Courts

Article III and the Supreme Court

• The Constitution established “one Supreme Court” but left it to Congress to decide the structure of the federal judiciary

The US Federal Judiciary

• Establishing the federal judiciary was a priority of the first Congress

  • Judiciary Act of 1789

  • Established a three-tier structure for the federal court system

  • Evarts Act of 1891 / Judiciary Act of 1891 - created US court of Appeals

• Primary goal - deliver equal justice under the law