Judiciary Act of 1801
The Judiciary Act of 1801 was a law passed by the Federalist Congress that reorganized the federal judiciary system in the United States. It created new judgeships and reduced the number of Supreme Court justices from six to five, allowing the outgoing President John Adams to appoint several new judges, known as "midnight judges," before leaving office.
This act aimed to maintain Federalist influence in the judiciary after the Democratic-Republicans, led by Thomas Jefferson, took control of the presidency. However, the act was later repealed in 1802, restoring the previous judicial structure and diminishing the Federalist party's power in the government.