On September 24, 1789, Congress passed the Judiciary Act of 1789. It was signed by President George Washington, and it established that the Supreme Court would be made up of six justices who were to serve on the court until death or retirement. John Jay was appointed to be the first Chief Justice. During the 19th century, the number of justices varied before stabilizing in 1869 at nine. In times of constitutional crisis, the nation’s highest court has always played a definitive role in resolving the most vexing issues of the time.