Judiciary Act of 1891
Encyclopedia
The Judiciary Act of 1891 , also known as the Evarts Act after its primary sponsor, Senator William M. Evarts
, created the United States courts of appeals
, and reassigned the jurisdiction of most routine appeals from the district
and circuit
courts to these appellate courts. Because of this, it is also called the Circuit Courts of Appeals Act.
The Act created nine new courts, originally known as the "United States circuit courts of appeals" (the name was changed to its current form in 1948). Each court was composed of two circuit judges and one district judge. The new courts had jurisdiction over most appeals of lower court decisions. The Supreme Court
could review legal issues that a court of appeals certified to it, and could also review court of appeals decisions by writ of certiorari. This change resulted in an immediate reduction in the Supreme Court's workload (from 623 cases filed in 1890 to 379 in 1891 and 275 in 1892). However, Congress provided that some types of cases could be appealed directly to the Supreme Court, bypassing the new courts of appeals.
The Act also eliminated the requirement of "circuit riding
" by Supreme Court justices, under which the justices sat as trial judges on the U.S. circuit courts. The circuit courts themselves remained in existence, although without their former appellate jurisdiction, until they were abolished and their trial jurisdiction transferred to the district courts in 1911.
The Act allowed certain types of cases to be appealed directly to the Supreme Court (bypassing the new circuit courts of appeals) — such as convictions for capital crimes
; cases involving the construction or application of the United States Constitution
; or cases in which a federal law or treaty, or a state constitution or law, was alleged to violate the U.S. Constitution.
William M. Evarts
William Maxwell Evarts was an American lawyer and statesman who served as U.S. Secretary of State, U.S. Attorney General and U.S. Senator from New York...
, created the United States courts of appeals
United States courts of appeals
The United States courts of appeals are the intermediate appellate courts of the United States federal court system...
, and reassigned the jurisdiction of most routine appeals from the district
United States district court
The United States district courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal court system. Both civil and criminal cases are filed in the district court, which is a court of law, equity, and admiralty. There is a United States bankruptcy court associated with each United States...
and circuit
United States circuit court
The United States circuit courts were the original intermediate level courts of the United States federal court system. They were established by the Judiciary Act of 1789. They had trial court jurisdiction over civil suits of diversity jurisdiction and major federal crimes. They also had appellate...
courts to these appellate courts. Because of this, it is also called the Circuit Courts of Appeals Act.
The Act created nine new courts, originally known as the "United States circuit courts of appeals" (the name was changed to its current form in 1948). Each court was composed of two circuit judges and one district judge. The new courts had jurisdiction over most appeals of lower court decisions. The Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
could review legal issues that a court of appeals certified to it, and could also review court of appeals decisions by writ of certiorari. This change resulted in an immediate reduction in the Supreme Court's workload (from 623 cases filed in 1890 to 379 in 1891 and 275 in 1892). However, Congress provided that some types of cases could be appealed directly to the Supreme Court, bypassing the new courts of appeals.
The Act also eliminated the requirement of "circuit riding
Circuit rider (U.S. Court system)
Circuit rider is a term in the United States for a professional who travels a regular circuit of locations to provide services. The term first came into widespread application for judges, particularly in the sparsely populated American West, who would hold court in each town in their circuit on a...
" by Supreme Court justices, under which the justices sat as trial judges on the U.S. circuit courts. The circuit courts themselves remained in existence, although without their former appellate jurisdiction, until they were abolished and their trial jurisdiction transferred to the district courts in 1911.
The Act allowed certain types of cases to be appealed directly to the Supreme Court (bypassing the new circuit courts of appeals) — such as convictions for capital crimes
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
; cases involving the construction or application of the United States Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
; or cases in which a federal law or treaty, or a state constitution or law, was alleged to violate the U.S. Constitution.