United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Steinfeld v. Zeckendorf, 239 U.S. 26 (1915)

Steinfeld v. Zeckendorf

No. 239

Argued October 19, 20, 1915

Decided November 1, 1915

239 U.S. 26

Syllabus

A court is not precluded from construing a document because its construction is affected by facts and circumstances not open to dispute. Whatever may be the rule as to legislatures and statutes, this Court may determine from the knowledge of its members whether the court below has acted as this Court intended it should upon a mandate recently entered.

Cases come to this Court from Arizona in the usual form, and this Court has no jurisdiction on appeal from a judgment of the Supreme Court of that state even though entered on the mandate of this Court in a case originally coming here from the Supreme Court of the Territory of Arizona.

As the judgment entered by the supreme court of the state in this case is not inconsistent with the opinion of this Court, there is no reason for disturbing it.

This court will not consider provisions in a judgment of the state court entered on the mandate of this Court as to matters nonfederal.

15 Ariz. 335 affirmed.

The facts, which involve the jurisdiction of this Court on appeals from and writs of error to the state court and the construction of the mandate of this Court and the power and duty of the Supreme Court to act thereon, are stated in the opinion.

Page 239 U. S. 28