Which article vests the federal judiciary with its powers and authorizes Congress to establish inferior courts?

• A. Article II
• B. Article IV
• C. Article III
• D. Article VI

Answer: (C)

The power and structure of the federal judiciary come from Article III. It vests the judicial power in one supreme Court and, crucially, states that Congress may ordain and establish such inferior courts as it sees fit. That means the Constitution creates the top court and explicitly authorizes Congress to create lower federal courts, like district and circuit courts, to handle cases across the country. Article III also outlines judge tenure and compensation, helping protect judicial independence, and it defines the general scope of federal judicial power, including provisions related to treason. In contrast, other articles address the executive branch, relations between states, or the supremacy of federal law, rather than the authority to establish the courts.