A manual on the origin and development of Washington

by H. Paul Caemmerer

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SUPREME COURT BUILDING, BY GEORGE HADFIELD.

Congress complied with President Lincoln’s wishes, and on March 3, 1863, created the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia, giving him the appointment of the new justices and the clerk. This court was to have all the jurisdiction of its predecessor—which by statute and decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States had greater powers than any of the United States circuit courts—not only a court of local jurisdiction, but also a court of admiralty, equity between residents and nonresidents, common-law jurisdiction, and the right of mandamus and common-law certiorari over all Government officials, with an appellate branch to be composed of three of the five justices to review the decisions of its special terms.

On May 4, 1863, the court organized and promulgated rules of practice. From that date until February 9, 1893, it held its appellate jurisdiction. The members of the bar previous to that date had interceded with Congress for a separate court of appeals in order to circumvent any comment against the supreme court owing to the close association of its justices sitting as an appellate tribunal to review the decisions of their brothers holding the special terms. This was accomplished. On February 9,1893, the court of appeals was created. It is now composed of five justices, as against three provided for in the organic act.

With its probate court—district court, embracing admiralty, condemnation of adulterated articles under the pure-food act; the widening of streets, and the condemnation of alleys and privately owned property for carrying out the enlargement and beautification of Washington; its purely local jurisdiction to settle disputes in equity and law; the jurisdiction over Government officials and inferior courts of the District—it is taxed to the limit of human endeavor to keep up with the tide of modern requirements and hold all who come within its jurisdiction to an orderly and legal course of conduct. Its opinions have always received wide notice and are continually quoted in State and Federal courts.

Many noted cases have been disposed of, as disclosed by its records. President Grant was sued for damages for false arrest of an individual. When the case was tried the verdict of the jury was in favor of the President. The trial of Charles J. Guiteau for the assassination of President Garfield was held here, and after a long-drawn-out and stormy session covering many weeks the assassin was convicted. The famous oil-scandal cases against Doheny and Sinclair, involving the bribery of Albert B. Fall, a former Secretary of the Interior, were tried by this court. Many other cases of note could be mentioned, but space will not permit.

Under the various acts of Congress, the number of justices has gradually increased until at the present time the destiny of this court is in the control of ten justices. The bench as constituted to-day is composed of a chief justice, the Hon. Alfred A. Wheat, and the following associate justices, the Hon. Jennings Bailey, the Hon. Peyton Gordon, the Hon. Jesse Corcoran Adkins, the Hon. Oscar R. Luhring, the Hon. Joseph W. Cox, the Hon. James M. Proctor, the Hon. F. Dickinson Letts, the Hon. Daniel W. O’Donoghue, and the Hon. Bolitha J. Laws.

The orphans’ court in the District of Columbia, as constituted by the act of 1801, continued until 1870, when its functions were transferred to one of the justices of the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia holding a special term for probate business; the register of wills is also clerk of the probate court.

Justice-of-the-peace courts continued until 1912, when they were superseded by the present municipal court, with a jurisdiction in debt and landlord and tenant cases, replevin and tort actions not exceeding $1,000, and the right of litigants to apply to the court of appeals for a writ of error if they feel aggrieved.

A police court, divided into two branches—municipal and Federal—with appeal to the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia, is presided over by judges.