The Federal Evidence Blog
Returns On Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Returns On Tuesday, February 21, 2012
George Washington’s birthday is celebrated on the third Monday in February. See 5 U.S.C. § 6103 (federal holidays).
In recognizing this important President, we offer a link to President George Washington’s Second Annual Message to the Congress, delivered in New York on December 8, 1790. Among other points, the Message discusses the recent Judiciary Act of 1789 (ch. 20, 1 Stat. 73) which was enacted on September 24, 1789:
The laws you have already passed for the establishment of a Judiciary system have opened the doors of Justice to all descriptions of persons. You will consider, in your wisdom, whether improvements in that system may yet be made; and particularly whether an uniform process of Execution on sentences issuing from the federal Courts be not desireable through all the States.
Among other noteworthy developments, the landmark Judiciary Act of 1789 established our three levels for the Judicial Branch. The first level included thirteen initial district courts (including the Maine District; New Hampshire District; Massachusetts District; Connecticut District; New York District; Pennsylvania District; Delaware District; Maryland District; Virginia District; Kentucky District; South Carolina District; Georgia District). See Section 2. For the Supreme Court, the Act established "a chief justice and five associate justices, any four of whom shall be a quorum, and shall hold annually at the seat of government two sessions, the one commencing the first Monday of February, and the other the first Monday of August." See Section 1. Three circuit courts were established, to "be called the eastern, the middle, and the southern circuit." See Section 4. For more background on the Act, see generally Russell R. Wheeler & Cynthia Harrison, Creating the Federal Judicial System (Federal Judicial Center 2005).
Best wishes for the holiday from the Federal Evidence Review.
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