Courts exercising varied original and appellate jurisdiction in several circuits at an intermediate level between the federal district courts and the Supreme Court from 1789 to 1911.
With the Judiciary Act of 1789
The Supreme Court became the principal appellate court because appellate review was not available in the circuit courts or judges were reviewing their own district court work. The Judiciary Act of 1869 remedied this by establishing circuit judgeships in each of the then nine circuits. In the 1870’s Congress extended federal question jurisdiction to federal courts and dramatically increased their workload. Congress sought to provide relief for the overburdened Court with the Judiciary Act of 1891
Appellate jurisdiction
Circuit riding
Courts of appeals
Judiciary Act of 1789
Judiciary Acts of 1801-1925
Lower federal courts
Workload