Press Pub Company v. Monroe/Opinion of the Court

by Horace Gray

United States Supreme Court

164 U.S. 105

Press Pub Company  v.  Monroe

Of suits of a civil nature, at law or in equity, the circuit courts of the United States have original jurisdiction, by reason of the citizenship of the parties, in cases between citizens of different states, or between citizens of a state and aliens; and, by reason of the cause of action, 'in cases arising under the constitution or laws of the United States, or treaties made or which shall be made under their authority,' including, of course, suits arising under the patent or copyright laws of the United States. Act Aug. 13, 1888, c. 866, § 1 (25 Stat. 433; Rev. St. § 629, cl. 9). In order to give the circuit court jurisdiction of a case as one arising under the constitution, laws, or treaties of the United States, that it does so arise must appear from the plaintiff's own statement of his claim. Mining Co. v. Turck, 150 U.S. 138, 14 Sup. Ct. 35; Tennessee v. Union & Planters' Bank, 152 U.S. 454, 14 Sup. Ct. 654; Railway Co. v. Skottowe, 162 U.S. 490, 16 Sup. Ct. 869; Hanford v. Davies, 163 U.S. 273, 16 Sup. Ct. 1051.

From final judgments of the circuit court in civil suits an appeal or writ of error lies to this court, or to the circuit court of appeals. It lies directly to this court in any case in which the jurisdiction of the circuit court is in issue; and in such case the question of jurisdiction only is certified to and decided by this court. It also lies directly from the circuit court to this court in cases involving the construction or application of the constitution, or the constitutionality of a law, or the validity or construction of a treaty, of the United States, or in which the constitution or a law of a state is claimed to be in contravention of the constitution of the United States; and in any of these cases the appellate jurisdiction of this court is not limited to the constitutional question, but extends to the determination of the whole case. Act March 3, 1891, c. 517, § 5 (26 Stat. 827, 828); Horner v. U.S., 143 U.S. 570, 12 Sup. Ct. 522; Chappell v. U.S., 160 U.S. 499, 16 Sup. Ct. 397.

From final judgments of the circuit court in all other civil suits, an appeal or writ of error lies to the circuit court of appeals; and the judgments rendered thereon by the circuit court of appeals are final (unless this court, by writ of certiorari or otherwise, orders the whole case to be brought up for its decision) in all cases in which the jurisdiction of the circuit court 'is dependent entirely upon the parties being aliens and citizens of the United States, or citizens of different states,' as well as in cases arising under the patent laws or under the revenue laws. In all other civil actions (including those arising under the copyright laws of the United States), if the matter in controversy exceeds $1,000, besides costs, there is, as of right, an appeal or writ of error to bring the case to this court. Act March 3, 1891, c. 517, § 6.

This plaintiff in error, having been defeated in the circuit court, did not bring the case directly to this court, as one involving the construction or application of the constitution of the United States, or upon any other of the grounds specified in section 5 of the act of 1891. But it took the case, under section 6, to the circuit court of appeals, and, having been again defeated in that court, now claims, as of right, a review by this court of the judgment of the circuit court of appeals.

The judgment of the circuit court of appeals being made final in all cases in which the jurisdiction of the circuit court is dependent entirely upon the parties being citizens of different states, but not final in cases arising under the copyright laws of the United States, where the matter in controversy exceeds $1,000, the test of the appellate jurisdiction of this court over the case at bar is whether it was one arising under the copyright laws of the United States, or was one in which the jurisdiction of the circuit court wholly depended upon the parties being citizens of different states.

The complaint, alleging that the plaintiff was a citizen of illinois, and the defendant a citizen of New York, and claiming damages in a sum of more than $2,000, showed that the circuit court had jurisdiction of the case by reason of the parties being citizens of different states. The plaintiff, in her complaint, did not claim any right under the constitution and laws of the United States, or in any way mention or refer to that constitution or to those laws; and, at the trial, she relied wholly upon a right given by the common law, and maintained her action upon such a right only. It was the defendant, and not the plaintiff, who invoked the constitution and laws of the United States. This, as necessarily follows from the foregoing considerations, and as was expressly adjudged in Mining Co. v. Turck, above cited, is insufficient to support the jurisdiction of this court to review, by appeal or writ of error, the judgment of the circuit court of appeals.

The jurisdiction of the circuit court having been obtained and exercised solely because of the parties being citizens of different states, the judgment of the circuit court of appeals was final, and the writ of error must be dismissed for want of jurisdiction.

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