The Supreme Court. Secs. 215-218. It con sists of a chief justice of the United States and eight associate justices, any six of whom shall constitute a quorum. The latter shall have precedence according to the dates of their commissions, or, when the commissions of two of them bear the same date, according to their ages. If there is a vacancy in the office of chief justice, or in case of his in ability to perform his duties, they devolve upon the associate justice first in precedence. The salary of the chief justice is $15,000 and of the justices $14,500.
Sec. 230. The supreme court shall hold at the seat of government one term annually, commencing on the second Monday in Oc tober, and such adjourned or special terms as it may find necessary.
Sec. 231. If at any session a quorum does not attend on the day appointed for holding it, the justices who do attend may adjourn the court from day to day for twenty days after said appointed time, unless there be sooner a quorum. If a quorum does not at tend within said twenty days, the business of the court shall be continued over till the next appointed session.
Sec. 232. The justices attending at any ses sion when less than a quorum is present may, within the twenty days mentioned, make all necessary orders touching any suit, proceed ing, or process, preparatory to the hearing or decision thereof.
Sec. 233. The court has exclusive jurisdic tion of all controversies of a civil nature where a state is a party, except between a state and its citizens, or between a state and citizens of other states, or aliens, in which latter case it shall have original, but not ex clusive, jurisdiction. And it shall have ex clusively all such jurisdiction of suits or pro ceedings against ambassadors or other public ministers, or their domestics or, domestic servants, as a court of. law can have con sistently with the law of nations; and orig inal, but not exclusive, jurisdiction of all suits brought by ambassadors, or other pub lic ministers, or in which a consul or vice consul is a. party.
Sec. 234. It has power to issue writs of prohibition to the district courts, when pro ceeding as courts of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction ; and writs of mandamus, in cases warranted by the principles and usages of law, to any courts appointed under the authority of the United States, or to persons holding office under the authority of the Unit ed States, where a state, or an ambassador, or other public minister, or a consul or vice consul is a party.
Sec. 235. The trial of issues of fact in the supreme court in all actions at law against citizens of the United States shall be by jury.
Sec. 236. The supreme court shall have ap pellate jurisdiction : Sec. 237. A final judgment or decree in any suit in the highest court of a state in which a decision in the suit could be had, where is drawn in question the validity of a treaty or statute of, or an authority exercised un der, the United States, and the decision is against their validity ; or where is drawn in question the validity of a statute of or an au thority exercised under any state, on the ground of their being repugnant to the con stitution, treaties, pr laws of the United States, and the decision is in favor of their validity ; or where any title, right, privilege, or immunity is claimed under the constitu tion, or any treaty or statute of, or commis sion held or authority exercised under, the United States, and the decision is against the title, right, privilege, or immunity especially set up or claimed, by either party, under such constitution, treaty, statute, commission, or authority, may be re-examined and reversed or affirmed in the supreme court upon a writ of error. The writ shall have the same effect as if the judgment or decree complained of had been rendered or passed in a court of the United States. The supreme court may re verse, modify, or affirm the judgment or de cree of such state court, and may, at their discretion, award execution or remand the same to the court from which it was re moved by the writ.
Sec. 238. Appeals and writs of error may be taken from the district courts, including the United States district court for Hawaii, direct to the supreme court in the following cases : In any case in which the jurisdiction of the court is in issue, in which case the question of jurisdiction alone shall be certi fied to the supreme court from the court be low for decision ; from the final sentences and decrees in prize causes ; in any case that involves the construction or application of the constitution of the United States ; in any case in which the constitutionality of any law of the United States, or the validity or con struction of any treaty made under its au thority is drawn in question; and in any case in which the constitution or law of a state is claimed to be in contravention of the constitution of the United States.