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Louisiana was ceded to France by Spain on March 21, 1800, it was not until Nov. 30, 1803, that possession was actually delivered. Twenty days afterwards, on Dec. 20, 1803, in furtherance of the treaty signed at Paris, by which Louisiana was ceded to the United States, his Excellency W. C. C. Claiborne, Governor, proclaimed that the dominion of those two countries had terminated, and that hereafter the people would be governed by the laws of the latter. The transfer by Spain to France was effected without any change as to legislation, the previous laws continuing in force. At that time there existed no formal organization for the administration of justice. Within the precincts of the capital there was some system for that purpose; but beyond them, owing to the absence of any judicial authority, the military usually took upon itself the exercise of judicial functions in ordinary civil or criminal matters of little importance. Shortly after his induction into office, the Governor established a Court of Common Pleas, from whose judgments an appeal would lie to him, in all cases over $500.

By Act of March, 1804, Congress created a Superior Court of three judges, vesting the Legislative Council, composed of the Governor and thirteen freeholders, with the power of establishing inferior tribunals. This Superior Court was clothed with original and appellate jurisdiction both in civil and in criminal cases. One judge constituted a quorum. The judgments rendered were final, and not subject to revision by any other authority. It is not known who were the judges first appointed; but the earliest volume of the Reports shows that George Matthews, Joshua Lewis, and John Thompson were members of the court. In February, 1810, Judge Thompson having died, Francois Xavier Martin was appointed to succeed him, and in March took his seat on the bench.

In February, 1811, Congress passed an act to authorize the people of the Territory of Orleans to make a Constitution, preparatory to its admission into the Union as a State. On Jan. 22, 1812, the Convention which had met for that purpose completed their labors. In April following, Congress passed an act for the admission, which took effect on the 30th of the same month. The first Legislature met in June, 1812. They organized the Supreme Court provided for by the new Constitution. The judges 15