Today in History: The Judiciary Act of 1789 establishes the Supreme Court
On September 24, 1789, President George Washington officially signed “An Act to Establish the Judicial Courts of the United States” into law, outlining the structure and jurisdiction of all federal courts, including the Supreme Court. Article III, Section 1 of the US Constitution called for the creation of “one supreme Court,” but left the composition of that court up to Congress to decide.
