Origins of the Federal Court System

Judiciary Act of 1789 and the Lower Federal Courts

Who was William Evarts?

William Maxwell Evarts was one of the nation’s leading lawyers. He also served in the U.S. Senate and sponsored the Judiciary Act of 1891. Evarts served as counsel for then-President Andrew Johnson during his impeachment proceedings. He also served as U.S. attorney for President Abraham Lincoln and as secretary of state for President Rutherford B. Hayes.