The Committee on the Judiciary has been called the lawyer for the House of Representatives because of its jurisdiction over matters relating to the administration of justice in Federal courts, administrative bodies, and law enforcement agencies. Its infrequent, but important role in impeachment proceedings has also brought it much attention.

A standing Committee on the Judiciary was established by the House of Representatives on June 3, 1813 to consider legislation relating to judicial proceedings. Since then, the scope of the committee’s concern has expanded to include not only civil and criminal judicial proceedings and Federal courts and judges, but also issues relating to bankruptcy, espionage, terrorism, the protection of civil liberties, constitutional amendments, immigration and naturalization, interstate compacts, claims against the United States, national penitentiaries, Presidential succession, antitrust law, revision and codification of the statutes of the United States, state and territorial boundary lines and patents, copyrights and trademarks.

Because of the predominantly legal nature of the committee’s work, it has been the custom, dating back perhaps to the 19^th century, that members of the committee have a legal background, though it is not necessarily a requirement. With the advent of the Internet, the progressive nature of telecommunications and scientific developments such as cloning, the list of issues which the Judiciary Committee must consider is ever expanding, requiring members to maintain a wide breadth of knowledge to effectively address concerns that may arise in these and other new areas.

Because any new legislation that carries with it the possibility for criminal or civil penalties could potentially be referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, the legislative workload of the committee is heavy. Not surprisingly, its weighty agenda has frequently placed the committee in a central role in American politics, most notably during its consideration of impeachment charges against incumbent Presidents of the United States in both1974 and 1998.