Article III:
section 1.—1.
The judicial power of the
Confederacy shall be vested in one Supreme Court, and in such inferior courts as are herein directed, or as the
Congress may from time to time ordain and establish.
2. Each State shall constitute a district in which there shall be a court called a District Court, which, until otherwise provided by the
Congress, shall have the jurisdiction vested by the laws of the
United States, as far as applicable, in both the
District and Circuit Courts of the
United States, for that State; the judge whereof shall be appointed by the
President by and with the advice and consent of the
Congress, and shall, until otherwise provided by the
Congress, exercise the power and authority vested by the laws of the
United States in the judges of the
District and Circuit Courts of the
United States for that State, and shall appoint the times and places at which the courts shall be held.
Appeals may be taken directly from the
District Courts to the Supreme Court, under similar regulations to those which are provided in cases of appeal to the Supreme Court of the
United States, or under such regulations as may be provided by the
Congress.
The commissions of all the judges shall expire with this provisional Government.
3. The Supreme Court shall be constituted of all the district judges, a majority of whom shall be a quorum, and shall sit at such times and places as the
Congress shall appoint.
4. The Congress shall have power to make laws for the transfer of any causes which were pending in the courts of the
United States to the courts of the
Confederacy, and for the execution of the orders, decrees, and judgments heretofore rendered by the said courts of the
United States; and also all laws which may be requisite to protect the parties to all such units, orders, judgments, or decrees, their heirs, personal representatives, or assignees.
section 2.—1.
The judicial power shall extend to all cases of law and equity arising under this Constitution, the laws of the
United States and of this Confederacy, and treaties made, or which shall be made, under its authority; to all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls; to all cases of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction; to controversies to which the
Confederacy shall be a party; controversies between two or more States; between citizens of different States; between citizens of the same State claiming lands under grants of different States.
2. In all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, and those in which a State shall be a party, the Supreme Court shall have original jurisdiction.
In all the other cases before mentioned, the Supreme Court shall have appellate jurisdiction both as to law and fact, with such exceptions and under such regulations as the
Congress shall make.
3. The trial of all crimes, except in cases of impeachment, shall be by jury, and such trial shall be held in the
State where the said crimes shall have been
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committed; but, when not committed within any State, the trial shall be at such place or places as—the
Congress may by law have directed.
section 3.—1.
Treason against this Confederacy shall consist only in levying war against it, or in adhering to its enemies, giving them aid and comfort.
No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court.
2. The Congress shall have power to declare the punishment of treason; but no attainder of treason shall work corruption of blood, or forfeiture, except during the life of the person attained.
