United States Commerce Court
The United States Commerce Court was a brief experiment which lasted only three years. Developed out of the Mann-Elkins Act of 1910, this specialized federal trial court was created to review the judicial orders of cases which arose from the Interstate Commerce Commission. During its short life, the United States Supreme Court had complete appellate jurisdiction over the U.S. Commerce Court.
In 1982 Congress created the United States Court of Appeals to assume the responsibilities of the U.S. Commerce Court. The only difference being their jurisdictional reach is broader than that of the U.S. Commerce Court.
The structure of the United States Commerce Court was uniquely different than most U.S. courts in that five judges served on the bench each with staggered five-year terms. All five judges were appointed by Article III and therefore when their term ended, they were reassigned within the appellate court system. During their term, they also assisted by traveling and appearing in other courts throughout the country where needed. These temporary support positions were assigned to them by the Chief Justice of the United States.
At the time when the U.S. Commerce Court was dismantled four of the judges continued to work as at-large appellate judges until their terms expired. The fifth had been impeached and was no longer part of the system.
President William Howard Taft appointed all five judges that served on the United States Commerce Court. Each of the judges that served on the panel held equal status, none of them were senior to the others, and the court had no chief judge appointed.
All the judges continued appellate court work after this court was abolished except for Robert Wodrow Archbald. He was impeached due to corruption, and solicitation of gifts from people he did business with. He was convicted of these crimes before impeachment. Below is a table of the stats for each judge that sat on the bench with the U.S. Commerce Court.
During its short-lived presence, the U.S. Commerce Court saw 94 cases with 43 decisions and 22 appeals. The most prominent cases delivered before the U.S. Commerce Court were:
• The Intermountain Rate Case, 191 Fed 856 (1911)
• The Pipe Line Cases', 204 Fed 798 (1913)
• Shreveport Case, 205 Fed. 380 (1913)
• Tap Line Cases, 209 Fed. 244 (1913)
• Louisville & Nashville R. R. Co. v Interstate Commerce Commission, 195 Fed. 541 (1912)
• Procter & Gamble Co. v. The United States, 188 Fed. 221 (1911)
• Goodrich Transit Co. v Interstate Commerce Commission, 190 Fed. 943 (1911)
• Los Angeles Switching Cases, 188 Fed Fed 229 (1911)