Source: https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/151/324/
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 16:38:49+00:00

Document:
Under the Judiciary Act of March 3, 1891, c. 517, 26 Stat. 826, 827, when an appeal or writ of error is taken from a district court or a circuit court in which the jurisdiction of the court alone is in issue, a certificate from the court below of the question of jurisdiction to be decided is an absolute prerequisite for the exercise of jurisdiction here, and if it be wanting, this Court cannot take jurisdiction.
court had no jurisdiction, since it appeared from the petition that the amount in controversy was less than the sum of $2,000, exclusive of interest and costs, and no evidence was introduced at the trial tending to prove that the amount exceeded that sum. June 10, 1891, the court overruled each of the motions and entered judgment upon the verdict. The writ of error was allowed November 16, 1891. No certificate of question for decision was applied for or granted by the court.
"In any case in which the jurisdiction of the court is in issue; in such case, the question of jurisdiction alone shall be certified to the Supreme Court from the court below for decision."
According to that provision the question involving the jurisdiction of the circuit court must have been in issue and decided against the party seeking to bring it before this Court for determination, and must be certified for decision. And as no such question was certified by the circuit court in this case, we are confronted on the threshold with the inquiry whether we can take jurisdiction of the writ, an inquiry controlled by the rule that an affirmative description of the appellate jurisdiction of this Court in a suit implies a negative on the exercise of such appellate power as is not comprehended within it.
"That in all cases where a final judgment or decree shall be rendered in the circuit court of the United States in which there shall have been a question involving the jurisdiction of the court, the party against whom the judgment or decree is rendered shall be entitled to an appeal or writ of error to the Supreme Court of the United States to review such judgment or decree without reference to the amount of the same; but in cases where the judgment or decree does not exceed the sum of five thousand dollars the Supreme Court shall not review any question raised upon the record except such question raised upon diction."
The act of 1891 was framed in this regard in view of the former act, and section five restricts the power of this Court, in all suits in which its appellate jurisdiction is invoked by reason of the existence of a question involving the jurisdiction of the circuit court over the case, to the review of that question only. The act did not contemplate several appeals in the same suit at the same time, but gave to a party to a suit in the circuit court where the question of the jurisdiction of the court over parties or subject matter was raised and put in issue upon the record at the proper time and in the proper way, the right to a review by this Court, after final judgment or decree against him, of the decision upon that question only, or by the circuit courts of appeals on the whole case. McLish v. Roff, 141 U. S. 661, 141 U. S. 668.
And the section under consideration declares in express terms that when the case is brought directly to this Court, the question of jurisdiction so in issue shall be certified for decision.
the whole case, even where its decision turned upon matter of law only, and even though it were split up in the form of questions. Fire Insurance Association v. Wickham, 128 U. S. 426; Dublin Township v. Milford Savings Institution, 128 U. S. 510. The same rules were applicable to the certificate of points on division of opinion on the hearing or trial of criminal proceedings under sections 651 and 697. United States v. Hall, 131 U. S. 50; United States v. Perrin, 131 U. S. 55. And prior to the Act of February 25, 1889, this Court had jurisdiction of a case brought up on certificate of division of opinion on the question whether the circuit court had jurisdiction of it. Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Co. v. Marshall County Supervisors, 131 U.S. App. xcix.
"that in every such subject within its appellate jurisdiction, the circuit court of appeals may at any time certify to the Supreme Court of the United States any questions or propositions of law concerning which it desires the instruction of that court for its proper decision."
question of jurisdiction under the fifth section of the act, a certificate by the circuit court presenting such question for the determination of this Court is explicitly and in terms required, in order to invoke the exercise by this Court of its appellate jurisdiction, we are of opinion that the absence of such certificate is fatal to the maintenance of the writ of error in this cause. The narrowness of range in the particular instance can make no difference in the application of the principle.
It appears that the petition for writ of error was filed in this case July 6, 1891, together with a bond for the prosecution thereof, and an assignment of errors, and this petition and the assignment raised the question that the matter in dispute in the cause did not exceed, exclusive of interest and costs, the sum of two thousand dollars, but the trial judge made no endorsement thereon. The writ specifies no particular ground of error, and it is upon the writ that the allowance was entered November 16, 1891, the judge certifying that on that day it was presented to him "for allowance and signature." But in any view, the absence of the formal certificate cannot be helped out by resort to these papers. The inquiry is not whether we can ascertain the question sought to be presented, but whether we can exercise jurisdiction under the statute, which we cannot if the certificate is an absolute prerequisite, as we hold it to be. And upon that ground we dismiss the writ, without discussing whether the question of jurisdiction indicated could properly be held to have been in issue, or whether, if so, the case would fall within the fifth section.

References: v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v.