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Federal Judicial History

The Center conducts research and produces resources on the history of the judicial branch of the federal government.  These resources include compilations of historical data on the courts, information about judges and judicial administration, as well as publications on federal judicial history. The Center also maintains a biographical directory of Article III judges from 1789 to the present, engages in outreach and education on federal judicial history, and works to promote the preservation of the history of the judicial branch.

Spotlight on Judicial History

The 1957 Employers' Liability Cases (posted 9/1/2021)
Elkison v. Deliesseline: The South Carolina Negro Seaman Act of 1822 in Federal Court (posted 8/4/2021)
United States v. Santa Fe Pacific R. Co.: The Hualapai and Aboriginal Title in the Supreme Court (posted 7/6/2021)

Timelines of Federal Judicial History

Twitter Feed (@FedJudicialHist)

  • 14/ The change came at the request of the Judicial Conference of the United States, the policy-making body for the federal courts, which said, "the present statutory requirements for the holding of formal terms by the district courts are archaic and should be eliminated."
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  • 13/ … for the transaction of certain types of business, sessions shall be determined by rules of the court, and that district courts may order adjournment of any regular court sessions anywhere within the district for insufficient business or other good cause."
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  • 12/ In 1963, Congress changed 28 U.S.C. § 138, stating simply, "The district courts shall not hold formal terms." House and Senate reports described the purpose of the change as "to provide that the district courts shall be open at all times …
    1 week 13 hours ago
  • 11/ The 1948 change was part of an overall trend toward more administrative independence for the federal courts. The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts was established in 1939, for example, replacing the Department of Justice as the primary administrator of the courts.
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  • 10/ Congress made a major change when it enacted the Judicial Code of 1948. For the first time, federal trial court terms could be set by the courts themselves, pursuant to court rules, rather than being the subject of statutory regulation: https://t.co/4ZQ4bH1n41
    1 week 13 hours ago

Pages

Debates on the Federal Judiciary: A Documentary History

This three-volume series presents historical documents related to significant debates about the federal judiciary.

Volume I: 1787-1875
The first volume traces the long process of defining the judiciary within the relatively brief outline provided by the Constitution.

Volume II: 1875-1939
Volume II introduces readers to public debates on proposals to alter the organization, jurisdiction, and administration of the federal courts, as well as the tenure and authority of federal judges, during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. 

Volume III: 1939-2005
The concluding volume of the series covers debates concerning structural changes to the federal courts, criminal justice reform, proposed civil justice initiatives, and the discipline of federal judges.

Approaches to Federal Judicial History

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This volume presents a range of scholarly approaches to the field of federal judicial history. Essays by scholars and public historians evaluate the current state of the field and offer insights into new potential areas of study.

To submit questions about federal judicial history, email us at history@fjc.gov.