The Constitution created only the Supreme Court and left lower courts to Congress

Evidence

Political conflict over the structure of the federal judicial system has erupted periodically throughout American history. The conflict began at the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Although the delegates agreed that a national judiciary should be established, they disagreed over its structure and organization. Some delegates wanted only a single federal court, a supreme court that would review state court decisions on matters of federal concern. Other delegates, among them James Madison, distrusted state courts and insisted that federal trial courts should also be instituted. Rather than resolving the conflict, the delegates in effect postponed it. Article III of the U.S. Constitution created the U.S. Supreme Court but left the creation of additional courts to Congress. — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 231

Categorization

• XREF: This jurisdictional compromise and Madison’s distrust of state courts anticipate later discussion of federalism and the Judiciary Act of 1789. — connects to: Congress creates all federal courts below the Supreme Court under Article III — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 223; The Constitution left the federal courts’ structure to Congress by design — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 277; Congress eliminated the circuit courts and created the courts of appeals — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 456 (+1 more)

Broader Connections

• The Constitution left the federal courts’ structure to Congress by design #expands (0.97) — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 277
• Congress eliminated the circuit courts and created the courts of appeals #exemplifies (0.85) — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 456
• Congress grants federal courts concurrent and limited jurisdiction rather than full constitutional reach #expands (0.78) — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 245