Amos T. Akerman to William H. Hooper, 4 December 1871

Dec. 4, 1871. Hon. Wm. H. Hooper, H. of R. Washington, D. C. Sir: In a conversation a few days ago, I referred to the possibility of obtaining a decision of the Supreme Court on the question of the legality of the juries in Utah, by bringing up a criminal case from the Supreme Court of the Territory, by writ of error, to the Supreme Court of the United States. Without having examined the question, I was led to this error by an attempt, the fate of which is, as yet, undetermined, to obtain a review of the decision of a Territorial Supreme Court by the Supreme Court of the United States. Upon examining the question, I do not find that the Statutes authorize such a proceeding. Very respectfully, A. T. Akerman, Attorney General.