Federal Court Basics Find Third Branch basics that touch on the origins of the federal courts, the pillars of court literacy, and some of the fundamentals of the federal court system and how it works. Historical Origins Start your exploration with Article III of the Constitution, then move on to the Judiciary Act of 1789 and the Evarts Act of 1891 . Read an overview of the modern federal court system and view a map of the federal courts. Basic Pillars of Court Literacy Separation of Powers Video