The. United States is divided into judicial districts, which districts comprise a State or Territory or a portion of a State, it being necessary to divide the largest States into sev eral districts. By the Judicial Code of 1911, each district is provided with a District Court, for which there is appointed at least one judge, who is called a District Judge and who receives a salary of $6,000 a year. These District Courts exercise equity, common law, criminal, admi ralty and bankruptcyjurisdiction. Their juris diction covers suits when the matter in contro versy exceeds $3,000 and arises under the Con stitution or the laws of the United States, or under treaties, or between citizens of different States, or between citizens of a State and for eign states, or citizens of foreign states; all suits brought by the United States; all crimes and offenses under the laws of the United States; admiralty and maritime causes; all prizes brought to the United States; all cases under the internal revenue, custom and tonnage laws, under the postal laws, under patent, copy right and trade-mark laws; all cases under the interstate commerce laws, immigration laws and bankruptcy proceedings, and suits against trusts and monopolies. District Courts existed prior to 1911, but they were of limited jurisdiction. By the Act of 1911, the District Courts, then constituted, became the court of original juris diction in the respective districts.
The other Federal courts are the Court of Claims, the courts of the District of Columbia, the Territorial Courts and the Court of Cus tom Appeals. The Supreme Court of the Dis trict of Columbia has jurisdiction correspond ing to that of the State courts and similar to that of the Federal District Court. It consists of a chief justice and associate justices. The District of Columbia has a Court of Appeals.
The Court of Claims consists of five judges and has authority to hear and determine all claims against the United States, founded upon any law of Congress or regulation of the execu tive department, or upon any contract, express or implied, entered into with or by the govern ment. It can also be called upon to determine claims which may be referred to it by Congress, also all set-offs, counterclaims, claims of dam age or other demand whatsoever on the part of the government against any persons making claims against the government in that court.
The Court of Custom Appeals consists of five judges and has jurisdiction on appeal as to the laws and regulations of customs revenues and duties.
The Territories of the United States, in cluding Porto Rico and all the Territories ac quired by the United States as the result of the Spanish-American War, have been provided with a court, usually called the District Court, with general jurisdiction similar to the State courts. Most of the Territories are also pro vided with a Supreme Court, which exercises appellate jurisdiction, although, for some of the Territories, provision is made for an appeal to one of the Circuit Courts of Appeals.
In 1910 there was established the Commerce Court to hear appeals in cases affecting the in terstate commerce laws. This court was abol ished in 1913.
Circuit Courts of United States is divided into nine judicial circuits. Each circuit comprises several States. In 1891 there was established in each circuit a new court called the Circuit Court of Appeals. These nine new courts were given only appellate jurisdic tion. There had existed prior thereto in each circuit a Circuit Court which exercised an ex tensive original jurisdiction and also an inter mediary appellate jurisdiction over the then ex isting District Courts. The Circuit Courts of Appeals were established for the purpose of re lieving the Supreme Court of the United States, in which court there was such an accumulation of appeals that a case could not be heard for years, and for the purpose of expediting the determination of cases, thereby more speedily rendering justice to litigants. These courts have admirably accomplished the double purpose which caused their creation.
All appellate jurisdiction was finally taken from the original Circuit Courts, thereby re moving a source of delay in the determination of cases, and in 1911 the Circuit Courts were abolished, and the District Courts, then consti tuted, were given the original jurisdiction pos sessed by the Circuit Courts.
A Circuit Court of Appeals consists of three two of whom constitute a quorum. here are appointed by the President circuit judges for each circuit, who receive $7,000 a year. Most of the circuits have three circuit judges, but provision is made by the statute for district judges also to sit on the bench of the Circuit Court of Appeals; it being expressly provided, however, that no district judge can hear in the Circuit Court of Appeals any case which he decided in the District Court.
The Chief Justice and associate justices of the Supreme Court are each assigned to a cir cuit and are competent to sit as judges of the Circuit Court of Appeals. This right is rarely, if ever, exercised by the Supreme Court justices.
The Circut Courts of Appeals exercise ap pellate jurisdiction from the district and other courts.
The decision of the Circuit Court of Appeals is final in all cases where jurisdiction is de pendent upon diversity of citizenship, in patent, copyright, revenue, criminal and admiralty cases. By the making of their decisions final, relief was afforded the Supreme Court in a constantly increasing number of cases. In or der, however, that full and complete justice may be done, whenever special cases arise, requir ing further and special consideration, provi sion was made by Congress for a hearing of any such cases by the Supreme Court ; it being provided that the Circuit Court of Appeals may certify any question of law concerning which it desires the instruction of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court may order any case to be certified to it by the Circuit Court of Appeals for review and determination.