Under the Constitution, the only federal court that the Framers specifically created was the US Supreme Court. Envisioning that the needs of the people would change over time, the Framers left it to Congress to set up additional federal courts. The Judiciary Act of 1789 was passed in the first session of Congress. The Judiciary Act established six Justices for the Supreme Court, with one Justice presiding as the Chief Justice (Judiciary Act of 1789). The Judiciary Act also established 13 judicial districts within the then 11 existing states (Judiciary Act of 1789). Furthermore, circuit and district courts were created in each district. The jurisdiction of the federal courts was limited to cases involving diversity of citizenship or cases that raised a federal question.
As the population of the United States has dramatically expanded since 1789 when the Judiciary Act was passed, changes have augmented the court structure and system to accommodate the needs of the growing citizenry. There are now 94 judicial districts grouped into 12 regional circuits (Court role and structure). The composition of the US Supreme Court has also changed since 1789. There are now nine Supreme Court Justices who sit on the Court. Congress has also created special federal courts that hear cases confined to a particular subject matter. Through Congressional action, Congress created the US Tax Court, Bankruptcy Courts, the US Court of Federal Claims, the US Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, and the US Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (Court role and structure). Thus, as society’s needs continue to change, Congress has responded through legislation to meet the judicial needs of a growing and developing population.
Works Cited
Court role and structure. United States Courts. Retrieved from
http://www.uscourts.gov/about-federal-courts/court-role-and-structure
Judiciary Act of 1789, 1 Stat. 73 (1789).
