Supreme Court

A court of superior jurisdiction in many of the states of the United States and the federal court of last resort. The name is properly applied to the court of last resort, and is so used in most of the states. In nearly all the states thete is a supreme court, but in one or two there is a court of appellate jurisdiction from the supreme court.

A court of superior jurisdiction in many of the states of the United States. The name is properly applied to the court of last resort, and is so used in most of the states. In nearly all the states there is a supreme court, but in one or two there is a court of appellate jurisdiction from the supreme court. See Supreme Court of the United States.

A court of high powers and extensive jurisdiction, existing in most of the states. In some it is the official style of the chief appellate court or court of last resort. In others (as New Jersey and New York) the supreme court is a court of general original jurisdiction, possessing also (in New York) some appellate jurisdiction, but not the court of last resort. '

— Supreme court of errors. In American law. An appellate tribunal, and the court of last resort, in the state of Connecticut.

— Supreme court of the United States. The court of last resort in the federal judicial system. It is vested by the constitution with original jurisdiction in ali cases affecting ambassadors, public ministers, and consuls, and those in which a state is a party, and appellate jurisdiction over all other cases within the judicial power of the United States, both as to law and fact, with such exceptions and under such regulations as congress may make. Its appellate powers extend to the subordinate federal courts, and also (in certain cases) to the supreme courts of the several states. The court is composed of a chief justice and eight associate justices.

— Supreme judicial court. In American law. An appellate tribunal, and the court of last resort, in the states of Mnine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.

1. This name is used as the title of a court of superior jurisdiction, in most of the United States. Usually, to.designate the coui-t of last resort in the state, this or a similar name — such as supreme court of appeals, supreme court of errors, or supreme judicial court — is employed. To the appellate jurisdiction, there is usually added power to issue writs of error, supersedeas, certiorari, habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, quo warranto, and other remedial writs. The supreme courts of New Hampshire and Vermont, the supreme courts of appeal of Virginia and West Virginia, and the supreme judicial courts of Maine and Massachusetts, in addition to their appellate powers, exercise a quite general original jurisdiction, vai-ying somewhat in extent in the respective states. In New Jersey and New York, where a different name is given to the court of last resort, the title supreme court is applied in the former to the highest court of law of original jurisdiction, and, in the latter, to the court having general original jurisdiction, with some appellate powers, throughout the state. Besides the states mentioned, the name supreme court is applied to courts of last resort, — having the general characteristics above described in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, and Vl^isconsin. In Connecticut, the court of last resort is the supreme court of errors. 2. The supreme court of the United States is established by the constitution, which vests in it original and exclusive jurisdiction in all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, and those in which a state is a party, and appellate jurisdiction law and fact, — with such exceptions and under such regulations as congress may make. Its appellate powers extend, not only to inferior tribunals of the United States, but also to those of the several states. The court is composed of a chief justice of the United States, and of eight as.sociate justices. It constitutes one of the three great co-ordinate departments of the federal government, deriving directly from the constitution a permanent existence, and to some extent independent and inherent powers; and is otherwise a tribunal of the highest importance, as the court of last resort, whose decisions are, in many cases, absolutely binding upon all other courts, federal or state, and in all entitled to the utmost consideration and weight as precedents. 3. In each territory a supreme court is established, under the statutes of the United States, having appellate jurisdiction; but their decisions are subject to review by the supreme court of the United States, by appeal or writ of error, in all cases involving more than one thousand dollars, or upon writ of habeas corpus, involving the question of personal freedom. They have a jurisdiction in bankruptcy cases, similar to that exercised by the district courts of the United States. Each of these courts consists, of ii chief justice and two associate justices, and holds one term annually. 4. Within the District of Columbia, the supreme court of that district has the same jurisdiction as the circuit courts of the United States; and any one of its justices, holding a special term, has the powers and jurisdiction of the district courts of the United States. The court has also jurisdiction of cases arising under the copyi'ight and patent laws; of appeals from decisions of the commissioner of patents, refusing the issue or re-issue of a patent; and all the jurisdiction and powers of the district courts of the United States, in bankruptcy cases; as well as various other peculiar powers, conferred by acts of congress. The court consists of a chief justice and four associate justices. der the judicature acts of 1873 and 1875, by consolidating the former high court of chancery, the courts of queen's bench, of common pleas, of exchequer, of probate, for divorce and matrimonial causes, and the high court of admiralty, into one court, subdivided into two permanent divisions, termed the high court of justice and the court of appeal, qq. v. In this supreme court is vested all the former jurisdiction of the courts named, with the special jurisdiction of the master of the rolls, and of several inferior and local courts, including the courts created by commissioners of assise, oyer and terminer, and jail delivery, and also the former appellate jurisdiction of the queen in council, or of the judicial committee of the privy council in admiralty and lunacy matters. The lord chancellor and lord chief justice of England, with the other judges of the different courts thus consolidated, became judges of the two subdivisions of the supi-eme court of judicature. The modes and forms of procedure in actions in the consolidated court are greatly changed and simplified. See Judicature Acts.