Which 1789 law organized the federal court system under the new United States Constitution?

The Judiciary Act of 1789 organized the federal court system under the new United States Constitution.

Congress passed the law on September 24, 1789, during the first session of the federal government. The act established the basic structure of the federal judiciary, including the Supreme Court, circuit courts, and district courts. It also defined much of the federal courts’ jurisdiction and created the office of attorney general.

The Constitution established a Supreme Court in Article III but left Congress to determine the details of the lower federal courts. The Judiciary Act supplied that missing structure and helped turn the constitutional design into an operating legal system.

The act originally set the Supreme Court at a chief justice and five associate justices. It is distinct from later judiciary laws that changed the number of justices or reorganized federal jurisdiction. President George Washington signed the act, and John Jay became the first chief justice.