Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito no doubt intended to shock the political world when he told interviewers for the Wall Street Journal that “No provision in the Constitution gives [Congress] the authority to regulate the Supreme Court — period.”
Many observers dismissed his comment out of hand, noting the express language in Article III, establishing the court’s jurisdiction under “such regulations as the Congress shall make.”
But Alito wasn’t bluffing. His recently issued statement, declining to recuse himself in a controversial case, was issued without a single citation or reference to the controlling federal statute. Nor did he mention or adhere to the test for recusal that other justices have acknowledged in similar circumstances. It was as though he declared himself above the law.
That’s not what that means though.
“In all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, and those in which a state shall be party, the Supreme Court shall have original jurisdiction.”
So for ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, and those in which a state shall be party, the Supreme Court is the original arbiter of truth.
“In all the other cases before mentioned, the Supreme Court shall have appellate jurisdiction, both as to law and fact”
For everything else, some other body is in control and the Supreme Court serves merely as an apellate court. If you don’t like how the original body has ruled, you can appeal that to the Supreme Court.
“with such exceptions, and under such regulations as the Congress shall make.”
Congress is that other body, which has no say over ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, and those in which a state shall be party, everything else Congress does can be appealed to the Supreme Court.
That paragraph doesn’t give Congress control over the Supreme Court, it gives the Supreme Court appeallate power over everything Congress does.
I’m reading this the complete opposite way, that they have to abide by regulations set by Congress.
Which is why we have a Supreme Court to define what the Constitution means. ;)