Speech #640265022

The act of Congress approved February 25. 1879. increased the associate justices to five. making the court the same size that it is today. The only other relief this court has received from Congress since 1879 was in 1893. almost 24 years ago. when It was relieved of its appellate jurisdiction by the act of February 9. 1893. creating the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia. "The Supreme Court of the District of Columbia still has. however. a broader jurisdiction than that of any of the other Federal courts. excepting the Supreme Court of the United States. It has .jurisdiction in all criminal cases. in all civil matters at law. and in all civil matters in equity. is required to hear and determine appeals from the municipal court of the District of Columbia in cases involving more than $5 and not exceeding $500. is required to remove from the municipal court by certiorari. upon request of defendant. cases involving more than $100. has jurisdiction of all bankruptcy cases. of *all probate matters requiring the action of a judge either with or without the intervention of a jury. hears all lunacy proceedings. hears all condemnation cases. both Government and municipal. disposes of all habeas corpus proceedings. disposes of all naturalization petitions for the District of Columbia. is the only court that can have original jurisdiction. of cases involving mandamus proceedings and injunction suits against heads of departments and bureaus. and. on account of the absence of an executive in the District of Columbia. this court. through its chief justice. is required to perform the same functions as the governor of a State in respect to extradition cases. "Two of the six justices -of this court are assigned to the trLal of civil cases before a jury. For the last 10 years these two justices have been unable to keep up with their calendars. At no period within that time has it been possible for a litigant to get an actual jury trial in less than from 14 to 18 months after beginning suit.