The Supreme Court held that the federal territorial court in Alaska was not a “court of the United States” for purposes of the Tenure of Office Act, which allowed the removal of officers appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate, except for judges of the courts of the United States. The Court based its ruling on the fact that territorial judges were not appointed with tenure during good behavior, meaning that those courts did not exercise the judicial power as defined by Article III of the U.S. Constitution.