The Judiciary Act Is Passed

The constitution had left it to the Congress to establish a court system. It did not even specify the number of judges on the Supreme Court. The Congress after a series of debates established a Supreme Court with one chief justice and five assoicate justices. The congress also established thirteen disctric courts and three circuit courts. Two justices were assigned to a circuit. The most controversial aspect of the bill was the section that authorized "writs of errors" or appeals to the Supreme Court from the state courts. The judiciary act was to have long term effects way beyond what the original congress ever imaged

One of the most important laws that Congress passed was the Judiciary Act. The constitution had stated that the legislative branch would establish a court system that would be "inferior" to that of the Supreme Court. The Congress passed the act which established the court system, and gave the Supreme Court the power to review the actions of the state courts.