 1824, by 4 Stat. 9. The Middle District was subsequently formed from parts of these two districts on February 6, 1839, by 5 Stat. 315, with legislation specifying that the Middle District Court was to be held at Tuscaloosa, the Northern District Court at Huntsville, and the Southern District Court at Mobile. The Districts were reorganized on August 7, 1848. Only one judge was ever appointed to the District of Alabama.
Arkansas, originally part of the Louisiana Purchase, became part of the Missouri Territory in 1812, when Louisiana became a state. When Missouri became a state in 1819, a territorial government, including a territorial court, was organized for Arkansas, taking effect on July 4, 1819. The United States District Court for the District of Arkansas was established with a single judge when Arkansas became a state, on June 15, 1836, by 5 Stat. 50, 51. The court was subdivided into Eastern and the Western Districts on March 3, 1851, by 9 Stat. 594.